W’burg police recover stolen vehicle, arrest two

A Corbin man and a London man remain behind bars at the Whitley County Detention Center after being arrested last week in connection with a stolen vehicle.

Williamsburg Police Officer Justin Taylor arrested Joseph J. Wagers, 29, of Corbin, and Michael A. Joseph, 42, of London, and charged both with receiving stolen property over $500 but less than $10,000 and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Taylor also charged Wagers with first-degree possession of a controlled substance.

About 12:50 a.m. on Dec. 11, Taylor was patrolling the parking lot of Pilot Travel Center when he conducted a registration check on a 2004 black Jeep Liberty, which was parked at the gas pumps, according to a police department release.

Whitley County E-911 then informed Taylor that the vehicle had been reported stolen out of Laurel County. Further investigation led to the discovery of a small amount of suspected crystal methamphetamine and a hypodermic needle, the release noted.

When police located Joseph, he was pumping gas into the vehicle and allegedly hid the key to the ignition of the vehicle in his pocket, according to his arrest citation.

When police located Wagers, he was in the driver’s seat of the vehicle, and he had a plastic bag containing a crystal like substance believed to be methamphetamine in his pocket.

Both pleaded not guilty during their arraignment Dec. 12 in Whitley District Court.

Following a preliminary hearing Friday morning, Judge Fred White ruled that there was probable cause to forward the cases against both defendants onto the Whitley County Grand Jury for consideration.

During cross-examination Friday, Williamsburg Police Officer Dorman Patrick Jr. testified that he hadn’t spoken to the victim since the arrests.

Michael Joseph’s attorney, public advocate Jay Fleenor, asked if Patrick was aware that the victim was the one, who gave Joseph the keys? Patrick replied that he was not aware of that.

“He did borrow the car. He kept it too long,” Fleenor told White.

White rejected a request by defense attorneys to reduce their client’s $10,000 cash bonds.

Fleenor also asked White if he would consider a Christmas furlough, which Whitley County Attorney Bob Hammons objected too.

White denied the request.

Taylor is continuing the investigation, and was assisted by K-9 Officer Elijah Hunter and Officer LaDale Rider.