17-year old arrested for taking bulldozer on joy ride

On Saturday October 31st, 2015, Titus County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of an unknown suspect or suspects having trespassed on to coal mine property owned by Luminant Energy Future Holdings Corporation sometime on the previous night.

Officials with Luminant reported to deputies that an unknown person or persons had apparently cranked up a Caterpillar bulldozer which had been driven and abandoned on mine property a few miles away. The trespassers reportedly had driven the twenty-five ton dozer several miles and for several hours during the previous night, causing damages to the dozer, fencing, and roads that were later estimated totaling over $10,000.

On the following day, November 1st, Titus County Deputies also received a report of a deer stand, feeders, and a game camera having been stolen from privately owned agricultural land near County Road 2500 which was located suspiciously close to the location where the stolen dozer had been discovered.

Titus County Investigators joined forces with the Titus County Game Warden and together, they initiated an intensive investigation into both offenses, which likely involved at least one or more common culprits.

Upon developing a likely suspect, Titus County Investigators developed sufficient probable cause to make application for a search warrant for a residence on County Road 2512, near the location where the dozer had been abandoned.

On Tuesday November 18th, 2015, A Titus County Sheriff’s Office and a State Game Warden executed a search warrant conducting on-scene interviews. Evidence found at the scene and other information led officers to place 17-year old Titus County Resident Drake Anthony Cannon under arrest for two felony offenses including Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Criminal Mischief causing damages exceeding $2,500.00 and less than $30,000.00.

Cannon was also arrested on the additional offense of Theft of Property valued equal to or greater than $50.00 and less than $750.00, a Class B Misdemeanor. The misdemeanor arrest was related to Cannon having been found in possession of property stolen from the landowner who had earlier reported the nearby theft of hunting accessories.

An investigation into the stated offenses as well as other associated offenses are ongoing by the Titus County Sheriff’s Office as well as the Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Warden. It is suspected that more arrests may follow.