An Uber Eats food pickup at an IHOP in Winter Haven turned into a grand theft investigation on July 4, resulting in the arrest of a Fort Meade man by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

Incident Details

According to agency reports, an Uber Eats driver arrived at the IHOP restaurant near Lake Ina at approximately 10:30 p.m. to collect an order. The driver was operating a 2003 Chevy Tahoe that suffered from a known ignition malfunction. Because of the mechanical defect, the driver left the vehicle running and stepped into the restaurant to retrieve the food.

While the driver was inside, a man wearing jeans, a blue-and-gray baseball cap, and a t-shirt featuring profane language drove away in the unattended Tahoe. Following a 911 call, a Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputy located the abandoned SUV in a neighborhood directly behind the IHOP, near Lake Eloise.

Local witnesses informed deputies that they observed a man attempting to restart the vehicle without success before fleeing the scene. Deputies searching the perimeter subsequently located a man matching the suspect’s description near Lake Roy Beach. The individual was identified by the agency as 51-year-old Jason W. Blackwelder, who is classified by law enforcement as a career criminal offender.

When questioned by deputies, Blackwelder denied taking the Tahoe and claimed he had been fishing in the area. However, deputies noted that Blackwelder had no fishing poles or gear anywhere near him. Deputies witnessed Blackwelder attempting to hide a pair of Chevy keys behind a nearby railing during the interaction. Investigators recovered the keys and later confirmed they belonged to the victim’s stolen Tahoe.

Charges and Arrest

Blackwelder was booked into the local jail and faces charges of Grand Theft Motor Vehicle, a third-degree felony, and Tampering with Evidence, also a third-degree felony.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.