A Muscatine man was arrested in Urbandale Wednesday night after he was found allegedly operating a stolen vehicle without a valid driver’s license.
John Louis Hoins, 27, of 312 Iowa Ave., Muscatine, was charged with second-degree theft and operating without a license.
The incident began Wednesday about 8:30 p.m. in the 15000 bock of Meredith Drive in Urbandale, where an officer of the Urbandale Police Department observed someone driving a vehicle that was “reported stolen out of Muscatine,” according to court records.
The officer initiated a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, Hoins, and “asked Hoins if he knew whose vehicle it was, and he stated he didn’t,” according to court records.
Hoins allegedly told the officer “that he clicked on a link on the internet for a free vehicle to have it delivered to his old address,” according to court records. Hoins said he then “went to that old address and found this vehicle, a blue 2002 Ford Focus, with the keys in it and figured it was his, so he took it.”
Hoins is held in the Dallas County Jail on a $5,503.50 cash or surety bond in advance of an initial appearance in Dallas County District Court.
Hoins was arrested July 7 in Muscatine on charges of assault with intent to inflict serious injury and first-degree harassment. The case is pending in Muscatine County District Court.
*A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
