Man driving stolen car charged
A 19-year-old Uniontown man was charged with a felony count of receiving stolen property after police located him driving a stolen vehicle Sunday morning. Uniontown police said Marquis Bailey of 221 Connellsville St. was placed in Fayette County Prison after failing to post a $5,000 straight cash bond set by on call Magisterial District Judge Ronald J. Haggerty Jr.
Officer Matthew Painter said he was on patrol in the area of Connellsville Street when he spotted the stolen car traveling south around 1:41 a.m.
Painter said he followed the car, a 2003 silver Ford Taurus, until backup arrived. The driver of the car, later identified as Bailey, turned onto East Fayette Street and then onto Pershing Street.
Painter said Officers Jamie Holland and Michael Bittner arrived as backup and that a traffic stop was conducted on the stolen car at the intersection of Pershing and Hickle streets.
Police, according to Painter, approached the stolen car with caution and instructed Bailey to show his hands.
Bailey was taken into custody without incident and placed in the back of a police cruiser, Painter said, noting that no contraband was located in the stolen car.
Joby’s Gulf towed and impounded the stolen car from the scene. Bailey was taken to the Uniontown Police Department where he allegedly told police he bought the car around 1:15 a.m. Sunday for $1,100 from a man named “Phil.”
Bailey told police that “Phil” allegedly told him the title to the vehicle could not be transferred until today but that he could “test drive the vehicle for the remainder of the weekend.”
Police said the owner of the stolen vehicle was notified that the car had been recovered and was impounded at Joby’s.