Man Faces Charges After Track Hoe Driven Onto Pedestrian Bridge
A 46-year-old man faces First Degree Theft charges after being accused driving a stolen track hoe over the Pipeline Pedestrian Bridge.
East Wenatchee Police say they answered a call about a person driving a track hoe around and looked like they had no business driving the machine, and were driving it around in circles by the foot bridge.
They say they confronted Ricardo Patino Cervantes from the westside while he was slowly driving the track hoe over the pedestrian bridge just after 4pm Sunday.
They say Cervantes told them he was driving the machine from the east to the westside of the bridge where he planned to park it.
A notice of arrest filed in Douglas County Superior Court states Cervates said he had spoken to another officer and said he had permission to move the track hoe and told officers he knew how to drive heavy equipment.
East Wenatchee Police say they learned Cervantes had a warrant, after which they arrested him and took him to Chelan County jail.
A Wenatchee officer drove the track hoe back to the East Wenatchee side.
The notice of arrest says it was confirmed the Kubota track hoe belonged to Selland Construction. It says the vice president and owner of the company signed a stolen report.
The track hoe has since been parked for several days at the northwest corner of Sunset Highway at 9th Street NE.
Cervates made a court appearance Monday, where his bail was set at $5,000.