Sunday morning at approximately 7:49 AM, the White County Sheriff’s Office received a call from Brian Browning that he had located a tractor near the Maunie Sandbar. The tractor’s door was open and the engine was still running. A Sheriff’s Deputy responded to the scene to investigate. He carefully entered the cab and turned off the engine. The keys were still in the ignition. Paperwork inside identified the owner of the John Deere as Tyler Wooten of Carmi. White County Dispatch contacted Wooten who was unaware the tractor was missing.
Wooten went to the farm where the tractor had been parked and found it was indeed missing. He also reported several things at the farm had been disturbed or damaged, including a water hydrant, several barrels with scrap metal had been turned over, a flat bed trailer had been moved from beside the farm building to the middle of the county road in front of the farm with the left fender, tire, and both rear lights damaged, as well as a possibly bent frame and a bent front jack, and a 2003 Grey Ford pickup truck belonging to Wooten had been broken into, the back center glass was broken out to gain entry. The ignition was damaged and things from the console were trown about inside the vehicle.
Deputy Cantrell contacted the Illinois State Police Crime Scene Division to process the vehicle for evidence.
