Test Drive: Man Decides Not to Return, Goes Mudding Instead, GOODRICH, March 11, 2013 - A Lufkin auto dealership reported a stolen truck on Monday (March 11, 2013). The driver of the truck acted like he was interested in purchasing the truck and took it for a test drive......ALL THE WAY TO SOUTH POLK COUNTY. The driver, Justin Leon Brady, 20, of Temple, was recently paroled from prison for stealing cars. The Polk County Sheriff's Office received intelligence that the now stolen truck was in Goodrich off FM-2969 late Monday afternoon. Sergeant Christian Schanmier and Deputy Mike Nettles with the Sheriff's Office went to the vicinity. Schanmier got in touch with long time Goodrich resident, Bobby Gokey. Gokey knows the area very well. Sure enough, Schanmier and Gokey drove up on the truck and found Justin Brady with the truck (stuck in the mud near the Goodrich Sandbar). Brady confessed to stealing the truck. Apparently, he decided to take the truck mudding and have a little fun. Brady was placed under arrest for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. A rollback wrecker from Ken's Towing was summoned to recover the vehicle. Ken was unsure about backing his rollback into the muddy off road terrain. No problem, citizen Gokey used his Hummer (H1) to pull the truck out of the mud, and to the road for Ken. The vehicle will be stored at Harrison Body Shop in Livingston.
Brady told a Lufkin car dealership that he was taking the vehicle for a test drive. He opted to drive to Goodrich and go mudding instead.
Deputy Mike Nettles put cuffs on Brady. Nettles has over 30 years of law enforcement experience.
Brady was booked into Polk County Jail and charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
Bobby Gokey of Goodrich used his Hummer to pull the truck out of the mud. Gokey helped Sergeant Christian Schanmier locate Brady and the truck (Schanmier pictured looking on).
Gokey's diesel powered Hummer easily pulled the stuck truck out of the mud.
The truck was recovered by Ken's Towing.
As usual, Ken was assisted by The Great Houdini.
The M&M Sisters helped report this story.
If you would like to comment on this story, we'd love to hear from you. Be sure to specify which story. Your name will be posted with your comment in Letters to the Editor.