A man described as a convicted felon with multiple offenses in his past was arrested on Saturday by members of the Grundy County Sheriff’s Department.
Forty-two-year old John Ervin Peterson was reported to have moved into a vacant house at Spickard and now faces two counts of receiving stolen property. Bond is $25,000 cash with Peterson to appear February 25th in the Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court.
Documents report Peterson received or retained a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup truck as well as a 2017 Tracker 300 CC four-wheeler. Peterson is accused of knowing or believing the vehicles had been stolen The pickup is worth over $25,000 while the four-wheeler has a value of over $750.
Information filed with the warrant says John Peterson has previous felony convictions involving criminal cases in 2011 and 2012 in Cass and Jackson Counties. These include attempted burglary, tampering with motor vehicles, driving while revoked and/or suspended, plus resisting arrest, detention, or stop by fleeing.
KTTN on Monday received a phone call from James Roberts of the non-profit Gardens at Unity Village in Jackson County, who reported six all-terrain vehicles had been stolen from inside a farm shed. He confirmed the description of the 2017 Tracker matched one of those missing. Roberts is appealing to the public to be on the lookout for the other four-wheelers which he believes may be in the local or surrounding area. Roberts said five of the missing machines are model 2017 and newer while one the other is much older. Collectively, the all-terrain vehicles are valued at $30,000.
Roberts called the theft “a substantial loss” for the all-volunteer run, seven-acre produce farm. The Facebook page for the Garden of Unity Village contains television and other coverage from late last week regarding the missing all-terrain vehicles.
