CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – A stolen truck that crashed into utility poles on Providence Boulevard Monday belonged to a Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputy, and it was taken while the deputy was off-duty – and mowing his 96-year-old grandfather’s lawn.
Sgt. Mike Oliver owns a lawn-mowing business called Around the Corner Lawn Service. The 2005 Ford F-150 is a personal vehicle and is used to tow lawn-care supplies and equipment. It was stolen Monday morning, according to MCSO spokesperson Sandra Brandon.
“His grandfather is actually a military veteran who served in three wars: World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War,” Brandon said, adding that Oliver mows his grandfather’s lawn free-of-charge.
“(Oliver) had the vehicle parked in the driveway and everything, but there was a last bit of grass that he needed to cut, so he moved the vehicle across the street so he could cut the last bit of grass, and he hid the keys,” Brandon said.
She added that the truck was parked there for less than five minutes when it was stolen, along with some of Oliver’s lawn-care equipment.
Harley Theodore Williams III, 43, was arrested later in the afternoon after crashing Oliver’s truck into another vehicle, and then striking utility poles on Providence Boulevard at Peachers Mill Road.
According to a preliminary wreck report from the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Williams was driving west on U.S. 41A, also known as Providence Boulevard.
In the car with Williams was a 17-year-old from Clarksville who was uninjured and is now in DCS custody.
The second vehicle was in a business parking lot facing south, according to the wreck report. Williams lost control of the truck and struck the vehicle on the front left side, causing it to spin clockwise.
The second driver was uninjured.
Williams then struck both an electricity pole and a light pole, coming to an uncontrolled final rest facing west against the light pole. The second vehicle came to an uncontrolled final rest facing north in a business parking lot.
After the wreck, Williams ran from the scene and was apprehended by deputies. He was transported to Tennova Healthcare-Clarksville for his injuries. Neither he nor the 17-year-old were wearing seatbelts, according to the report.
Williams was charged with two counts of evading arrest in vehicle; evading arrest; possession of stolen property; resisting stop, frisk, arrest search; reckless driving; two counts of reckless endangerment; contributing to the delinquency of a minor; and traffic-operator or chauffer license required.
It is unknown if Williams was the one who stole the vehicle from Oliver, however, the deputy was able to recover some of the stolen equipment, according to Brandon.
Brandon also said a gun was recovered from the truck that Williams crashed, but it did not belong to Oliver.