A Tiffin man was arrested after stealing a car with a 19-year-old man sleeping inside of it from a Findlay car dealership. 32-year-old Justin Vaughn has been charged with kidnapping, aggravated robbery, and theft of a motor vehicle. Findlay Police Officer says two teens were trading in a vehicle at Taylor Hyundai around 1 pm on Saturday when Vaughn jumped into the driver’s seat and drove off with the sleeping 19-year-old. Vaughn drove to Tiffin and thanks to the teen in the car texting their location, a Tiffin police officer spotted the vehicle and started to pursue it. Vaughn crashed the car during the chase and was arrested by law enforcement. Both Vaughn and the teen had minor injuries, Vaughn is being held in the Hancock County Jail.
Media Release from Findlay Police Department
On 01-15-2022 at 13:02, Kharisma F. Guajardo (age 17) and Raylon D. Scott (age 19), both of Fostoria, Ohio, brought their white 2012 Audi A4 to Taylor Hyundai to trade in. Raylon was asleep in the vehicle when Justin M. Vaughn (age 32), of Tiffin, entered the driver's seat of the Audi and drove away with it from the dealership. The Findlay Police Department was then notified the vehicle had been stolen. Kharisma was able to track the vehicle's location and provided investigating officers with real-time location updates, and the vehicle was being driven eastbound on US 224 at a high rate of speed. Raylon was also communicating with Kharisma via text message to provide location updates, as well as messages about Justin's driving and threatening behaviors. Area law enforcement agencies were advised and updated of the situation. The Audi was tracked into Tiffin, and located by the Tiffin Police Department.
Justin then fled from the Tiffin Police Department, engaging in a vehicle pursuit in Seneca County. The pursuit ended after Justin crashed the Audi near the area of SR 100 and Young Road, northwest of Sycamore. Justin was apprehended after the crash and later transferred to Findlay Police Department custody.
Justin and Raylon had minor injuries from the crash, and were treated on scene by Sycamore Fire and EMS and released without further medical treatment necessary. A Seneca County Sheriff's Office Deputy's hand was also injured during the incident.
Justin was incarcerated at the Hancock County Jail on charges of Kidnapping (F-1), Aggravated Robbery (F-1), and Theft of a Motor Vehicle (F-4).
