UMATILLA, Florida—A Umatilla man is accused of stealing a forklift from a popular church that is under construction Sunday, but he only made it across the street, according to an arrest affidavit.
Jordan Arthur Meadors, 25, was busted by Umatilla Police getting out of the forklift that was stolen from First Baptist Church Umatilla (FBCU,) just after 2:30 a.m. after someone reported a suspicious incident. Meadors told UPD he was just moving the forklift after a “guy that he had just met told him he was allowed to drive the forklift and park it across the street,’ the affidavit states.
UPD found that Meadors drove the $78,000 forklift through a fence at FBCU, causing $1,000 damage to the fence. Meadors was taken into custody and when he arrived at the Lake County Jail, he was found with methamphetamine in his jacket pocket. He is facing several charges, including possession of methamphetamine, introduction of contraband into a detention facility, loitering or prowling, criminal mischief, burglary and theft. He is being held in LCJ on no bond.
