Drunk man steals car, rams tow lot gate

A 48-year-old Key West man was arrested Friday morning for stealing a car from an Arnold’s Towing lot on Stock Island and crashing it through the gate.

Kevin Taylor Jones was charged with burglary, grand theft auto, damage to property and DUI.

A taxi driver called the Sheriff’s Office about 2:30 a.m. to report that he dropped off a man, later identified as Jones, at a tow lot on the 5500 block of 3rd Avenue. Jones didn’t pay his $16.25 fare and proceeded to jump the tow lot fence, get into a white Mercedes and ram the gate causing $5,000 in damages before fleeing the area northbound in the Mercedes. It was later determined that the Mercedes had been towed recently for being illegally parked.

Deputy Kathleen Donavon spotted the car on Big Coppitt Key near Mile Marker 11. She initiated a traffic stop. He was taken to jail where he blew a .162 blood alcohol level on the alcohol-breath-sensing machine. Jones stated he wished to speak to a lawyer.

He was booked into jail.

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