Lacey police arrest man suspected of possessing stolen Mercedes-Benz, break car window
Lacey Police arrested a 38-year-old Ellensburg man they found in a stolen Mercedes-Benz on Tuesday after blowing out the vehicle’s back side-window with a less lethal shotgun.
Shelton Gleaton is accused of unlawful possession of meth, heroin and a stolen vehicle. Judge James Dixon found probable cause for those crimes Wednesday during Gleaton’s preliminary appearance but allowed him to be released on his personal recognizance with certain conditions.
As part of his conditions of release, he is barred from contacting Mercedes-Benz of Portland or any known illegal drug users, dealers or manufacturers. He is also not allowed to possess any firearms and controlled substances without a prescription.
Police found Gleaton in a black 2018 Mercedes-Benz at a Chevron Gas station on Marvin Road Northeast and subsequently posted on social media about the incident the next day.
A person who works at Mercedes-Benz of Portland had tracked the car via GPS and reported it stolen, according to a probable cause statement. The statement gives the following account of law enforcement’s investigation.
Upon arrival, the responding officer noticed the car was turned on but the driver, later identified as Gleaton, was unconscious, according to the statement. Police blocked the car and restricted traffic in the immediate area as backup arrived to help with what they referred to as a “High Risk Stop.”
Officers repeatedly used a public address system to direct Gleaton to step out of the car, but he did not respond, the statement read. To get his attention, one officer grabbed a “less lethal” shotgun to break out a window.
Using bean bag rounds, the officer took three shots at the driver’s side rear door window. The first bean bag round bounced off the window but the next two broke through, the according to the statement.
This strategy finally got Gleaton’s attention and his stepped out of the vehicle with his hands up, the statement read. Police arrested him on the spot and questioned him about the stolen vehicle.
At first, Gleaton allegedly told officers he was merely borrowing the car from a friend because his grandmother had died and he needed to drive back to Ellensburg from Portland, Oregon. He reportedly claimed he did not know the car was stolen.
However, the statement claims he admitted his initial story was false and he offered a new explanation. He allegedly said he drove off with the unattended car because he was cold one night in Portland.
A worker at Mercedes-Benz of Portland told police the car was parked in a service bay with the door unlocked and the keys inside, the statement read. When the car went missing for a few hours, the worker checked surveillance cameras.
The footage allegedly revealed a person wearing camo pants and a light color hoody take the car at around 5 a.m. The statement claims Gleaton wore similar clothes when police found him.
The statement further alleges police found a backpack in the car with one vial of liquid cannabis, a vape pen and drug paraphernalia. Additionally, they allegedly found a wooden box with two plastic bags containing heroin and meth, according to the statement.
Gleaton’s arraignment is scheduled for March 9.
This story was originally published February 25, 2021 at 10:45 AM.
