CLARION CO., Pa. (EYT) – A Knox man was held for court on Tuesday on criminal charges from an incident where he was reportedly caught driving a stolen vehicle.
According to court documents, the following charges against 35-year-old Michael Steven Siple II were held for court on Tuesday, September 1:
– Receiving Stolen Property, Felony 3
– Violation of Use of Certificate of Inspection, Summary
– Driving While Operator Privilege is Suspended or Revoked, Summary
– Fraudulent Use/Removal of Registration Plate, Summary
The charges have been transferred to the Clarion County Court of Common Pleas.
A formal arraignment is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on October 21 with Magisterial District Judge Jarah
Lee Heeter presiding.
He is currently free on $10,000.00 unsecured bail.
The charges stem from a traffic stop in Knox Borough, Clarion County, in late November 2019.
Details of the case:
According to a criminal complaint filed by Chief Jason Bowen, of the Knox Borough Police Department, he observed a blue 2005 Chevrolet Blazer traveling on East State Street in Knox around 4:50 p.m. on November 6, 2019, and discovered the registration plate was on record as “Tag Only Record” and “cannot be used on any motor vehicle.”
Chief Bowen then initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle in the parking lot of the Dollar General.
The driver of the vehicle, identified as Michael Siple II, stated the registration plate had been removed from a vehicle belonging to a known woman, and he had attached the registration to the vehicle. He also admitted his driver’s license was suspended and the vehicle was uninsured, according to the complaint.
Chief Bowen also discovered the vehicle had a fraudulent inspection sticker, the complaint notes.
Upon running a search on the vehicle’s identification number, it was learned there was no registration plate assigned to the vehicle, and it came back as previously registered to a known female.
When asked about the vehicle, Siple reportedly stated he had purchased it from a known business. Chief Bowen then contacted the business and discovered Siple had not purchased the vehicle from the business and did not have permission to possess the vehicle, the complaint states.
Siple was arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Jarah Lee Heeter at 9:44 a.m. on Thursday, February 20.
Court documents indicate a third-degree misdemeanor count of driving on a suspended license filed agains Siple in relation to an incident in late February 2020 was also held for court on September 1.
Aggravated assault and related charges against Siple from an incident in Jefferson County, where he allegedly tied a woman up and beat her, causing her injuries that required being airlifted for medical treatment, were waived for court on Tuesday, August 25. The case continues to work its way through the court system.
