A retired U.S. Army soldier is facing federal charges that accuse him of stealing a Humvee from Fort Stewart and plowing into a building at the Georgia base in July, federal prosecutors said.
After stealing the Humvee, the man, 39, of Dublin, Georgia, barreled through the front doors of Fort Stewart’s Third Infantry Division Headquarters building on July 10, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
A person at the scene pinned him down until Fort Stewart Military Police arrived and detained him, a criminal complaint filed in court says.
He’s accused of causing more than $1,000 worth of damages, according to the criminal complaint.
The retired staff sergeant was indicted on charges of damage to government property and theft of government money, property or records, the attorney’s office announced in an Aug. 9 news release. The indictment was filed Aug. 8, according to court records.
If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in federal prison, prosecutors said.
Statesboro-based trial lawyer Troy Marsh, who represents the man, declined a request for comment from McClatchy News on Aug. 9.
Prosecutors didn’t provide a motive for the incident.
However, the criminal complaint says the act was intentional “based on the mode and precision.”
The man has a prior criminal history involving arrests for driving under the influence and disorderly conduct, according to the criminal complaint.
He joined the Army in June 2002 and served until July 2013 as a wheeled vehicle mechanic, Army spokesman Bryce S. Dubee told McClatchy News in a statement on Aug. 9.
During his military service, he was deployed to Iraq from January 2005 to January 2006 and again in September 2008 to August 2009, according to Dubee.
He received several awards during his career, Dubee said.
Dubee declined to comment on the charges as it’s “Army policy not to discuss matters in ongoing litigation.”
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