CASPER, Wyo. — Two Casper men have pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and are serving months in jail for walking onto a car lot, getting into a Nissan Sentra and driving to Glenrock last March.
Martin Ray Harris Sr., 59, was sentenced to 180 days in jail for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, a second DUI in 10 years and driving without a required interlock device. Two judges have denied his request to furlough into a treatment facility.
Gregory Brown, 40, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and has served 68 days of his 120-day sentence.
The affected business, Vista Nissan, had sought $1,766 in restitution for alleged necessary repairs to the grill of the vehicle, but Judge Cynthia Sweet denied the request.
“There’s no causal connection between my client’s illegal behavior and any damage,” said public defender Tim Cotton at Brown’s change of plea on Wednesday. “It just says ‘grill.’”
Brown and Harris Sr. were reportedly drinking at the Horse Palace together on the afternoon of Friday, March 14 before approaching the east Casper car lot and getting into the white Sentra. Harris reportedly found a key after flipping down the driver’s-seat visor, according to Brown’s statement to police.
According to the affidavit, Brown claimed Harris told him he had permission to drive the vehicle and he believed this was a “test drive.” Harris claimed that Brown had convinced him the vehicle was Brown’s and that Harris had agreed to “help him drive the vehicle to Glenrock,” the affidavit said.
Law enforcement was alerted within 10 minutes of them driving off, and deputies in Converse County stopped the vehicle after it turned around in Glenrock and headed back to Casper. Before returning, Harris reportedly switched from the driver’s seat to the passenger’s seat. Harris reportedly had a .18% BAC — twice the legal limit — after taking a breath test.
Both were originally charged with grand theft. The misdemeanor charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, frequently used as a defense in auto theft cases, will officially be repealed in July.
