Walworth County Sheriff’s Office recovered a stolen vehicle early Sunday morning after a multi-agency effort that stretched from the Cheyenne River area to a gas station in Selby, where the suspect was ultimately taken into custody.
According to a post from the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, deputies located the stolen vehicle at approximately 3:00 a.m. on September 6, 2026, on US Highway 12 near the intersection of 315th Avenue, between the towns of Selby and Bowdle.
The vehicle had originally been stolen from the West River area and reported to Cheyenne River Tribal Law Enforcement. That agency passed the information along to North Central Regional 911 Dispatch in Mobridge, which then notified the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office.
When deputies arrived at the scene, the reported male driver was nowhere to be found. The search for him did not last long, though the way he was eventually located had an unusual twist.
Good Samaritan Unknowingly Gives Suspect a Ride
A driver heading back to Selby on Highway 12 spotted a man walking alone along the roadway and stopped to offer him a lift, unaware he was the suspect being sought in connection with the stolen vehicle. The Good Samaritan dropped him off at Shorty’s, a Cenex gas station in Selby.
Chief Deputy Sheriff Travis Bentz responded to the location and took the suspect into custody without incident. Authorities say the man is facing felony charges in connection with the stolen vehicle. He was also found to have active warrants out of Bismarck in Burleigh County, North Dakota.
Following the arrest, the suspect was transported to the Edmunds County Jail in Ipswich for processing.
The case highlights how quickly cooperation between local, tribal, and regional agencies can lead to results.
What began as a report to Cheyenne River Tribal Law Enforcement moved through dispatch channels in Mobridge before landing with Walworth County deputies, who acted fast once the vehicle was spotted on Highway 12. From there, an unrelated act of roadside kindness ended up playing a part in bringing the search to a close.
Sheriff Joshua D. Boll’s office credited the swift outcome to coordination across jurisdictions, noting that information sharing between tribal law enforcement and county dispatch played a key role in locating both the vehicle and the driver in a short window of time.
The incident has drawn attention on social media, where residents praised the department’s response. No further details have been released regarding the specific felony charges the suspect now faces, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Comments (0)