Bowie County Deputies Arrest Men Suspected of Stealing Tractor

Bowie County Sheriff's deputies have arrested two suspects and charged them with stealing a tractor valued at over $42,000.On July 5, 2015, James Bradford reported a 2015 Kubota tractor valued at $42,000 stolen to the Bowie County Sheriff’s Office. Mr. Bradford said this tractor had been left on the side of Interstate 30 close to Farm to Market 561 on July 2, 2015 around 4:00 pm.

When he returned to this same location on July 5, 2015 the tractor was gone. There was glass on the ground where this tractor had been parked indicating the suspect had broken the window out of the locked cab of this tractor to gain entry.

The following day, Investigator Robby McCarver called Mr. Bradford to follow up on this theft. He learned Mr. Bradford had information from an area resident that his tractor had been observed driving down Chicken Ranch Road. Mr. Bradford drove down Chicken Ranch Road and found tire impressions near a boat ramp that were consistent with his tractor.

Later on the same day, Captain Jerl Palmore received a phone call from a person who wished to remain anonymous. This caller told Captain Palmore that Cody Karr and Charles Garton were the persons who had stolen this tractor. According to the caller, the two had used the stolen tractor to pull Garton’s truck from the mud where it was stuck on Chicken Ranch Road.

On July 6, 2015 at 4:33 pm, Randy Satterfield called 911 to report that he had located a tractor on his property. Mr. Satterfield is the stepfather of Cody Karr. Deputy Nick Moses responded to Mr. Satterfield’s property and found the tractor he located was in fact Mr. Bradford’s stolen tractor. He also found this tractor had been extensively damaged to the point that it would not even start.

Due to this tractor not being drivable, it was removed from the wooded area where it was found by a wrecker. Investigator McCarver prepared probable cause affidavits for Theft Over $20,000 and Under $100,000 for Cody Allen Karr who is 19 years of age of DeKalb, Texas and Charles Edward Garton who is 36 years of age of New Boston, Texas. He presented both of these affidavits to Judge Nancy Talley who determined probable cause and issued arrest warrants for both subjects.

Deputy Kenny McMillen located Garton driving down Highway 259 and took him into custody without incident for his warrant. Garton confessed to stealing this tractor along with Karr. Garton was booked into the Bi-State Jail for his outstanding warrant. Later deputies went to a home in the 3200 block of County Road 4235 in an attempt to locate Karr.

As they approached the house, Karr fled from the backdoor. Sergeant Chris Allison was positioned in the rear of this home with his canine partner Barry and observed Karr fleeing from the deputies who were attempting to arrest him. Karr continued his flight, so Sergeant Allison released Barry who was able to catch and subdue Karr. Karr was taken into custody and transported to the Bi-State Jail.

A search of the home where Karr fled from produced a .45 caliber handgun that had been reported stolen to the Texarkana, Texas Police Department. Karr was booked into jail for his warrant for Theft Over $20,000 and Under $100,000, Theft of a Firearm, and three additional warrants. Judge Nancy Talley set both Karr’s and Garton’s bond for their charge of Theft Over $20,000 and Under $100,000 at $40,000 each and Karr’s bond for his Theft of a Firearm charge was set at $10,000.