Man Arrested After Stealing Two Vehicles and Breaking Into Vian Home

 Cody Reynolds

Diver Blake Cox assists with recovery of the stolen Tahoe.

Early Tuesday morning Sequoyah County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 28-year-old Cody Reynolds of Claremore in connection with two vehicle thefts and a home burglary that occurred south of Vian.

 At approximately 03:00 a.m Tuesday, June 19 Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Deputies and Vian Police officers responded to a reported home burglary and vehicle theft. Upon investigation, authorities discovered that the suspect had crashed his vehicle in a wooded area south of Vian. The suspect had then gone to a nearby residence and stolen a vehicle. The suspect then traveled down the road approximately a mile and crashed this vehicle as well. 

The suspect then went to another nearby residence and entered this home without permission while the family slept inside, stole several items, including a firearm, laptop computer and cash and loaded them into the homeowner's 2017 Chevy Tahoe which was parked in the victim’s garage. The suspect then started the vehicle and backed through the garage door and left the property. 

The OnStar system was then used by the victims and deputies to track the stolen Tahoe’s location. The OnStar GPS showed that the vehicle was at the Vian refuge boat ramp. Deputies went to the location and found the suspect lying in the roadway near the boat ramp. He was still in possession of the victim’s gun and was soaking wet. 

Sheriff Larry Lane arrived on scene and contacted Vian resident and former fire chief, Ed Barton, who was fishing near their location. Mr. Barton came to the location and used his boat mounted sonar to locate the stolen Tahoe. Emergency management director, Steve Rutherford then contacted diver Blake Cox to assist with the recovery of the Tahoe. 

It was initially thought that there were two suspects involved, but upon further investigation it has been confirmed that Reynolds was alone the entire time. Reynolds is being held without bond at this time, pending numerous official charges. 

Sheriff Lane stated, “This could have easily turned out much worse for everyone involved. These victims were blessed that they weren’t awaken when the suspect entered their home. I'd like to thank Deputies Stone, Neighbors, Gabbert and Choate as well as the Vian police department for their quick response.  I’d also like to thank Ed Barton, who’s always willing to help when we call, and volunteer diver Blake Cox for coming out to help. Investigators Goode, Wheat and Frizzell are still conducting interviews and processing evidence which will probably take another day to wrap this case up, great work by all involved."

KXMX News Staff

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