A McMinnville man was charged with vandalism and joy riding by the sheriff’s department after he allegedly took a Caterpillar front end loader for a joy ride on Jan. 15.

According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, Gregory Wayne Elliott, 21, admitted to driving the loader away from a business in Liberty and then leaving it in the roadway on Highway 53 after a short drive. He reportedly damaged the front gate of the business when he left the property on the Caterpillar.

The sheriff said Elliott was later found with two other people in another vehicle at the intersection of Highway 53 and Main Street in Liberty, and when a deputy spoke with him, he allegedly admitted to the theft. The case was investigated by a sheriff's department detective.

Elliot’s bond was set at $6,500, and he will appear in court on Jan. 29.

Mark Allen Thomas, 47, of Woodbury was charged with public intoxication and cited for simple possession on Jan. 15. Ray said a deputy responded to a call on Short Mountain Highway reporting an intoxicated man who was beating on the door of a residence. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with the homeowner, who identified Thomas, his neighbor, as the offender.

The deputy reportedly located Thomas and advised him not to knock on his neighbor's doors, but before the officer left the area, Thomas was allegedly seen walking back toward the neighbor's home. The deputy again confronted Thomas, who threatened the deputy by reaching into his coat pocket and saying, "You're going to hate me for this," the sheriff reported.

Thomas was allegedly unsteady on his feet, and had a strong odor of alcohol on his person. Two Klonopin pills, a Schedule IV drug, were reportedly found in an unlabeled bottle in his pocket.

His bond was set at $1,500, and he will appear in court on Jan. 22.

Meanwhile, 43-year-old Scottie Dewayne Linder was charged with driving under the influence and possession of a handgun while under the influence, as well as being cited for driving on roadways laned for traffic on Jan. 15.

Ray said a deputy was dispatched to Highway 56 north to check out reports of a possible impaired driver, and spotted a vehicle crossing over the center line into the opposite lane of travel. He made a traffic stop and spoke with the driver, who turned out to be Linder.

After obtaining consent to search the automobile, the deputy reportedly found a Glock handgun. Linder reportedly submitted to, and performed poorly on, field sobriety tasks. He also took a blood test.

His bond was set at $6,500, and he will appear in court on March 5.

Ronald Gutierrez, 18, was charged with public intoxication on Jan. 16.

The sheriff said Gutierrez was seen sitting inside a vehicle on the DCHS campus by the school resource officer during school hours. The officer reportedly spoke with Gutierrez, and detected an odor of marijuana, and observed that his eyes were glazed. Gutierrez allegedly admitted to smoking marijuana, and was placed under arrest.

His bond was set at $1,500, and he will appear in court on Jan. 19.