Additional Arrest made in Nov. Stolen Vehicle Case

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office has made a second arrest in a stolen vehicle case from November. Deputies arrested 37-year-old John Paul Simmons of West Union around 8:15am Monday morning. Simmons agreed to turn himself in and was picked up the Warrants Division at his address. Simmons, along with 33-year-old Joshua Wayne Griffin of Westminster, are accused in warrants of stealing a 1991 Jeep Comanche, valued at $6,000, as well as aluminum and vehicle parts in an incident that occurred on Nov. 24 at Clemson 4 Wheel Center on Highway 123. Griffin was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center on Nov. 25 after the Jeep was discovered at an address on Mize Drive. Griffin was found at the house and stated to deputies that he had been working on the stolen vehicle in question. After running the vehicle information and verifying that the vehicle was stolen, Griffin was arrested. Griffin was also charged with malicious injury to personal property and possession of tools commonly used in commission of crimes in relation to the stolen vehicle as well as drug charges subsequent to arrest. As the investigation continued, warrants obtained by investigators on Dec. 5 charge Simmons with one count of petit larceny and one count of grand larceny in regards to the stolen vehicle case. Simmons also had an outstanding arrest warrant charging him with criminal domestic violence, first offense for an incident that occurred back on Nov. 5 in which Simmons is accused of assaulting his wife by slapping her in the face and grabbing her head. Simmons is still being held at the Oconee County Detention Center on a combined $17,372 surety bond.