CCSO ARRESTS 2 TEENS SUNDAY FOR “CARHOPPING;” RESIDENT CATCHES ONE IN THE ACT
(PORT CHARLOTTE) Charlotte County Sheriff’s deputies arrested to teen boys for “car hopping” unlocked vehicles in Port Charlotte early Sunday morning. Arrested on felony charges were Matthew Bradley Bollinger, 16, 21451 Gibralter Dr., and Nathaniel Jaylee Cooper, 15, 1264 Yorkshire Street.
CCSO received a call at 2:54 a.m. from a resident at 20584 Midway Blvd. who saw someone inside his mother’s unlocked minivan parked in the driveway. The man went out and caught Cooper in the act and held him down until deputies arrived; Bollinger fled on foot. A K9 unit arrived and began a track; Bollinger came running out of a wooded area and was arrested.
The resident positively identified Bollinger as the boy he saw rummaging inside the minivan and fled. Deputies searched Bollinger and located a small jewelry box with two rings and a pair of earrings, numerous coins, a bottle of Visine and three lighters. In the driveway was an Eminem music CD. Deputies said the teens went into several other unlocked vehicles in the area where the items were stolen. All of the items were returned to the owners except for the lighters. The other victims refused to prosecute.
Bollinger and Cooper were transported to the Charlotte County Jail and were later released to their parents. Both were charged with Burglary to an Unoccupied Conveyance; Bollinger was additionally charged with Resisting an Officer.