Reporter-News Archives Friday, May 23, 1997 Abilene trucker arrested on theft charge BY RICHARD HORN / Abilene Reporter-News An Abilene truck driver was arrested Thursday and charged with stealing stereos from his load and selling them for drugs. Donald Wills, 44, faces federal charges of theft from an interstate shipment for the March 30 incident in Phoenix, Ariz. He was a driver for Kyte Inc. of Abilene at the time, hauling a load from California to Oklahoma. He's accused of stealing 67 stereos with a total value of $33,500, court records show. During his initial appearance in federal court Thursday, Wills told U.S. Magistrate Billy W. Boone he wants to plead guilty "and get this over with as soon as I can." He was carrying AIWA stereo systems from the company's plant near Los Angeles and was supposed to deliver them to Best Buy Co. in Ardmore, Okla., according to a statement of probable cause filed in federal court. But on March 29, four days after leaving L.A., he pulled off Interstate 20 into a Circle K truck stop in Phoenix. He joined up with a man named Brian, and they spent the night buying drugs and getting high, the statement said. Around 4 a.m., Willis ran out of money so he broke the seal on his trailer and removed some stereo equipment, the statement said. He and "Brian" disengaged the truck from the trailer and drove it around the neighborhood selling stereos, the statement said. Phoenix police, responding to a complaint about people stealing brand new electronics equipment from a truck, located the vehicle and questioned Wills, who confessed. Police contacted the owner of Kyte Inc., who asked that Wills be arrested and charged and the truck and trailer impounded, the statement said. Wills was released after the initial interview by Phoenix police. He was arrested without incident Thursday by Abilene FBI and Abilene police. Boone released Wills on his own recognizance but told him he must report to court in Arizona for further hearings. If federal prosecutors agree to accept his guilty plea, the case could be transferred back to Abilene. Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story Send the URL (Address) of This Story to A Friend: Enter their email address below: texnews.com Reporter OnLine Local Sports Texas Sports Copyright ©1997, Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications