Missoula, MT – A Missoula man was arrested on December 9, 2024, after police located a stolen vehicle he was driving outside the Poverello Center. Authorities say 39-year-old Austin Merrick was found in the driver’s seat of a 1998 Honda Accord that had been reported stolen earlier in the day.
According to the victim, John Doe, he parked his vehicle on Catlin Street between South 4th and South 5th streets around 3:00 PM. After leaving the car for about an hour and a half, he returned to find it missing and immediately called 9-1-1 to report the theft.
While officers spoke with Doe, another team of officers located the vehicle at approximately 4:40 PM outside the Poverello Center, where Merrick was sitting in the driver’s seat. Officers quickly approached Merrick, who told them he had been given permission to drive the vehicle by an “unknown male.”
Merrick explained that earlier in the day, the unidentified man had informed him that Merrick’s stolen backpack was in a silver car parked near the Town and Country Lounge. Merrick did not provide any details about how the man knew he had recently been the victim of a theft or why the man would have access to the vehicle. Despite acknowledging the unknown male didn’t own the car, Merrick claimed the individual allowed him to drive it.
After retrieving his backpack from the car, Merrick drove off, intending to travel to Hot Springs to visit his mother. However, he said his mother advised him to stay at the Poverello Center instead.
Court records show Merrick is currently under felony supervision out of Flathead County. A $50,000 arrest warrant had been issued for Merrick on November 18, 2024, after he reportedly absconded from his supervision. Merrick also has a pending felony charge of Sexual Intercourse Without Consent in Missoula County.
Merrick was arrested and booked into the Missoula County Detention Center on charges of felony theft of a motor vehicle. The stolen Honda Accord was returned to its rightful owner.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges of vehicle theft and raises questions about the accountability of individuals involved in these kinds of crimes. Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the vehicle’s theft and Merrick’s involvement.