A 36-year-old man is facing felony charges after deputies say he broke into a car parked at an Everglades City canoe launch site Tuesday.Ronald Ryan Schoener of Cape Coral was arrested and charged with grand theft of a firearm, grand theft, burglary while armed and reckless driving.
Arrest reports say deputies on patrol saw a man standing near the canoe ramp and another man, Schoener, standing between a turquoise van and a silver pickup parked at the Turner River Canoe Access around 2:30 p.m.
Schoener and the other man then got into the van and left the parking lot, heading west on U.S. 41 East. Deputies became suspicious and followed the van into a parking lot on the south side of U.S. 41 East. When deputies pulled in after them, Schoener, the driver, took off in a reckless manner.
Deputies found that the pickup had been broken into, the driver’s-side window smashed out and the rear truck bed had been cut, reports said.
The pickup owner told deputies his digital camera, satellite radio and a firearm had been removed from the vehicle, reports said.
Further investigation by deputies found Schoener broke into the pickup and stole the items, reports said. Deputies said Schoener had a cut that was bleeding on his right pinky finger.
Deputies conducted a traffic stop on the van and arrested Schoener, reports said.
