Michael Stephen Taggart, 50, of Dittmer was stopped while driving a stolen pickup. He told the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office deputy that he was given permission to use the pickup to move his belongings, according to court documents.
Taggart has been charged with first-degree tampering of a motor vehicle. He was arrested on May 3, and as of Monday, May 4, he was being held on a $4,000 bond at the Jefferson County Jail in Hillsboro, court records show.
According to the case’s probable-cause statement, a deputy on June 25, 2025, saw Taggart driving a reportedly stolen 2000 Ford F-250 near the intersection of Flucom and Bader roads southeast of De Soto.
The deputy stopped Taggart, who allegedly admitted the pickup was not his but said he had permission to drive it, the report said