Crack Smoker Steals Car on Christmas Eve

A Lakewood man started the day on Christmas Eve smoking crack and ended it under arrest in Westlake.

A 2013 Chevrolet Impala was stolen in Cleveland that morning and was tracked down to Hilliard Blvd. in Westlake around 9:30 a.m. by the car's OnStar security/communications system. An OnStar representative contacted Westlake Police to tell them that the car could be remotely slowed down and stopped when officers were in position.

The man driving the car, Jason Vaughn of Lakewood, got onto Interstate 90 eastbound at Columbia Road, then got off at Detroit Road, hit a walk/don't walk signal and came to a stop on Westway. Westlake and Rocky River police arrested him there, where they also found two of the victim's credit cards and a crack pipe in the car. Vaughn admitted to police that he'd smoked crack that morning.

Police aren't sure yet if the car stopped because of the OnStar controls, or because it was damaged from hitting the pole.

Vaughn is being charged with three counts of receiving stolen property (one for the car and two for the credit cards), driving under suspension, felony fleeing and possession of drug paraphernalia. He also has outstanding warrants from Cleveland and Linndale police, as well as the Ohio Adult Parole Authority.