YCSO: Suspect arrested in car stolen from Cottonwood dealership

COTTONWOOD, AZ - A Cottonwood man was arrested Wednesday night after deputies discovered he was driving a vehicle that had been stolen from a local car dealership.

A Yavapai County Sheriff's sergeant reportedly stopped a 2010 Chevrolet pickup truck for speeding on Interstate 17 near the Black Canyon City area around 10:30 p.m.

YCSO spokesman Dwight D'Evelyn said the sergeant approached 32-year-old Sergio Machado, who had no identification, registration or proof of vehicle ownership.

While checking the inside of the truck for evidence of the driver’s identity, the sergeant noticed plastic liners on the flooring and a vehicle pricing sheet attached to the window from a Cottonwood dealership.

D'Evelyn said a record check also indicated Machado had a suspended license.

Officials reportedly contacted Larry Green Chevrolet in Cottonwood to determine the status of the pickup. A manager at the dealership confirmed the car had been stolen and began checking into additional thefts.

The manager later reported to YCSO that several vehicles had been stolen following a burglary of vehicle keys from dealership offices.

Machado was booked at the Camp Verde Detention for vehicle theft.

D'Evelyn said an investigation into the thefts is ongoing, and an additional suspect was also arrested near the Mexico border in Bisbee driving one of the stolen vehicles.

Other stolen vehicles have reportedly been located with the assistance of an in-car tracking and communications system. Three of the vehicles were recovered in the United States, and two more were located in Mexico. The estimated value of the recovered vehicles is more than $200, 000.