Suspect claims he thought stolen car was his

Life in the United States can be hectic.  We are a fast-paced society, and often we are thinking of the next thing we need to do while we are completing other tasks.  Therefore, it is not uncommon to find ourselves committing some rather absent-minded acts, such as forgetting where we parked our cars or, even worse, attempting to get into a car that looks like but is not ours.

This must have been the case for 21-year-old Sakima Bracero of Okaloosa County, Florida, who was arrested after he ran a stop sign in a vehicle that had been reported stolen.  (I have never stolen a car, nor do I intend to, but I like to think that if I did, I would have the good sense to obey the traffic laws while driving it.)

When confronted about the theft of the vehicle, Bracero informed police that the situation was not what it seemed and that he had not meant to steal the car.  First, he claimed that it belonged to his girlfriend, but when he realized that story was not going to fly, he reportedly announced that he "found it with the keys inside and thought it was his."

There was also some confusion over a little red pill that was discovered in Bracero's possession.  He initially said that it was candy, but then changed his mind and decided it was medicine, though he was not sure of the kind.  Lab testing has been ordered to help him clear up the matter.

For whatever reason, the police have apparently not accepted his version of the facts just yet, and Bracero has been charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle and driving without a license.  (The whole "Oops-I-thought-it-was-my-car" defense really suffers when the cops find out you do not have a valid driver's license.)  He was also cited for running a stop sign and failure to yield the right of way.

In order to avoid falling into a similar situation, please observe the following steps when operating a motor vehicle:

1. Before leaving a parking lot in a vehicle that you have "found," verify that it belongs to you.  This will only take a few extra seconds, but as Bracero can tell you, can prove valuable in avoiding criminal charges.  Try looking at the license plate or checking the registration to see if it has your name on it.  You can also look for things in the car that belong to you, or, more importantly, do not belong to you.  For example, if you get into a car that contains a CD collection, and you think, "Man, who would listen to this junk?", it may not be your vehicle.
2. If you are unable to confirm your ownership of a vehicle but are relatively sure that it belongs to you, be careful to observe all traffic laws until you are able to verify ownership.  This will make it less likely for you to find yourself in an embarrassing situation like Bracero did.

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