Fountain man arrested in connection with carjacking, stolen truck, robbery.

February 14, 2021

Reinhold

Fountain man arrested in connection with carjacking, stolen truck, robbery.

JASPER COUNTY, Ind. – Carl A. Reinhold, 26, of Fountain was arrested in Indiana Friday morning after stealing a vehicle in Michigan and threatening to harm himself with a knife on I-65. Reinhold is a suspect in a spree of incidences that took place on Thursday, including stealing a truck in Mason County’s Logan Township, carjacking a vehicle in Huron County and also an armed robbery in northern Muskegon County. 

On Friday at approximately 9 a.m., Indiana State Police Master Trooper Martin Benner was patrolling I-65 near the 212 mile-marker when he observed a maroon Chevrolet Equinox driving northbound with a flat front tire along the outside shoulder, a press release from the Indiana State Police stated. Benner proceeded to follow the vehicle with emergency lights because he believed the driver was attempting to make it to a safe location to change the tire.

As the vehicle approached the exit ramp to Rensselaer, Brenner reports that the driver made an erratic lane change, driving in the lane of travel and not on the shoulder. Benner initiated a traffic stop, curbing the vehicle on the ramp at exit 215.

As Benner was speaking to the driver, the driver requested additional officers as well as medics to be dispatched to the scene, the press release said. The driver then rolled the window up as he was displaying his identification to the trooper.

As additional troopers arrived, Troopers report that a knife was seen in the driver’s possession. The driver continued to make threats of harming himself, resulting in a hostage negotiator being called to the scene.

As the negotiations with the subject broke down, troopers report being able to get into the vehicle and the man was taken into custody without harming himself or any officers.

The man was transported to an area hospital where he was medically cleared and later processed for booking at the Jasper County Jail.

Troopers report that the vehicle was reportedly stolen in Michigan, the result of a carjacking in Huron County. Additional crimes were also to have taken place in Michigan in Muskegon and Mason counties.

Rienhold is being held at the Jasper County Jail for warrants to be filed in Michigan and extradition back to that state.  He is preliminarily charged in Jasper County with the following offenses:

  • Auto theft- Level 6 felony
  • Theft- class A misdemeanor
  • Resisting law enforcement- Class A misdemeanor
  • Possession of marijuana- Class B misdemeanor
  • Possession of paraphernalia- Class C misdemeanor

Assisting at the scene were the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department, Rensselaer Police Department, Jasper County EMS, and the Jasper County Animal Control.  There were two dogs inside the vehicle.

On Thursday, Mason County Sheriff’s Office responded to a stolen vehicle call in Logan Township. 

“The subject reported his vehicle was stolen by a subject who showed up at his house,” said Mason County Undersheriff Derrek Wilson. It was reported Thursday, Feb. 11, at 9:20 a.m.

“He was unknown to the caller and was thought to be under the influence or having some mental issues. Caller stated the subject left the residence in his truck. That night the vehicle was discovered in Huron County, where it was believed the suspect of this (truck theft) also took another vehicle during a carjacking. Those two incidents are believed to be related, and the investigation is continuing. It may also be related to an armed robbery that occurred in the morning hours of Feb. 12, 2021 in northern Muskegon County.”

Editor’s Note: According to the Indiana State Police press release, the spelling of the suspect’s last name is Rienhold. According to Mason County 79th District Court records, the spelling of the suspect’s name is Reinhold. 

Suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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