It’s going to be a lot harder for the man accused of stealing and crashing a 2019 Dodge Ram pickup truck in Worthington to get out of jail on bond.

Joe James Turpin, 25, of Worthington, was booked in to jail by Worthington Deputy Marshal Russell Walls around 10:50 a.m. Thursday, October 4, after Turpin had been treated for injuries he sustained in the crash.

When Turpin appeared in court for his initial hearing on Tuesday afternoon of this week, a significant change was made in the amount of his bond and he was formally charged with:

• Burglary of a dwelling, a Level 4 felony,

• Auto theft involving theft of the entire vehicle, a Level 6 felony,

• Theft, a Class A misdemeanor,

• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor,

• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor,

• Criminal mischief involving damage between $750 and $50,000, a Class A misdemeanor,

• Knowingly or intentionally operating a motor vehicle without ever having received a license, a Class C misdemeanor,

• Reckless driving at unreasonable high speed that endangers safety, a Class C misdemeanor, and

• Leaving the scene of an accident, a Class B misdemeanor.

With Chief Deputy Prosecutor Keven McIntosh representing the state and Deputy Public Defender Ellen Martin representing Turpin during the hearing in Greene Superior Court, the judge revised the amount of bond.

Judge Dena Martin ordered an increase in Turpin’s bond to $26,500 cash with no ten percent allowed. He won’t be able to get out on $2,650 – it would take $26,500 cash in full for Turpin to be released from jail.

Turpin is accused of entering a couple’s home taking cash and keys to a truck then taking the truck for a joy ride, mowing down a couple of Main Street trees on the way, leaving ruts and tire marks behind and hitting a parked vehicle before crashing the truck in a field off Terre Haute Road.

In a narrative document to establish probable cause, Officer Walls asserted that Turpin entered the residence of Cole Parker and Destiny Franklin on North Jefferson Street in Worthington without their permission, while they were sleeping, and took Franklin’s purse containing her wallet which contained her driver’s license, debit card and other cards as well as cash received from her job. Walls said the wallet and cash were found in the pocket of the denim jacket Turpin was wearing. Turpin also allegedly took the keys to Parker’s dark red 2019 Dodge 1500 truck then took the truck, also without permission.

Walls alleged that Turpin then drove the truck recklessly at a high rate of speed through town and on the corner of Main and Jefferson, accelerated through a turn onto Main Street, striking two trees, completely breaking them off at ground level, then continued to accelerate as he hit a minivan owned by Gregory Ray, and left tire marks in the street before continuing on to crash the truck into objects then into the field on the north side of Terre Haute Road.

Walls said the 2019 Dodge truck was totaled, damage to the minivan was in excess of $750 but the money taken was returned to the owner.

Records show Turpin has never had a valid driver’s license.

After Turpin was released from the hospital, he was arrested and transported to jail where he was booked in then interviewed. According to Walls, Turpin admitted he had taken the cash, the keys and the truck without permission, had crashed the truck at several locations before ending up in the field where he climbed out of the rear window then laid down on the ground.

For previous stories with more details and information about this and other cases involving Turpin, click the tag below this story labeled “Joe James Turpin.”