When deputies and first responders arrived to check on a man who was passed out in a car in the parking lot of a store in eastern Greene County, he didn’t tell the truth about his identity. Turned out he was wanted on warrants in Monroe County in meth cases and now he’s facing additional charges in Greene County.

George Robert Goetschius Jr., 41, Washington, Ind., was arrested by Deputy Caleb Sipes of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department on Sunday, January 30.

Goetschius was taken into custody on two warrants for his arrest that were issued out of Monroe County in cases involving felony dealing methamphetamine. He was booked into the Greene County Jail at 11:40 a.m. and held without bond before being transferred to the Monroe County Jail where he is still incarcerated.

That was only part of the story as a warrant was issued for his arrest earlier today on charges that developed from the circumstances surrounding his arrest.

At 8:34 a.m. that Sunday, an employee of the Dollar General Store in eastern Greene County called 911 and said a man was passed out in a Chevrolet HHR and had been there since at least 6 a.m. The man was later identified as Goetschius.

Deputy Sipes, the investigating officer, said when he arrived, first responders were on the scene along with Major George Dallaire, GCSD’s chief deputy, who was talking to Goetschius, and Det. David Elmore.

Dallaire asked Goetschius if he needed medical attention and Goetschius said he did not, claiming the store’s night shift employees gave him permission to park there overnight. Goetschius allegedly said he found the vehicle the night before and had not been driving it because he had a suspended driver’s license out of Massachusetts. Then he said the vehicle belonged to his cousin who was going to IU.

Goetschius allegedly told Dallaire that his name was John Wetzel from Boston and he gave a birthdate. When Greene County Dispatch ran a check on the info, they found no info on a person with that name and date of birth. Goetschius said he didn’t have any identification with him.

When store employees were asked, they checked with the store manager who said nobody had permission to be parked at the store and they wanted the man trespassed from the property.

By searching for info on the vehicle’s owner, Det. Elmore was able to determine Goetschius’s name and true date of birth. When Det. Elmore called Goetschius by the name of George and asked him his real name, Goetschius allegedly said, “You already know who I am.” He then provided identification that was an Indiana state identification card he had hidden in his pants.

Greene County Dispatch then ran another check and determined Goetschius had two outstanding warrants out of Monroe County, both for Level 4 felonies. Goetschius then admitted he knew about the warrants.

When the vehicle owner was contacted, she said she had a protective order against Goetschius and the last time he got out of jail, he came back and took her vehicle.

Deputy Sipes reported that during an inventory of the vehicle prior to towing, Deputy Sipes and Det. Elmore located three used syringes under the center console and a pack of ten unused syringes in the back seat. When one of the syringes was field-tested, it tested positive for methamphetamine and Goetschius allegedly admitted he had just relapsed in the previous couple of days.

When Goetschius is returned to Greene County to face charges here, he’ll be charged with:

• Possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony,

• Unlawful possession of syringe, a Level 6 felony,

• Identity deception, a Level 6 felony.