November 27, 2017

Press Release
Sheriff Bryan Bailey

Man wanted for stealing a 2005 Ford Bucket Truck leads deputies on a manhunt
Rankin County Deputies and the Pelahatchie Police Department assisted the Richland Police Department
in apprehending a motor vehicle thief Monday afternoon outside of Pelahatchie.

Richland Police had taken a report of a utility companys bucket truck being stolen sometime over the
weekend from their city. Around 11:54 this morning, Richland Police received a call regarding the
vehicle being left on the side of I-20 around the 72 mile marker just east of Pelahatchie.

Rankin County Deputies arrived on scene shortly after receiving notification from Richland and located
the vehicle but found no one with the vehicle. A Richland Detective arrived on scene to process the
vehicle and assist in identifying the suspect.

Pelahatchie Police received a report, by a local service station, of a white male dressed in all black who
walked up to the service station carrying a fuel can trying to purchase fuel. Pelahatchie responded to
the service station but the unidentified male fled into a wooded area between Highway 43 and I-20.

Rankin County Deputies deployed a K9 tracking team into the wooded area and were quickly following a
fresh track. A perimeter was established and more deputies were called to assist in the search. Rankin
SO deployed a UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) and its Mounted Patrol Unit to assist searching a
wooded area of off Old Wire Road.

The property owner, where the search was conducted, was able to provide personal knowledge of the
property layout to deputies. While deputies were still arriving to the search area, the property owners
wife contact him stating an individual matching the suspects description had just walked out of the
woods onto the surface street in front of their residence. This information was promptly radioed to all
officers involved in the search and the individual was immediately taken into custody, without further
incident.

The suspect, Justin Lee KUNKLE, did not have any identification on his person and refused to cooperate
with deputies at the time of his arrest. KUNKLE was taken to the Rankin County Jail and eventually
provided Detention Officers with his identity. Richland Police confirmed KUNKLE was the individual they
developed as a suspect. KUNKLE is being charged by the Richland Police Department with motor vehicle
theft and he is being held in the Rankin County Jail under a $100,000 bond.

This is yet another example of local agencies working together to bring a bad guy to justice. We would
be remiss if we did not give the homeowner and his wife credit for involving themselves in a helpful and
safe manner to help put a quick end to the manhunt. The manhunt lasted approximately two hours.
Justin Lee KUNKLE
35 Years-old
8708 Bayou Castelle Drive
Gautier, MS 39553