Mistrial declared in grand theft case

A mistrial has been declared in Highland County Common Pleas Court after the jury became deadlocked over whether or not a Hillsboro man committed grand theft after he allegedly drove a Highland County woman's car to Kentucky without her permission.

Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss declared a mistrial when, after approximately four hours of deliberations, jurors said that they were deadlocked.

Defendant Shane Rhoads, who was represented by attorney Conrad Curren, faced one count of grand theft, a felony of the fourth degree.

Curren alleged that the victim gave implied consent for Rhoads to take the vehicle, a 2010 Ford Fusion, after the defendant stated his intent to take the car, and she allegedly "did not say anything."

However, the alleged victim testified that she told Rhoads that he could not take the vehicle. 

The victim had a civil protection out against Rhoads. Rhoads also does not have a driver's license.

Assistant Highland County Prosecutor Molly Bolek, who represented the state during the trial, said the jury had submitted five questions to the court during their deliberations. Some of the questions regarded their inability to reach an agreement.

In her closing statements, Bolek said that the defendant knowingly took the keys to the vehicle, without permission, and the car ended up in an impound lot in Kentucky. The victim, who drove the vehicle every day to work, had to take a day off work to get the vehicle back.

Following the court's declaration of a mistrial, Bolek said, "At this point, we will be retrying it."

Rhoads appeared in court Monday in the custody of the Highland County Sheriff's Office. Bolek said that he is serving 216 days on a probation violation out of Hillsboro Municipal Court, with domestic violence as the underlying charge.