By FRANK LEWIS
PDT Staff Writer

New Boston Police say a fugitive from justice from Texas with a long criminal history involving violent crimes is one of two men arrested in a stolen vehicle after a pursuit by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Joe Starnes, 28, of Mt. Vernon, Texas, will face a charge of receiving stolen property -- a motor vehicle, while Michael Adkins, 34, of New Boston faces the same charge.

Current warrants were also filed on both.

New Boston Police have charged the two following the OSHP's pursuit which ended on Kendall Avenue in Portsmouth around 7:33 p.m. on Thursday.

New Boston Police Captain Steve Goins said the NBPD took a report from the owner of the vehicle who told them he was at Franks Bar in New Boston at around 7 p.m. and left his keys in his car.

When he came out of the bar he noticed his car was missing and said he was in the process of calling the New Boston Police Department when the OSHP contacted him about his vehicle.

According to the OSHP, Trooper Mike Ervin observed the stolen vehicle make a traffic violation and attempted to stop. At that time the trooper did not know it was a stolen vehicle.

What followed was a short pursuit into the Wayne Hills area of Portsmouth and onto a dirt trail.

The trooper terminated the pursuit because of road conditions and put out a Be On The Lookout bulletin for the male driver and a male passenger in the vehicle. After a few minutes, Portsmouth Police Sgt. Michael Hamilton located the vehicle parked and one passenger, Adkins, was taken into custody.

The driver of the vehicle was located on foot, away from the vehicle, and he too was taken into custody and identified as Starnes.

Goins said a criminal history check showed Starnes was a fugitive from justice with felony warrants out of Texas and that he has a long criminal history involving violent crimes.

Goins said there were Ohio parole warrants out for Adkins' arrest as well.

Both men were taken into custody without any further incident, and no one was injured in the pursuit or apprehension.

Both men appeared Friday morning in Portsmouth Municipal Court on their current warrants charges and New Boston Police served both men with arrest warrants for receiving stolen property -- a motor vehicle.

This makes the fourth vehicle stolen in New Boston since September and two of those vehicles have been recovered.

Goins said in each case the keys were left in the stolen vehicles.

Goins said the NBPD advises all citizens to make sure they do not leave their keys in their vehicle for any length of time.