Columbus man found with drugs, stolen trailer

Clifford Roberts. Photo courtesy of Jennings County Sheriff’s Department.

A Columbus man has been arrested in Jennings County, accused of pulling a stolen trailer.

According to the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, deputies were called to a vehicle fire in the area of County Road 950N and State Road 7 on May 20th. They found that Clifford Roberts of Columbus had already put the fire out with a fire extinguisher. Roberts said that he was borrowing the vehicle and a family member was   to assist him. But police found that the trailer had been reported stolen out of Bartholomew County.

Deputies say that Roberts took off and they called for a police dog to track Roberts. The dog tracked Roberts for about two miles, through woods, a creek and a field but due to the heat, the search by the dog was called off.

Deputies continued to look for Roberts and found him walking into the area, where he was taken into custody. A search of the vehicle found 16 grams of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Roberts is facing preliminary charges of auto theft and for possessing the drugs and paraphernalia.