COLUMBIA COUNTY, Fla. — The search for a pickup truck stolen from a Columbia County fire station led deputies to a property where five neglected dogs, multiple firearms and pounds of drugs were found Monday.
According to the Columbia County Sheriff's Office, deputies were called to Fire Station #46 in Fort White in reference to a report of a stolen vehicle.
When deputies arrived, they learned the stolen vehicle was a pickup truck belonging to one of the firefighters at the station, and the truck was stolen while crews were out responding to a medical call.
The firefighter had multiple firearms and ammunition in the truck at the time it was stolen, the report said.
Deputies say that while the crew was away, Percell Brinson, 31, stole the truck.
When it was found, Brinson was apprehended nearby. He is facing grand theft charges.
Although investigators located the stolen truck, several items were missing from inside.
Brinson told detectives of a residence where the missing items were located, according to the report.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for 390 SW Jasmine St. on Monday and uncovered nine firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and roughly 80 pounds of marijuana throughout the residence.
Five severely neglected dogs were also located in the residence and Animal Control responded to take them into custody.
Investigators are working to learn if any of the recovered items are linked to other crimes.
"This case evolved very quickly and led to an extensive recovery of evidence," said Sheriff Mark Hunter. "We may be able to solve more crimes as a result of this one incident."
The owner of the residence, Cortney Williams, 34, was arrested and faces multiple drug, weapon and animal neglect charges.
