A Bristol man faces felony theft charges in connection with an investigation into a report of a stolen vehicle taken from a city business in April.

Deputies of the Carter County Sheriff’s Office arrested Michael Paul Brown, 32, of 1308 Columbia Road, Bristol, on a warrant charging him with theft of a motor vehicle over $10,000 and theft of property over $1,000.

According to court documents, the Elizabethton Police Department began an investigation into a stolen vehicle on April 17. Ronnie Ray told responding officers he had taken his son’s 2014 Toyota Tacoma to a city business to be serviced when the theft occurred.

“Mr. Ray advised that he observed a white male enter his vehicle and he assumed the subject was an employee and was taking it into the garage,” EPD Detective Joe Harrah said in the affidavit of complaint against Brown. “The subject then drove the vehicle through the lot and over the curb, driving away in the Toyota Tacoma.”

Ray told officers there were two firearms inside the truck when it was stolen, and he estimated their combined value to be $1,600.

A witness at the scene was able to provide officers with a description of the man who drove away in the truck.

A short time later, officers received a report of a possible disturbance near the intersection of West Elk Avenue and Parkway Boulevard between a female and male subject, Harrah said.

When officers reached the scene of the reported disturbance, they found the woman but not the man. The woman identified the man as Michael “Mikey” Paul Brown and said he had left on foot before officers arrived. She also provided officers a description of Brown, which Harrah said matched the description of the man who reportedly took the truck.

Harrah said he compiled a photo lineup, and the witness at the scene of the vehicle theft identified Brown as the man he saw leaving in the truck.

Brown appeared in Carter County General Sessions Court on Monday to be arraigned.  Judge Keith Bowers Jr. scheduled Brown to return to court on Friday, June 23. Brown remains held at the Carter County Detention Center under a $10,000 bond.