Cedar Rapids men charged with stealing ATVs

Police arrested two Cedar Rapids men who took all-terrain vehicles from a dealer's lot late Wednesday.

An officer on patrol spotted an ATV being driven on the Cedar Valley Trail north of 42nd Street NE about 11:45 p.m., police Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said. The officer pulled onto the trail to block the four-wheeler, whose operator ran it into the car and a nearby fence before continuing south.

A bicyclist passing by told officers the ATV had headed east on 42nd Street, and officers found the machine between the trail and Center Point Road NE. They traced the ATV to McGrath Powersports, 4645 Center Point Rd. NE, where another vehicle was discovered to be missing.

Officers then spotted a man matching the description of the ATV's operator near Center Point Road and Hollywood Boulevard NE. While questioning the man, Jason A. Sliter, officers spotted another man running in the 4400 block of Center Point Road NE. They stopped him behind St. Andrew Lutheran Church at 4420 Center Point Rd. NE and identified him as Michael W. Hoover.

Hoover had an ATV tag from McGrath Powersports in his back pocket, Hamblin said.

Sliter, 40, of 110 16th St. NE, and Hoover, 42, of 906 Ellis Blvd. SW, were both charged with first-degree theft. Sliter was also charged with interference with official acts, for striking the police cruiser.

Hoover was released from jail after an initial court appearance this morning. Sliter, who was awaiting trial on pseudoephedrine purchase and possession charges filed last November, remains jailed in lieu of $11,500 bail.