Family affair ends in jail

By Ronica Shannon
Register News Writer

BEREA November 08, 2008 08:19 pm

— A Berea man has been arrested after allegedly turning a night of thievery into a father-son event.
Madison County Sheriff’s Deputy Sgt. Jed Hudson arrested Berea resident Danny J. Thacker, 35, just after midnight Friday after Thacker reportedly took a golf cart from St. Joseph Berea with a little help from his 15-year-old son.
Hudson was dispatched to a residence on KY 1016 in reference to suspicious activity.
The caller told police he saw a child driving a golf cart that was being closely followed by a vehicle.
“I think that might have been the first time that I’ve seen something of that level,” Hudson said. “As a new parent, I think it’s pretty sick. You look at it a little bit differently (as a parent).”
Thacker did not resist arrest at the time, and the reason was pretty clear.
“He couldn’t,” Hudson. “The Xanax got him.”
While on the way to jail, Thacker said “I always do stupid stuff when I get on Xanaxes,” according to a report issued Friday by the Madison County Sheriff’s Department.
Thacker admitted to stealing the golf cart, but not without initial conflicting stories from Thacker and his son.
Upon arrival, Hudson heard a grinding noise coming from the garage, according to the report.
Hudson knocked on the garage door and was greeted by Thacker. There, Hudson found an E-Z Go golf cart with the side logos and serial number grinded away, and the serial number plate was lying in the floor.
Thacker first told Hudson that he purchased the golf cart from a friend for $280 and was preparing it to be painted.
However, Thacker’s son had a different version of the story.
The investigation revealed that Thacker had driven to Berea with his son and parked his vehicle down the road from St. Joseph Berea.
Thacker then left his son behind and walked to the hospital to retrieve the golf cart.
He drove it back to his vehicle and had his son drive it the rest of the way home while he followed him, according to the report.
Thacker was charged with theft by unlawful taking over $300, obscuring the identity of a machine over $300 and second-degree unlawful transaction with a minor.
Kentucky State Police Trooper Scott King assisted in the investigation.
As of Saturday evening, Thacker remained lodged in the Madison County Detention Center on a $1,000 cash bond.

Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 234.