Virginia Soldier Steals Tank-Like Vehicle, Tweets About It: Cops

RICHMOND, VA -- An intoxicated Virginia National Guard Soldier from Richmond has been accused of stealing an armored tank-like vehicle, leading police on a chase through Richmond and apparently tweeting about it. Joshua Philip Yabut, 29, was arrested Tuesday night after leading police on a chase, state police said in a release.

Just before 8 p.m., an M577 armored personnel carrier was driven away from Ft. Pickett in Nottoway County. The military vehicle - which state police stressed wasn't equipped with any weaponry and was "NOT a tank" in light of its similar appearance - belonged to the Virginia National Guard.

The vehicle traveled east on Route 460 and even went onto Interstate 95 at one point. It reached speeds of up to 40 mph, state troopers said.

State Police began chasing the vehicle after learning it had traveled from Nottoway County to Richmond. Yabut appeared to have tweeted out photos of himself and the vehicle.

pic.twitter.com/cMyvBN9lVg
— Joshua [BCH] (@movrcx) June 6, 2018

pic.twitter.com/ULPOKzS04n
— Joshua [BCH] (@movrcx) June 6, 2018

"The vehicle was not equipped with any weapons, but the Soldier did have his personal weapon with him but had no ammunition," Virginia National Guard spokesperson Cotton Puryear told WTVR-TV. "Yabut is a first lieutenant assigned as the commander of the Petersburg-based Headquarters Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, and he has more than 11 years of service. He deployed to Afghanistan from 2008 to 2009 with the Illinois National Guard."

Puryear said the vehicle had been conducting routine training at Fort Pickett when it was taken away.

No crashes or injuries were reported.

Yabut was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs and has been charged with felony counts of eluding police and unauthorized use of a vehicle.

Yabut remains jailed.

This is INSANE! Someone has hijacked a “Tank-like” vehicle from Fort Pickett and just drove it by our apartment! This is on Broad Street in the Fan. pic.twitter.com/EYfhFux1dk
— Parker Slaybaugh (@ParkerSlay89) June 6, 2018

Brother in law is a SWAT officer in the #RVA area and snapped this picture tonight of the crazy tank like vehicle that fled from Fort Pickett. Chase ended downtown near the Children’s Hospital. pic.twitter.com/4GYy7r0BC6
— C. H. Baird (@CyrusBaird) June 6, 2018

Photo credit: Shutterstock