Local man back in jail after car theft, criminal damage charges

A Maricopa man is back in jail after his arrest Monday evening.

Paul Stowell, 58, arrested over the weekend for threatening Big O Tires staff with a blow torch, is facing new charges of criminal damage, aggravated harassment, theft and vehicle theft in a separate incident, police said.

After being released from Pinal County Jail for the earlier incident, Stowell allegedly violated a court order on Aug. 29 by entering his wife’s residence while she was away. While at the home on North Del Mar Avenue in Tortosa, Stowell allegedly stole the woman’s Mercedes Benz and caused property damage, including to the A/C unit, and took clothes and a vape pen from a man who was housesitting. The house sitter called police to report the incident, police said.

Officers spoke early Sunday morning to the house sitter. The man related that the homeowner was out of state for the week and that he believed her soon to be ex-husband had broken in while he was out. The man also mentioned the order of protection against Stowell and proceeded to show them cut wires and pulled fuses on the A/C while pointing out the missing car, clothes and other items moved around in the house. According to the police report, Stowell wrote a message on paper, left on the kitchen counter, saying, “Have fun in Maine.”

The homeowner told police that Stowell did not have permission to be at the residence but that she believed he could have had a key made without her knowledge. She said that Stowell had tried to contact her by phone more than 20 times since the order of protection from the court had been served, and she had just received a call from his cousin in Ahwatukee that Stowell had shown up that day with her vehicle sans license plates, police said.

On Monday morning, Maricopa police dispatch received a call from one of Stowell’s neighbors stating Stowell was home and seen in the white Mercedes that was reported stolen. The neighbor said he found it odd, since Stowell typically drives a pickup truck, according to police, who were provided security camera footage showing him exiting the vehicle.

Stowell was subsequently arrested at his home. During a search, police say they found the Mercedes in the garage as well as a garage door opener from his wife’s house. Stowell refused to talk to officers about the incident, according to police.

Stowell was taken to Pinal County Jail, where he was booked.