Two Bay County men arrested in string of tri-county burglaries

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Two Bay County residents were arrested in connection to a string of burglaries across Bay, Jackson, and Washington Counties.

Washington County Sheriff’s deputies say on December 11th they tried to do a traffic stop on a Toyota pickup truck on State Road 77 in Wausau. The driver sped away before wrecking the truck in a wooded area nearby.

Deputies say when they got to the wreck the driver had already left on foot. The truck was impounded, and it was later discovered that there were several thousands of dollars worth of tools in the truck.

During the investigation to find out who the driver was, a theft was reported in the Orange Hill community on January 8th. Officials say the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office helped identify Randall Raymond Hill Jr. and James Keith Golden III as potential suspects, one of whom was the truck’s registered owner.

Investigators also say they found out that some of the tools in the truck were recently stolen from Bay County. This is when investigators from Bay, Jackson, and Washington counties began a joint investigation.

Bay County Sheriff’s Office officials say they later took Hill and Golden into custody. Through multiple search warrants, investigators say they found property from the Orange Hill burglary and from other burglaries in Bay and Jackson Counties.

Officials say they have issued warrants for Hill for fleeing and attempting to elude law enforcement without regard for public safety, burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, grand theft, and petite theft. Warrants have also been issued for Golden for burglary of an unoccupied dwelling and grand theft.

Both men are being held in the Bay County Jail on Washington County warrants and multiple charges out of Bay County for weapons violations and drug charges, among others.

Officials say the investigation is ongoing.

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