Local man charged in PWC theft

SANDPOINT — A Bonner County man was arrested for allegedly stealing a personal watercraft from a dock on Lake Pend Oreille on Monday.

Darwin David Randall is charged with grand theft. He made an initial appearance in Bonner County Magistrate Court on Wednesday, where Judge Tera Harden set bail at $2,500 and appointed a public defender to represent him, court records show.

The personal watercraft was allegedly stolen from a waterfront residence on the east side of Oden Bay, but later turned up at a waterfront residence on the west side of the bay, according to a Bonner County sheriff’s deputy’s probable cause affidavit. Neighbors in the area encountered Randall, who said he was stung by a bee and needed to be taken to the hospital. He also asked residents to give them their property, the affidavit said.

Randall showed outward signs of central nervous system stimulant use, including dilated pupils, repetitive movements and paranoia, court documents indicate. He denied knowledge of the personal watercraft and declined to discuss the alleged theft, according to court documents.

The personal watercraft broke down because the bow line was not cast off the vessel and was sucked into the a jet intake, which seized the motor, the affidavit said.