Photo: CBS 12
Two people are now charged in connection with an incident on Monday involving a stolen van and a disabled man inside of it.
A group home worker where the man lives was arrested on Wednesday for leaving the 55-year old non-verbal man in the vehicle with the engine running.
"He likes to get him out of the house and take him to different places. So he was taking him to the bowling alley...decided to make a couple of different stops and then he stopped at this discount liquor store and actually went in and bought a few bottles of liquor."
Port St. Lucie Assistant Police Chief Richard Del Toro says 46-year old John Peloquin was arrested on Tuesday for stealing that van, claiming he didn't know the wheelchair-bound man was inside.
In addition to grand theft auto, Peloquin is charged with abuse of a disabled adult for abandoning the man when he ditched the Dodge Caravan. He says he didn't know the group home resident was in the van when he took it.
The New Hampshire resident confessed to the crime, saying he was trying to get back home.
65-year old Ernso Oge has been fired from the group home and has been charged with neglect.