A guitar-playing 42-year-old Seabeck man who stole a car using a shaved key then drove recklessly through Bremerton was charged Jan. 31 in Kitsap County Superior Court.

Possession of a stolen vehicle, if convicted, brings a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine. There’s a one year in jail and a $5,000 fine maximum for reckless driving. Bail was set at $85,000.

On Jan. 30 at 11:30 p.m. a Bremerton officer saw a vehicle with no plates and a trunk open driving slowly through a parking lot of two businesses. Since there is a history of burglaries there, the officer drove closer. The suspect took off, going up to 70 miles per hour in a 25 mph zone. The officer stopped his pursuit, and the suspect car later ran a stop sign, court records say.

Once the vehicle was out of sight, the officer followed and started looking around the area. He saw a man and woman walking that he did not recognize as he patrols that area often. He kept looking for the vehicle and found it. He called other units to ask for help searching for the couple, then found out that vehicle had been stolen.

Another officer detained the couple. The man said he took off because there was a felony warrant out for his girlfriend’s arrest.

Inside the car were clothes, canned food and a couple of guitars.