Lang
10/4/23
A suspect accused of stealing a semi in Cedar Rapids and burglarizing a residence near Oxford was arrested Tuesday morning at the Tiffin rest area.
A trucking company traced its stolen Freightliner to the eastbound Interstate 80 rest area just before noon. Arriving deputies found 54-year-old Eric Edelman of Porterville, California inside. Edelman reportedly claimed the truck belonged to his boss and that he had been spraying at night. The company confirmed Edelman did not work for them. Edelman then reportedly claimed he came upon the abandoned truck while hitchhiking. Investigators say Edelman braced himself against the vehicle after he refused to come out, and only exited at taser-point.
Items found inside the cab were traced to a Tuesday morning burglary on Chambers Avenue near Oxford. The farmhouse had been broken into just after 8:15 a.m., and marks on the door of the house matched a screwdriver found on Edelman’s person. A rosary stolen from inside the residence was reportedly found in Edelman’s pocket. GPS tracking placed the semi outside of the farmhouse at the time of the burglary.
Edelman is charged with 1st Degree Theft, 3rd Degree Burglary and Interference With Official Acts. If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum of over 15 years in prison.