Source: John Couch Facebook page/WISH-TV
INDIANAPOLIS–A Republican candidate for mayor of Indianapolis wants a judge in Hendricks County to rehear a theft charge against him.
“I have a new hearing in Hendricks County Superior Court 5. I have a new judge, a new public defender, and we’re just starting all over,” said Republican Indy mayoral candidate John Couch.
Couch is accused of stealing metal from Basset Heating and Cooling in Plainfield in January of 2022.
“I didn’t do anything wrong. All I did was clean up an area that’s not even associated with Basset Heating and Cooling. It was by a dumpster. I was just cleaning it up,” said Couch.
The probable cause affidavit, which Couch says is not true, says a Plainfield police officer saw Couch with metal in his pickup truck. The officer claims he saw Couch loading a water heater into the back of the truck, later approached Couch, and arrested him. The officer then got in touch with the property owner and found out that Couch did not have permission to be on the property or take any of the items.
“I did not take anything. I didn’t touch anything. The stuff that was in the back of my truck were things that they confirmed that I already picked it up in Plainfield who was a real estate agent. I scrap metal because I’m raising money to create an animal country club,” said Couch.
Couch did not give the name of the real estate agent and wanted to respect that person’s privacy.
“I will give it to my public defender and if he feels the need, he will bring that person into court,” said Couch.
A Plainfield Town Court judge convicted Couch of theft and ordered him to pay a fine.
“Police officers make false statements all the time and so do elected officials. I’m going to do my part to make sure people are held accountable for their lies,” said Couch.
Couch has asked for a trial de novo in Hendricks Superior Court, which essentially serves as the appeal process for a ruling from a town court.
A bench trial is set for May 24.
