LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Donnell Jones, 31, of New York, is facing charges of identity theft after allegedly attempting to cash a fraudulent $60,000 check and fleeing from Lincoln Police officers.
The incident began on August 26 when LincOne Federal Credit Union received an online application for a vehicle loan of $60,000, which was approved the following day. A man later visited the branch, using the applicant’s personal details to obtain the loan. However, employees noticed discrepancies in signatures on the official documents, leading them to cancel the loan.
Upon contacting the individual whose identity had been used, it was confirmed that he had not applied for the loan. The suspect later reached out to the bank, inquiring about the cancellation. Police were alerted to a fraud in progress at the credit union on Monday morning.
When officers arrived, Jones allegedly pushed an employee and fled the scene. Police pursued him, but Jones jumped from a retaining wall into a parking lot, injuring his ankle. Officers used a Taser to apprehend him. Jones was taken to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries before being arrested and charged with identity theft of $5,000 or more. He remains in custody with a bond set at 10% of $75,000 and is scheduled to appear in court on October 11.