WARSAW, Ind. — Harold Lloyd Keesler, 85, of Dowagiac, Michigan, was arrested after allegedly disputing a $6,800 towing charge filed by a Warsaw-based towing company for recovering his semi-truck. Keesler faces charges of fraud and theft, both level 6 felonies.
The incident began on March 14, 2024, when a Warsaw Police officer responded to a reported theft by Crouse Body Shop LLC and 24 Hour Towing. The company had been called to assist a stranded semi-truck near Claypool, Indiana. The truck was owned by Keesler Trucking, and Keesler confirmed that it was his semi-truck.
Upon arrival, towing employees found that the truck was stuck in a high-water area, and they noticed a road closure barricade had either been moved or bypassed. After speaking with Keesler, the truck’s driver authorized Crouse Body Shop to recover the vehicle. Payment for the towing services was made using Keesler’s credit card, which was charged the full $6,800 after the four-hour recovery was completed.
However, Keesler later disputed the charge, claiming that the semi-truck’s trailer was empty and the recovery fee was excessive. On April 3, 2024, he called Crouse Body Shop to inquire about the payment and was told the charge had already been processed. Keesler allegedly became agitated and hung up.
On April 9, 2024, Keesler reported to the company that the charge was unauthorized and fraudulent, causing the charge to be reversed. This prompted a Warsaw detective to investigate the claim.
During an interview on April 22, 2024, Keesler explained that while the truck driver was an authorized card user, he disagreed with the service charge’s amount and called it unauthorized. Keesler offered to pay half of the total amount but had not made any payments as of April 2024.
Keesler was arrested and later released on bond. He is scheduled for an initial hearing on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 1 p.m. in Kosciusko Superior Court Three.
