An Eau Claire man has been charged for stealing a Wisconsin State Patrol cruiser.

25-year old Joshua Robertson was charged last week with 3 felony counts of identity theft, operating a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent and escape, and a misdemeanor count of obstructing an officer. He’s out on bond and returns to court on March 20th for a preliminary hearing.

According to the criminal complaint and State Patrol, a trooper pulled Robertson over on a traffic stop at 1 p.m. January 28th in the Town of Union. The trooper approached the vehicle and told Robertson he was stopped for excessively speeding and tinted windows. Robertson told the trooper he didn’t have his driver’s license and gave a false name.

Drugs were found by a K-9 in the vehicle, and Robertson and his female passenger were detained. Robertson was put in the back of a cruiser with a cage as authorities searched his vehicle. He then got into the driver’s side of the patrol car and left the scene. The cruiser was found nearly 8 miles from the original traffic stop and it was unoccupied. Robertson was found and arrested on January 30th at a residence on Meridian Heights Drive. If he’s convicted, he could be sentenced up to 9 years in prison.