A missing Saline County sheriff's vehicle that prompted the county prosecutor to explore the possibility of an investigation into its disappearance has been found, officials said Thursday.
The sheriff's office said the missing unit, a gray 2008 Dodge Charger, had been assigned "some time previously" to a detective and had its markings removed.
"When putting the VIN into the inventory as assigned to the detective, the VIN number was put in incorrectly," Lt. Scottie Courtney said in a statement. "This is the reason it was not located in the initial review of the vehicle roster when the vehicle was suspected to be missing."
Saline County prosecutor Ken Casady said earlier this month he wanted to explore having a special prosecutor look into whether Arkansas State Police should look into the missing patrol unit as well as whether Sheriff Bruce Pennington should be removed from office.
Pennington later announced he would retire effective Oct. 1. That decision — which he made, then retracted and then made again — came after he pleaded guilty to charges of public intoxication and refusal to submit to arrest filed after a June 29 arrest at a Benton restaurant.
Courtney's statement said the vehicle turned up during a "detailed inventory" in preparation for the change in agency leadership.