A WPTV studio cameraman has been charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle after allegedly stealing a station SUV.
According to Gossip Extra, when officers arrived at the scene of a reported fight, they noticed Tracy Matthews “was jittery, overly talkative and was sweating profusely.”
The cops also noticed an SUV with a West Palm Beach NBC affiliate logo on it and a guy inside who appeared to be sleeping.
The officer walked up to the rolled down window and noticed a clear crack pipe inside a cigarette pack out in the open. The cop woke up the man, who identified himself as Rafael Novas, 44.
While searching Novas, the officer allegedly found a plastic syringe with an orange cap in Novas’ shorts.
About 1/4 of the syringe was filled with what Novas admitted was heroin.
Novas told the officer he is NOT a WPTV employee, and was arrested.
But he did tell police his buddy picked him up at the drying tank about 6:30 a.m. in the TV van!
Cops called News Director Dan Wilson to check on Matthews. Wilson told them Matthews’ job was inside the newsroom, and he was not allowed to drive company vehicles.
“Tracy Matthews was new to the station, having been hired just a couple of weeks ago,” Wilson told TVSpy. “He is no longer employed by WPTV.”