Melbourne Grand Theft Auto Suspect Sentenced to 60 Months of Felony Probation
August 25, 2025 -- 04:05pm By: Rhonda Forbes Smith /// TheBlakeMoiaShow.com Crime Reporter ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Viera, FL --
- Ethan James Vondle was charged after stealing a victim's car twice in 2 days, taking it on a "wild joy-ride". and deliberately crashing it at Lake Washington Park.
- Vondle plead GUILTY to 2 counts of theft of a motor vehicle, reckless driving and leaving the scene of a crash with property damage.
Arrest warrant issued for Ethan Vondle
Deputies in Brevard County arrested a 20-year-old former McDonald's employee after he took a car without permission twice in 2 days, taking it on a wild joy ride, and crashing at a park in Melbourne.
According to an affidavit obtained by The Blake Moia Show, Ethan Vondle took an older model Mercury car without permission from a Wendy's parking lot located on Wickham Road. Deputies were able to locate the stolen vehicle at an apartment complex at where he resides.
The victim stated he did not know who had taken the car. The next very next day, the same car was stolen again.
This time, during their investigation, deputies were able to track down Ethan Vondle and her girlfriend, Maia Johnson.
Ms Johnson provided Deputies with a video of Vondle doing donuts, burnouts and spin-a-roonies in the parking lot at Lake Washington Park before ultimately crashing the car into a wooden fence. After the crash, the occupants of the stolen car are observed on video and by witnesses at the scene getting into another red car which belonged to the girlfriend and leaving.
Deputies tracked down the red car using the government's FLOCK camera system to the Wickham Club Apartments where Ethan lives with his girlfriends.
The girlfriend, according to the complaint, told authorities that Ethan allegedly bought the white Mercury car for $150.
The victim said otherwise. An arrest warrant was issued for Vondle. He was later arrested and booked into Jail.
Vondle was arrested by deputies and pleaded guilty nolo contendere of all charges. He was sentenced to 60 months of felony probation and ordered to pay over 3 thousand dollars in fines and restitution for county owned property damage. Judge Andrew Skinner presided over the proceedings.
The Blake Moia Show reached out to Ethan for comment and we were blocked.
The Blake Moia Show is committed to protecting our community against hacks, fraudulent contractors, criminals, illegal aliens, dirty politicians, bullies and thugs who reek havoc in our neighborhoods.
