A Lehighton man was charged by West Penn Township police after crashing a stolen Jeep while on his way to a Rush Township Walmart to exchange for cash items police say he stole from a Lehigh County store.

James S. McMurray, 35, remains in Schuylkill County jail under $10,000 cash bail.He's charged with disregarding traffic lanes, failing to use a safety belt/driver and vehicle occupant, careless driving, criminal mischief, reckless or negligence, failure to notify authorities of a change in address, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.McMurray on Tuesday waived his right to a preliminary hearing before District Judge James R. Ferrier of Orwigsburg.According to an affidavit of probable cause filed by Officer Denna V. Krammes, on Jan. 18, she responded to a crash in the 500 block of West Penn Pike (Route 309). The driver was out of the vehicle, and told her he wasn't hurt.He said he was on his way to the Walmart in Rush Township when he hit some gravel and lost control of the Jeep.The driver, McMurray, explained that the owner of the Jeep was on vacation, and that he had permission to use it.McMurray also said he wasn't wearing a seatbelt, and a witness said he was speeding and weaving in and out of traffic.The Jeep had to be towed.Four hours later, Krammes was contacted by a police officer in West Virginia, who said the Jeep had been reported to his department as stolen. The officer had just entered the vehicle into the NCIC database, hours after Krammes had checked to see if it was stolen.According to West Virginia police, the Jeep's owner said McMurray had driven there with her and her husband to visit her family.During the night, McMurray got up and drove the Jeep back to Pennsylvania without permission.On the way, he stopped to steal a wheelchair from a Rite Aid drug store in West Virginia, and items from a Lehigh County Walmart.he was on his way to the Rush Township Walmart to "return" the items for cash when he crashed the Jeep.The owner is asking $2,600 restitution for the vehicle.