This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press on Wednesday, February 21, 2007.
By CHARLES F. BOSTWICK
Valley Press Managing Editor
PALMDALE - Sheriff's detectives are hunting for a Palmdale businessman wanted on felony arrest warrants charging him with vehicle theft and narcotics possession.
Sheriff's officials asked for the public's help in locating Alan's Flowers owner Alan Coon, who they said was charged with possession of methamphetamine and is also accused of refusing to return an SUV to a rental car company.
"He's been able to evade us," said Palmdale Sheriff's Station spokesman Deputy Dave Jennings, who distributed Coon's photograph Tuesday to local news media.
Coon, 58, has owned Alan's Flowers for 15 years. He is a former Palmdale Chamber of Commerce board member. In 1998 he was among 13 chamber members ousted in a messy chamber schism in which they were accused of harassing chamber staff and other misbehavior. Coon and others challenged the ouster, which they described as motivated by internal chamber politics.
Coon is wanted on a no-bail narcotics warrant issued in December as well as a vehicle-theft warrant for $20,000 issued in January, Detective Mark Machanic said.
Coon rented a 2006 Saturn Vue on Dec. 8 in Palmdale and was due to return it Dec. 15 but never did, Machanic said.
When he went to Coon's East Palmdale Boulevard shop to look for him, Machanic said, the employees told him that Coon wasn't there and that he would drop by from time to time but that they didn't know a telephone number to reach him.
Coon is described as white, 6 feet, 1 inch tall and about 185 pounds. The Saturn Vue he is accused of stealing is silver with Nevada license plates, Machanic said.
Anyone with details on Coon's whereabouts is asked to call the Palmdale Sheriff's Station at (661) 272-2400
Pros: none, do not shop here
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