The LA County Sheriff’s Department shared an update on its investigation into an alleged car theft involving a former University of Utah and BYU receiver.
Nearly a month after Samson Nacua was arrested, the sheriff’s department revealed to Los Angeles’ NBC4 that the alleged theft was an accident.
On Dec. 17, Nacua, 27, and Trey Rose, 27, were arrested for allegedly taking the car of Los Angeles Lakers rookie Adou Thiero without his consent.
Nacua and Rose drove the vehicle to West Hollywood’s One Hotel on Sunset Boulevard, where authorities tracked the vehicle and identified and arrested Nacua and Rose, as the Deseret News previously reported.
“During the initial investigation, it was discovered that suspect Nacua took the vehicle from the Wilshire location, and suspect Rose was the driver when they arrived at the Sunset location,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement at the time, per NBC4. “Both suspects were arrested for taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent.”
Investigators told NBC4 that Samson Nacua thought the vehicle belonged to his younger brother, Puka Nacua.
Thiero and Puka Nacua have the same vehicle model and color, though the Los Angeles Rams’ star receiver’s vehicle is a year or two older than Thiero’s.
According to NBC4, “It was not immediately clear why the cars belonging to the two professional athletes were parked at the same place and same time.”
Samson Nacua and Rose were released the day of their arrest, according to Los Angeles’ ABC7.
What does this mean for Samson Nacua?
Following the investigation, the sheriff’s department asked the LA County Attorney’s office to dismiss the case.
Thiero decided he did not want Samson Nacua to be prosecuted for the mistake.
“This matter arose from a misunderstanding involving a vehicle and was promptly dismissed after review by the LASD’s Office,” Samson Nacua’s attorneys Jason Lampert and Michael Goldstein said, according to ESPN. “The case is now closed.”