Stolen Vehicle Recovery Leads to Charges for Whiteville Man

WHITEVILLE, NC — A routine traffic encounter and ongoing stolen vehicle investigation led to the arrest of a Whiteville man late Sunday afternoon by Columbus County Sheriff’s deputies.

Jonathan Lafrank Kellihan, 33, of Angela’s Circle in Whiteville, was processed into the county jail at 4:18 p.m. on July 26. He faces charges including felony possession of a stolen motor vehicle, driving while license revoked (non-impaired), and a seat belt infraction.

Public arrest records show Kellihan has previous law enforcement contact in the area, including a 2024 arrest on probation violation charges in Columbus County. Following his booking on Sunday, Kellihan was granted a $500 secured bond for the driving infraction but was ordered held with no bond on the felony stolen motor vehicle charge.

All individuals listed are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Charges and case statuses may change as investigations and court proceedings continue.