Last Tuesday, police in Catawba, North Carolina raided Jeremy Mayfield’s home and arrested the former NASCAR star on drug and theft charges. While police only found 1.5 grams of methamphetamine in Mayfield’s possession, they also found nearly $100,000 worth of stolen goods.

Most of the stolen property, which included heavy machinery, scrap metal, welders, engraving machines and electric motor components, was taken from just two local trucking companies. The investigation is ongoing, and police expect further arrests.

According to CBS News, police also recovered “dozens” of guns from Mayfield’s home, although it’s not known if any of the forty recovered firearms are also stolen property.

Despite the seriousness of the theft charges, Mayfield was released from jail after posting a $3,000 bond.

In the late '90s and early '00s, Jeremy Mayfield was on top of his game. The up-and-coming NASCAR star was driving for big name teams like Penske Racing South and Everham Motorsports, and earned top-ten finishes on a somewhat regular basis.

By 2007, Mayfield was on a downward spiral. After 32 attempts and 13 races for Bill Davis Racing, his best finish was a 22nd place, and Mayfield was cut in August of 2007.

Though he went on to drive for Haas CNC in 2007 and 2008, he was cut from this team after completing just seven races.

Back as a team owner and driver in 2009, his sole highlight for the year was qualifying for the Daytona 500; on May 9, 2009, Mayfield was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

Mayfield shrugged it off and assured fans that it was nothing more than a misunderstanding. His positive test for methamphetamine was caused by a combination of prescribed and over-the-counter drugs, he told the press, and not by actually using meth.

A judge even gave Mayfield the benefit of the doubt, reinstating him just five days before  Mayfield again tested positive for methamphetamine. NASCAR had seen enough, and Mayfield was banned from the sport on July 24, 2009.

Image credit: Darryl Moran, Creative Commons 2.0