By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com

A well-known truck that’s been around Livingston County showing support for the President over the past half-decade is back in its owner’s hands after being stolen and badly damaged.

The Trump Unity Bridge is owned by Rob Cortis of Livonia, and has been a fixture at local events supporting President Trump and other G.O.P. hopefuls since the 2016 campaign season. Cortis and his team had driven the 30-foot Bridge to California for an event and were on their way back to Michigan late last week when trouble hit while checking into a hotel in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Cortis said they left the vehicle running while in the hotel lobby, and that’s when a man jumped in drove away with it. The suspect drove over an embankment and through some trees, clipping them. Cortis said the carjacker led police on a “high speed chase” before jackknifing it. MLive.com reports that the 37-year old suspect crashed into a median and then led police on a foot chase before being apprehended. He was taken to jail and faces charges of auto larceny and reckless driving.

Cortis showed damage to the Bridge that included damage to the model Statue of Liberty, bent signs, the frame, and hitch. At least one American flag was ripped and a First Responders flag was torn in half. The wiring and sound system also needs repair, and the passenger side of the 2004 Suburban that towed the Bridge suffered extensive damage.

Cortis said that everything can be fixed and that nothing is going to stop him. He said, of the suspect in custody, that “he showed the goodness of himself by being a loser and stealing someone else’s stuff.”