Problem was, Garrett had only $900 in his account and no driver's license, prosecutors say. But by the time Beechmont Motors discovered that, the 30-year-old Fort Thomas man had made it to the Sunshine State - where he signed a contract to buy a $2.5 million home and a $300,000 boat, said his mother, Susan Burch.

When Hamilton County officials caught up with him, they charged him with theft and writing a bad check in the car case. And while Garrett is said to suffer from a delusional disorder, Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Dennis Helmick on Thursday found him competent to go to trial.

Garrett's lawyer, Scott Greiner, said the dealership got the car back, without a scratch.

"Mr. Garrett entered the dealership, said he was a government worker and he didn't have identification because he didn't need it," Greiner said.

And they believed him?

"Evidently," Greiner said.

"I am surprised they pressed charges ... taking into account the embarrassment factor of it coming out that they took a check without first checking if it was good," he said.

The dealership did not return phone calls Thursday.

Pending a January trial, Helmick released Garrett to his mother and ordered him to get psychiatric treatment and to take his medicine.

Prosecutors say Garrett went to the Anderson Township dealership - where his mother had previously bought a Porsche - on March 15. When Garrett didn't show up for work that same day, his mother reported him missing.

Two days later, the bank alerted the dealership that Garrett's check had bounced. They reported the bad check to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, which issued an arrest warrant for Garrett.

On March 23, authorities found Garrett in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

Garrett was released from the Hamilton County Jail Thursday afternoon. He declined to talk about the case. But, he said at the time he bought the car, he believed he could afford it:

E-mail scoolidge@enquirer.com