ST. CLOUD, Fla. – The guy “in charge of servicing the U-Haul rental vehicles” at a facility in Florida waited more than a month before calling the police.
“A customer named David Anthony Washam,” the employee said, “rented a 2012 GMC Caravan box truck,” and according to the arrest report, “per the rental agreement, Washam was supposed to return the rental vehicle on 05/14/2024 at approximately 7 a.m. and never returned it. “[The employee] advised the rental vehicle is valued at approximately $35,000.”
He told the cop he did what he could to get it back.
“[The employee] advised another employee tried contacting Washam by phone but was unable to speak with him due to him answering and then hanging up. [The employee] advised he tried contacting him as well, and was not able to reach him.
“[The employee] provided me with the rental documentation,” the officer wrote, “and the 10-day demand letter was sent out on 05/20/2024 for the rental vehicle.”
That happened June 18, when the box truck was well overdue, but the day was still young.
Authorities entered the truck into the law enforcement computer as stolen, and the officer asked colleagues with St. Cloud police to ask the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office to go to Washam’s home.
That afternoon, he got word, “They were able to make contact with Washam,” and the officer asked a deputy “to take custody of Washam and transport Washam to the St. Cloud Police Department due to Washam’s address being outside of jurisdiction.”
Soon, he arrived, and the officer wrote, “I advised Washam of what was going on and why he was at the police department. I took custody of Washam placed him in the interview room.”
Officers said, a few minutes later, Washam “advised he rented the vehicle on 05/13/2024 and he was letting a friend drive the vehicle, due to him not being able to drive. Washam advised he let his friends, who go by the name of Robert and Destiny, use the vehicle and the last time he remembers seeing the rental vehicle was on 05/16/2024 and 05/19/2024.
“Washam advised Robert and Destiny were supposed to return the vehicle after they were done using it to move some items. Washam advised he has not seen Robert and approximately three months and thought the vehicle was returned. Washam advised he is not sure where the rental vehicle is, but believes it could be in Ocala, Florida.
“Washam provided me with Robert’s cellular number to attempt contacting him,” but officers said they could not reach him.
Washam was arrested for the felony theft–failure to redeliver hired/rented vehicle, and he was out on bail within a few days.
Since then, he didn’t make it to his Oct. 1 arraignment so the judge signed a Criminal Appearance Order for his non-appearance. She ordered his bond revoked and issued a bench warrant, among other things.
Transportation Cost Worksheet, Oct. 29, 2024 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
Washam was arrested in the front yard of a home in Ocala, Marion County, on Oct. 27. Authorities did not say whose home that was, but that Washam was returned to Osceola two days later. The cost to return him was calculated to be $242.52, and he may see that amount again if an eventual sentence includes reimbursement.
Washam, who turns 68 on Dec. 5, made another first appearance in court, this time for failure to appear on a written promise.
He’s being held without bond.
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