Missing HAZMAT truck & Driver, Florida

WCJB TV 20, Gainesville FL ^ | October 2, 2001

[cgk]

Missing Truck Driver Marion County Marion County's special unit investigating terrorism is looking into the disappearance of a truck driver. His name is William Ellis and he has been missing since September 14. While Ellis has no criminal background, his truck may be a hot commodity for would be terrorists. Investigators say Ellis has no criminal background that would lead them to suspect him of wrongdoing. However, the fact that both he and his truck are missing leads investigators to keep a close eye out for their whereabouts. Right now Marion County, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the F.B.I are on the lookout for that truck. It is a Kenworth it bears the numbers 9-0-7 on the tractor and n-3-8-5-8 on the trailer. A satellite tracking device once attached to the truck is no longer sending a signal, so neither the company nor police know where it is. However, the truck is not the only thing that is suspicious about the disappearance of William Ellis. Elise's family says he has a 2-year-old daughter and would never abruptly leave for 2 weeks without word to his mom. In fact Marion county's special unit investigating terrorism is handing this case back to the missing persons division saying at this time there's no indication of danger to the public. However, they plan to keep an eye out for the truck and William Ellis.

[cgk]

The actual TV broadcast is actually saying this is a missing HAZMAT truck & its licensed driver. A Texas policeman has contacted Art Bell and is expected to speak on-air tonight/soon about an APB going out about this recently, as he patrols I-10 down there. Keep an eye out for the truck numbers! Stay safe, Mrs Kus

[Libertina]

Hijacked?

[MississippiMan]

There's also a State Department cropduster that went missing today somewhere between the Bahamas and Florida. MM .

[seeker41]

Yikes!

[Jean S]

A Texas policeman has contacted Art Bell

Art Bell? Give me a break.

[PRND21]

Hmmm...US Gov. crop duster missing in Florida as well.

[Tall_Texan]

Don't sweat it. It's from Florida. He probably dumped it in a canal for the insurance.

[MississippiMan]

Government Plane Missing Near Bahamas Ayres Thrush .

[newzjunkey]

Art Bell has many truck driver listeners (per an NBC News profile on him not so long ago) among his audience. The HAZMAT truck would be more likely to be noticed at night than in daytime.

[newzjunkey]

BUMP!

[World'sGoneInsane]

If you follow the link, it is on the FL station link, and not via Art Bell. Heck, he'll probably just say he was abducted or something. I'm cracking a joke, but it could be serious.

[3D-JOY]

Up until 9-11 we Floridians might have laughed with you about that!

Now we are not able to laugh these things off so easily.

[Jean S]

Ok, thanks.

[Skibane]

If this rig has really been hijacked, I doubt that they'll leave the numbers unaltered.

Stealing the truck is only half the battle — How do you manage to put the truck in the right place to pick up a truly hazardous shipment? A lot of the stuff these trucks carry isn't all that dangerous.

Seems to me that you've have to be pretty choosy about which load of material you sent the truck out to receive. Also, where do you find a driver that wouldn't arouse any suspicions when he goes to sign for the load?

[3D-JOY]

Right, that is a respectable Gainsville station!

Crop duster was coming to Patrick Air Force Base.

[crypt2k]

A state department crop duster? Huh?

[cgk]

Here's the link to the story about the missing plane:

A.P. Tampa Tribune Online

Nothing about it being a cropduster here. They call it a "two seat State Department plane". Has it since been identified as such?

Lord, I hope not.

[MississippiMan]

Yes, it's an Ayres cropduster. I posted a picture above of a model that's similar if not exactly like it.

[PRND21]

Here

[World'sGoneInsane]

I still don't get the thing about the crop duster. I realize it was missing. However, why would our state department have a crop duster in Bermuda flying to FL? Can those planes hold enough fuel to fly that far? Even if it did, why would they have it flying over the water like that? Makes no sense, as much as I can see.