He was trying to escape with a stolen appliance, cops say. He crashed at Banana Drive
A Miami man failed big time in an attempt to flee from Florida Keys police after stealing an appliance from Home Depot, according to the arrest report.
Gilberto Armas Diaz, 61, on Tuesday evening headed north in his red Ford pickup hauling a stolen pressure washer, police said.
But his getaway was short-lived. He crashed the truck into some mangroves off U.S. 1 in Marathon.
Diaz was arrested on a felony charge of grand theft. On Wednesday, he remained at the Stock Island Detention Center without bond.
When arrested, he told police he wanted to take responsibility and “get this over with,” the report stated.
Workers at the Home Depot called the sheriff’s office at 4:51 p.m. to report a Hispanic male in a red, Ford pickup truck had just left with an $829 pressure washer, a Dewalt 4000 psi Honda, without paying. Deputy Deborah Johnson spotted the truck northbound on U.S. 1 at Mile Marker 55.
Diaz began to speed off when Johnston got behind his truck and other deputies responded.
The pickup crashed into the mangroves near Banana Drive, with the stolen pressure washer in the back, police said.
Diaz tried to get away on foot but even that didn’t work out for him. He was caught between Banana Drive and the entrance to Curry Hammock State Park where he appeared to be trying to flag down vehicles, police said.
Diaz was arrested and jailed.
Home Depot employees were taken to the scene by police and they identified Diaz as the man who left with the pressure washer.
This story was originally published December 19, 2018 at 1:54 PM.
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