Hendry County deputies released more information regarding the hazmat situation in the area of North Industrial Loop that began Wednesday, June 19, as a result of searching for stolen vehicles.
HCSO is reporting two people have been arrested for multiple felony charges. Juan Gonzalez Diaz is facing a federal violation of probation charge. Giovel Chmelnicky Valdes is charged with grand theft of a vehicle. HCSO said Valdes is the one who leased the property at 310 North Industrial Loop.
Fifteen stolen vehicles and trailers have been recovered, including:
- 2022 White Freightliner flatbed tow truck
- 2019 Black F450
- Tiffin Phaeton RV
- Black Jeep Grand Cherokee
- 2018 White Wabash trailer (full of Printers Valved $317,000)
- 2011 Black Ford F250 (Stripped)
- 2020 White Dodge Challenger (Just body)
- 2015 White Ford F550 (with a toolbox body full of tools)
- 2024 Black Peterbilt Truck (Just Cab)
- 2024 White Freightliner Truck (Just cab on Lowboy trailer)
- 2014 Green Kenworth Semi
- Unknown make box trailer with stolen Peterbilt cab and sleeper inside.
- Unidentifiable low-boy trailer
- 2005 Volvo Truck
- White Peterbilt and Car hauler
- 2003 Black Ford F250 (transmission)
- Ford L9000 with multiple vehicle parts
- 2018 Gold Cadillac
HCSO reported the recovered property is valued at approximately one million dollars.
How It All Began
Around 4 p.m. that Wednesday, deputies arrived at t0 310 North Industrial Loop to investigate reports of stolen vehicles.
They found a man unconscious in a stolen mobile home. First responders went inside the home to help the man before Hendry County deputies questioned him.
Deputies said 45-year-old Juan Gonzalez Diaz, was arrested and taken to Hendry County Jail after being cleared by physicians.
When HCSO investigated further, an unknown substance caused people in the immediate area to become sick. Twenty-one HCSO employees were reportedly exposed and eight were hospitalized with symptoms. No residents were harmed.
Three days later on Friday, June 21, HCSO investigators worked with various agencies to continue executing the warrant that was started on the 19th. Despite a magnitude of testing, the substance making people sick could not be identified.
Agencies involved include:
- Ft. Myers Fire Department Hazmat Team
- Lee County Strike Team
- Labelle Fire Department Hazmat Team
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
- Homeland Security
- Army National Guard CST
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