Diego Armando Gonzalez, a 54-year-old Miami-Dade resident, apparently decided that renting a car was for suckers. So, he allegedly took matters into his own hands (literally) and “borrowed” a 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe from an unsuspecting Ohio tourist in Islamorada back in March.
Unfortunately for Diego, his joyride turned into a cross-county escapade, leading him straight into the arms of the law in Hendry County. After a thrilling high-speed chase, Gonzalez crashed the stolen SUV and attempted a daring foot chase, only to be foiled by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit.
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The cherry on top? Deputies found Gonzalez in possession of a collection of cloned vehicle key fobs. Was he planning a fleet expansion? We may never know.
Gonzalez is now facing charges that include grand theft of a motor vehicle, traveling across county lines with the intent to commit burglary of a conveyance, possession of burglary tools, and trespassing.
Looks like his next road trip might be in a slightly less glamorous vehicle… a police cruiser.
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