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Florida troopers recover 2 stolen semis hauling tires and batteries; driver flees

A mismatched trailer plate helped FHP track two trucks to a TA Travel Center, where troopers arrested one driver.

Phil Brink
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A truck sits parked beside a TA Travel Center sign. Florida troopers recovered two stolen semis carrying tires and batteries at a St. Johns County TA location. (Photo: FreightWaves)

Florida troopers recovered two stolen tractor-trailers carrying tires and lithium-ion batteries at a St. Johns County truck stop. Authorities arrested Eugenio Gonzalez-Merlo, 42, of Jacksonville. Another driver escaped on foot. An FHP arrest report details the September 14 operation.

Georgia State Patrol alerted Florida’s Cargo Theft Task Force about a stolen tire shipment heading south along Interstate 95. Investigators supplied photographs showing distinctive markings on its white Hyundai trailer. Detective James Smith spotted matching equipment near mile marker 334 around 7:30 p.m. His license plate check revealed registration for another manufacturer.

Eugenio Gonzalez-Merlo, whom Florida troopers arrested during a stolen-truck recovery in St. Johns County. (Photo: St. Johns Citizen)

A mismatched plate leads to diesel pumps

Smith observed an International tractor pulling the Hyundai behind a Freightliner hauling green intermodal equipment. He described both combinations as “continuously changing lanes together.” Their drivers exited Interstate 95 onto County Road 210. They continued east toward diesel pumps at TA Travel Center.

Troopers stopped Gonzalez-Merlo’s International and detained him inside a marked patrol vehicle. During that detention, the Freightliner driver fled on foot. Officers searched nearby without locating their second suspect. Investigators then checked identification numbers against stolen equipment records.

Effingham County deputies confirmed theft reports covering an International tractor and green intermodal trailer. Jacksonville sheriff’s officials verified a stolen Freightliner. Liberty investigators corroborated records identifying the white Hyundai. Each agency received recovery notifications.

Theft counts cover equipment and tires

FHP recorded two first-degree grand theft counts against Gonzalez-Merlo. One covered equipment, while another concerned automobile tires worth $100,000 or more, according to the report. Investigators additionally recorded drug possession. Jail personnel booked him September 15 at 1:04 a.m. Gonzalez-Merlo faces criminal charges, but he remains presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

Why it matters

This case shows freight professionals how trailer photographs, registration checks and identification numbers helped investigators locate stolen equipment. Those details illustrate why accurate shipment records matter during cargo recovery.

Click here for more articles on cargo theft and freight fraud by Phil Brink.

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Phil Brink

Phil Brink is the Head of Fraud Media and Education at FreightWaves, where he investigates cargo theft, freight fraud and transportation security. He owned and operated a freight brokerage for more than a decade before organized fraud targeted his business, forcing him to rethink how freight companies identify and manage risk. The lessons he learned continue to shape his reporting, education and collaboration with brokers, carriers, shippers and law enforcement. He developed FreightWaves' Certified Fraud Compliance Officer (CFCO) program to give transportation professionals practical knowledge and a structured framework for identifying and managing fraud risk. Reach him at phil.brink@firecrown.com.