Christian Peterson: Reporter@riverbendnews.org
On Saturday, July 15, the Suwannee County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) sent Deputy Larson Zimmerman to the volunteer fire department in Wellborn in response to a call of a missing firetruck and person. Wellborn Volunteer Fire Chief Tom Maynard told Deputy Zimmerman he had let 44-year-old Wellborn resident Belinda Delores Waugh spend the night at the fire station the day before. That afternoon, he returned to the station to respond to a call when he discovered that both Waugh and a fire truck were missing. While Maynard was being interviewed, Waugh called him and told him she had run out of gas at a business in Live Oak. SCSO Deputy Bradley Griffin was sent to the business and made contact with Waugh, along with the stolen fire truck. The report states she was wearing a shirt that said Suwannee County Fire Rescue. Waugh claimed she was a volunteer firefighter and had permission to use the fire truck. However, Deputy Chief Tim White of Suwannee County Fire Rescue stated Waugh was not on the roster for volunteer firefighters. Deputy Griffin arrested Waugh and, after reading her Miranda Rights, she said she was no longer interested in speaking to him. However, as she was put into the back of his patrol vehicle, she stated the keys for the vehicle were inside a blue cup in the vehicle. This claim was accurate. Waugh was arrested and charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle and fraud/impersonation of a state fire marshal inspector.