A FedEx driver who was late on his routes left dozens of packages in the woods, cops in Florida say

A FedEx driver was arrested after police say he dumped packages in a forest because he was late on his route.

The Holmes County Sheriff’s Office arrested FedEx employee Latavion Lewis last week, according to a statement released Saturday. He is now accused of organized fraud, grand theft and illegal disposal.

Officers made the arrest after residents reported several packages left in the woods or on the side of the road in the city of Bonifay. The Sheriff’s Office then contacted FedEx to assist in identifying the driver.

The search led them to Lewis, a contract worker from Alabama. He agreed to meet with representatives from the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office.

Lewis “admitted to officers” that he dumped the undelivered packages in the area instead of returning them to the FedEx warehouse because it was late at night, the sheriff’s office statement said.

Since then, police have seized 44 packages and returned them to a local post office to ensure they are forwarded to their owners.

“Sheriff (John) Tate commends the quick work of HCSO deputies in identifying and apprehending the suspect and thanks the Bonifay Post Office for its role in locating and delivering the seized packages,” the sheriff’s office statement said.

Lewis is no longer affiliated with FedEx, a company spokesman said The Independent.

“This incident is completely unacceptable as the safe transport of our customers’ shipments is our top priority and we are cooperating fully with the authorities in their investigation,” the spokesman said. “In addition to being charged with criminal offenses, the individual will no longer provide services to our company.”

Home to nearly 20,000 residents, Holmes County is located in the Florida panhandle, south of the Alabama border. Bonifay is located just under 100 miles from Tallahassee, Florida.

The Independent contacted the Holmes County Jail for more information and was told officials would not be available for comment until December 27th. The Independent has also reached out to FedEx for comment.