Truck carrying dummy missiles found; driver arrested

FAIRFIELD, Texas (CNN) -- A tractor-trailer that disappeared in Texas while carrying four dummy Air Force missiles to New Mexico was found Friday, the Pentagon said.

An Air Force spokeswoman, Lt. Col. Laura Feldman, said the driver was taken into custody and would be charged with theft of government property..

FBI spokeswoman Debbie Weierman said the driver, Ronald Coy, 42, of Middleton, Ohio, was unharmed and the truck and dummy missiles were all found intact. KSAT television reported that Coy was arrested in Orange, Texas, and the truck was found about 350 miles away in Ranger, Texas.

The truck began its journey in Georgia and was last seen heading in the wrong direction about 500 miles from its destination.

It had been scheduled to arrive last Monday at Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, New Mexico, but disappeared from its satellite tracking system, triggering an exhaustive search for the truck.

The FBI sent a bulletin to police stations in Texas describing the truck carrying the inert bombs and issued a detention alert for Coy. Officials also emphasized there was no danger to the public.

Related stories:

• FBI searching for truck bearing inert bombs - April 24, 1997

Related sites:

• USAF Web Server at Cannon AFB - maintained by the 27th Communications Squadron, located at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico
• AGM-130A Missle Fact Sheet
• Welcome to Camp Pendleton - Web site provided as a public service by the Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton Public Affairs Office.
• Texas Department of Public Safety
• FBI

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