A 51-year-old Seminole man is facing multiple felony and misdemeanor charges after allegedly breaking into a secured Duke Energy facility, stealing a company truck, and fleeing from law enforcement early Tuesday morning.
According to an arrest affidavit, the incident occurred on April 22, 2026, at approximately 4:55 a.m. at a Duke Energy facility located at 2501 25th Street North in Pinellas County. Investigators say the suspect, identified as Shawn Brent Creager, climbed over a six-foot fence topped with barbed wire by using his shirt to shield himself before entering the restricted property.
Once inside, Creager allegedly entered a work truck that had been left running by an employee and drove it out of the facility, crashing through a secured gate to escape. The vehicle, a 2023 white Dodge Ram 1500, was tracked by employees using a company system, which helped deputies locate it shortly after the theft. Deputies successfully used a tire-deflating device in attempts to disable the vehicle.
Authorities say Creager attempted to flee on foot after abandoning the truck at a Holiday Inn Express in Largo. Deputies requested assistance from a Largo Police K-9 unit. A police dog located Creager hiding against a building in tall grass, where he was apprehended.
Investigators report that Creager later admitted to entering the property and stealing the truck after being advised of his rights.
He is charged with burglary of an occupied structure, grand theft of a motor vehicle, criminal mischief causing more than $1,000 in damage, and resisting an officer without violence.
No injuries were reported during the incident. The case remains under investigation.