Man says he stole ex-boss' truck and drove it into creek to be jailed and get away from his wife

A Maury County, Tennessee, inmate has explained why he stole a pickup truck and drove it into a creek last Sunday night. Hayden Vandiver is accused of breaking into his old place of business and admits damaging property, vandalising vehicles, and stealing a truck his ex-boss loves. “I did what a lot of his employees want to do to him,” he said from behind bars.



Vandiver explained how he stole the 2012 Dodge 2500 and a trailer valued at over $60,000. “It made me feel great because I know it will hurt him,” he said. “He’ll come in the next day and his little baby ain’t sitting there and it is four foot in a creek.” Surveillance video shows Vandiver stealing the truck from American Stripers in Columbia, where he used to work. He said he quit more than a year ago but didn’t like the way his boss treated him or anyone else. “This man disrespects his employees,” Vandiver said.





According to investigators, the 51-year-old drove the expensive truck into a Giles County creek for more than a mile and a half with the doors open until it couldn’t drive anymore. “The only thing I didn’t like about it was swimming out of it,” Vandiver said, later adding, “I hate people who disrespect their employees and all they care about is whether they are going to work for them.” Vandiver’s former boss, Michael Sloan, said Vandiver was a good employee but “showed characteristics of being flawed.” “You don’t like to take anything personal in business, but I go out of my way to help my guys out a lot,” Sloan said.



“I don’t understand why he quit, for no reason. I went to bat for him.” Sloan said Vandiver used a company credit card to buy personal items, and Vandiver didn’t like it when he was called out on it. “He thought I was a cheap owner, not buying personal items with company money,” Sloan added. Vandiver said he was on drugs when he stole the truck. He also said he did it planning to get caught so he would be incarcerated and forced to leave his wife. “She is having a bad time right now. She knows I did this to get away from her,” he said. He was charged with multiple crimes including burglary, vandalism and driving under the influence.

With news video.