Found Deceased FL - Richard Paquet, 74, Canadian, backed van into someone's driveway, Hernando Beach, 4 May 2022

[GuyfromCanada]

HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. — The Hernando County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help with finding a missing man from Canada.

According to deputies, 74-year-old Richard Joseph Adolphe Paquet and his wife recently arrived in Florida after traveling all the way from Nova Scotia, Canada.

On Tuesday, Paquet got into a minor car crash in Brooksville, but the couple was not injured, the sheriff's office explains. They were able to drive away in their van from the scene.

More at Deputies search for missing, endangered man from Canada | wtsp.com

Perhaps Richard suffered a concussion in the crash?

 

[Wallendo]

I wonder if the van suffered some type of damage in the wreck that produced a carbon monoxide leak. The article does mention that his wife was disoriented when found in the van.

 

[GuyfromCanada]

I wonder if the van suffered some type of damage in the wreck that produced a carbon monoxide leak. The article does mention that his wife was disoriented when found in the van.

That's a good possibility.

 

[GuyfromCanada]

Same info.

Hernando deputies search for missing endangered man recently moved here from Canada | Hernando/Citrus News | pasconewsonline.com

Deputies Searching For Missing-Endangered 74-Year-Old Man - Tampa Local News (localnewstampa.com)

 

[annpats]

Just pulling up in a random stranger's drive way to sleep for the night, is an odd thing to do!!

A screenshot from Google earth of the driveway they stopped in is below.

I think their lack of clear thinking came from tiredness of travelling, and also from being concussed and not well after that minor collision.

I wonder how 'minor' it was?? Older people have more fragile bodies, blood vessels, bones etc. They really should have been checked out medically.

That area in FL is full of ocean canals and waterways between the streets. There is a Google maps screenshot below.

If he went wandering at night while disorientated from a car accident, it may not be a hopeful ending.

From the maps, it looks like you can't go more than a few feet without encountering a body of water.

Most of the residents seem to have floating platforms for boats at the back of their houses and there is also a large area of undeveloped creek opposite the house where they parked.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Hopefully a doorbell camera picked him up as he walked away. Interesting that he picked a residential neighborhood.

Maybe when the wife is feeling better she can provide more details. I wonder if they’re van was equipped for sleeping. If it wasn’t staying cramped up can reduce blood flow and create blood clots.

When they say recently arrived does that me they still needed to find housing? Definitely don’t come to FL without something lined up. We are full and everyone is priced out of the market in rentals.

 

[GuyfromCanada]

I wonder why they were visiting Florida? A vacation? Do they know anyone there?

 

[annpats]

Driving from Nova Scotia in Canada to Florida is a very long way.
I wonder how long it took them?
I hope they were taking adequate rest breaks and not rushing the drive down.

I presume the van was a campervan, hence they could park up and sleep anywhere.

Although a stranger's drive isn't the choicest of places, it does smack of desperation and urgency.

Strange they didn't choose to park in a parking lot of a supermarket or restaurant. They must have past several driving into the town.

I also wonder if they were slightly lost too?

 

[annpats]

I wonder why they were visiting Florida? A vacation? Do they know anyone there?

Just read this article and it states they had recently MOVED from Nova Scotia to Florida.

Well, that changes things a bit IF true.

Because they obviously hadn't driven all the way from Canada on the trip.

Where was their Florida home?

Hernando deputies search for missing endangered man recently moved here from Canada

 

[Unsolved]

Look at comments by "KC" about trying to help them (and their dog) at the "Silver Dollar Restaurant" on the Hernando County Sheriffs Office FB:

Hernando County Sheriff's Office

 

[annpats]

The Silver Dolphin restaurant is only 0.2 miles from the house where they parked in the driveway!

It takes 4 minutes to WALK and only 1 minute to drive.

So KC sat with them at this restaurant after their minor crash in Brooksville...they were both disorientated, he ran into traffic and almost got hit (!!!!!) They stayed in their van until evening, then they drove approx 900ft around the corner to a stranger's drive to park up and sleep for the night???

How odd. Something isn't adding up here.

If they needed somewhere to sleep, why didn't they mention it to anyone?

How far was their intended destination?

The deputy may have said they were fine after the accident, but I would have called for medical assistance. He was so disoriented he ran into traffic and was almost hit!

What were they doing in Brooksville? It's not directly on the route from Nova Scotia is it? (Still need confirmation if they MOVED from Nova Scotia or were on vacation.

MOO.

 

[GuyfromCanada]

Still missing,

On Wednesday, law enforcement officers from the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) searched diligently and methodically in the Hernando Beach area for Mr. Paquet.

In addition to walking the entire area, law enforcement officers utilized drones, K-9 teams (including Bloodhound teams), various types of watercraft, a dive team, the HCSO Aviation Unit, and the FWC Av in their search.

The search lasted over 11 hours until dark and was met with negative results, according to deputies.

On Thursday, before 8 a.m., deputies returned to the area to resume the search.

74-Year-Old Man Still Missing Despite Exhaustive Search

 

[annpats]

Whaaat? Still nothing? Oh my.

I wonder if he has been swept out to sea on a current?

 

[gdalton]

Body of missing Canadian man located after days of searching​

Body of missing Canadian man located after days of searching

Officers searched for more than 11 hours for the man until finding his body Friday morning in a body of water.

www.wtsp.com

 

[wendybtn]

The link in post #10 above has been updated to say Mr. Paquet's body was found in the water under a dock in the area. RIP

 

[Kimkimba]

Unfortunately he’s been found deceased.

Missing Hernando Beach man found dead on May 6

A man who went missing in the area was found dead on Friday, May 6, according to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office.

www.suncoastnews.com

 

[annpats]

I suspected it would be a sad ending. How awful for his wife and family.
RIP.

 

[Limecat]

Rest In Peace Mr. Paquet. God bless you and give comfort to those who love you.