March 1, 2006
Ware County - 27-year old Van Streat, Junior left work in Waycross February 15th around 10:15 PM. He was supposed to visit a friend in Alma that night, but he never made it. He hasn't been seen or heard from since, but his family and friends are still looking.
"It's the mystery, it's what so hard," says Elaine Streat, "Little Van's" aunt. The family has been looking for the 27-year old for almost two weeks now. Elaine says, "It would be much easier if we knew what direction to focus on, to put our thoughts, our energy, our time."
So far, the only sign of Little Van is his recovered pickup truck. She says, "None of the information the GBI has shared with us has indicated any evidence of foul play, they have processed the truck, not once, but twice."
The area where Little Van's truck was found submerged doesn't look very deep, but you can't go through it with a vehicle. Right next to it, you can see I can't even reach the bottom of this water with a stick and there are thousands of similar areas of wetlands that have to be searched. Not by foot, but by divers. "It stays underwater, a lot of it, year round," says Bacon County Sheriff Richard Foskey. And the water at beach pole yard was even higher here when Streat's truck was found, so why would anyone try to drive through? "That's what I want to know."
And for that, Sheriff Richard Foskey needs you help, if you have a clue, no matter how small, call it in. He says, "Little stuff might lead to big stuff so, yes mam, we're taking anything we can get."
As is the family. They're leaning on Linda Fletcher, the director of the Tara Grinstead Command Center for advise on how to best search for Little Van. Fletcher says, "We know what how it feels like to have someone we love go missing."
And now they want to experience a different feeling: closure. Sheriff Foskey says, "I want to know for the family and give them some closure to what happened here."
But more than anything, they hope Little Van will come home. Elaine says, "We're just hoping anytime, he's going to come in, and we're going to find him and I'm going to believe that until I'm proven different."
Van Streat Junior was saving up money to buy an engagement ring for his girlfriend, Kelly.
If you have any information on Little Van's whereabouts, contact one of the following law enforcement centers:
Community Automated Tip Line in Waycross: (912) 287-2924
Waycross Police Department Dispatch Center: (912) 287-4335
Waycross Police Department the business office: (912) 287-2921
Bacon Co. Sheriff's Department: (912) 632-2658
GBI: (800) 597-TIPS
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