After trucking company is sold, documents reveal there’s more to the story
The husband of a missing Michigan woman has me raising questions.
TOLEDO, Ohio — On Saturday, I reported that DDW Transport, the company jointly owned by missing Lenawee County woman Dee Warner, and her husband/business partner, Dale, was acquired by Laidlaw Transport. When the acquisition was completed on Monday, only a dispatcher (who I’m choosing not to name) remained on staff.
But as it turns out, there’s more to the story and some reasonable confusion — so let’s make things clear. First, according to their registration with the State of Michigan, DDW Transport (not to be confused with the company out of Detroit operating under the same name) isn’t at all owned by Dee. In fact, it’s her husband Dale’s, but Dee Warner family friend Kathryn Adams claims it is the product of Dale “embezzling” equipment, money, and even trucks from the company Dee owned: DDW Investments. If that turns out to be true, the consequences are costly.
According to Groth & Associates, a Toledo-based law firm, embezzlement of $7,500 to $150,000 is a fourth degree felony offense, punishable by up to 18 months in prison and $5,000 in fines. Crimes ranging from $150,000 to $750,000 are a third degree felony offense, punishable by up to three years in prison and $10,000 in fines. Any consequences are, of course, determined on a case-by-case basis.
After a quick search using the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs’ (LARA) corporation filing system, I found DDW Transport to be operating under the same address, 2170 Munger Road in Tecumseh, and licenses as DDW Investments. DDW Transport was founded in August 2021, which is 3–4 months after Dee Warner disappeared.
My deep dive continued with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s online registry, which lists the general information involving commercial vehicle companies across America. The information found there is as close as you could get to finding the truth of these two companies’ (DDW Investments and DWW Transport) day-to-day operations.
After reaching out to the dispatcher that will remain at DDW Transport, with the company now under the ownership of Laidlaw and set to be rebranded, I was told the following:
“I’m gonna refer you to Larry Leib. You haven’t been told the truth about a lot of things, so I think that talking with Larry Leib is probably your best bet.”
Through my extensive research, it was how I learned that this person may know more than they’re letting on — even though they aren’t ready to confirm it. In keeping with my pursuit of the truth, I gave Leib a call — to which I received no response. Regardless, I will continue to push for answers on Dale Warner’s side of this complicated story.
There is no word yet on why and for how much DDW Transport was sold for. Those are still questions I’m attempting to track down answers to. If you have any tips I should investigative, feel free to drop me a line: jadenjeffersonreports@gmail.com or message my Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram accounts.
