HERNANDO COUNTY -- A Spring Hill man is facing charges including aggravated stalking after deputies say he vandalized a neighbor’s surveillance cameras and later staked an envelope of white powder to the man’s driveway, prompting a hazardous materials response.
Merle Hardie, 83, was arrested and booked into the Hernando County Detention Center on charges of aggravated stalking, burglary of a dwelling, possession of burglary tools and delivery of a hoax weapon of mass destruction, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office said. His bond was set at $10,000.
Deputies responded July 6 to a home on Landover Boulevard in Spring Hill on a report of criminal mischief, according to the sheriff’s office. The homeowner said his surveillance cameras had recorded someone outside the house during the early morning hours. The person spray-painted several exterior cameras, knocked them down and tried to damage a front window before leaving, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Footage reviewed by deputies showed a man wearing clothing that concealed his identity, including a face covering, the agency said.
Deputies returned to the home July 10 after the homeowner found a suspicious package in his driveway. They found a manila envelope secured to the driveway with what appeared to be a tent stake, the sheriff’s office said. Because of the circumstances and the white powder inside, the scene was treated as a possible hazardous materials incident.
Major case detectives, Hernando County Fire Rescue’s hazmat team and the FBI Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate responded. No one was injured, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The homeowner told deputies he had been in a traffic crash with Hardie in 2024 and suspected him of the vandalism and harassment, according to the sheriff’s office. Detectives identified Hardie as the suspect in both incidents.
The powder field-tested as baking soda but was sent to a laboratory for confirmation, the sheriff’s office said. The investigation is continuing.
Photo courtesy of the HERNANDO COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
HT-HARDIE1-07222026 -- Through the course of the investigation, detectives identified Merle Hardie, 83, as the suspect in both incidents.