Florida Man Offers Cops a Vodka Seltzer During Police Chase
Florida Man Need a Drink, Officers??? Deputy Cops a Vodka Spritzer Mid-Chase
Published
A Florida man tried to buddy up with a sheriff's deputy during a high-speed chase ... allegedly offering him a vodka spritzer -- even though they were actually going after him!
The wild scene went down in Highlands County, FL this past weekend ... when deputies claim they chased 39-year-old Richard Christopher Smith of Miami -- sharing body cam video from their interaction.
The Highlands County Sheriff's Office footage from the chase ... kicking off with a guy driving a minivan showing an officer a can of what they claim is a can of Ketel One Vodka Spritz.
The man seems to yell out, "I was gonna give you a drink" before speeding off into the street, despite the deputy's commands to stop.
Later on, body cam footage shows police putting down spike strips to slash the van's tires ... and, the high-speed chase quickly became a low-speed pursuit before the van crashed into another vehicle.
The driver is told to get on the ground ... but, he doesn't comply -- calmly smoking a cigarette and advancing in bare feet toward deputies before he's tased.
The man, who cops allege is Smith, is then cuffed and arrested ... but, not before asking cops if they had a good time chasing him.
The sheriff's department says Smith has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, battery on a law enforcement officer, two counts of resisting arrest, DUI, refusal to submit to a DUI test, and petit theft. His bond was set at $120,000.
Cops didn't pal around and knock a few back with this suspect ... and, there's a chance the next thing he'll be toasting with is wine made in a jail toilet.
