Nobody likes a stereotype, but a West Virginian man’s actions a couple of weeks ago kind of proved that some residents of the Southern States really are hicks.
Michael Ginevan, 39 years of age, attempted to flee from a police officer who tried to pull him over. Ginevan was driving a strange vehicle indeed. It was a lawnmower with a case of beer attached to the front of it.
Sherrif’s deputy JH Jenkins managed to catch up with the unruly lawnmower driver while on foot. It must have been a strange police chase indeed!
After leading a police chase that went on at 115 miles per hour and tossing beer cans out his window, William Joseph Galloway wrecked his pickup truck. After he wrecked his truck the man took another swig of beer and gave the deputies who’d been chasing him the middle finger.
According to the authorities Galloway told them he was going to die fighting and swinging, however the use of a taser put that threat to an end.
Galloway of Winter Park is now being held on $8,000 bail in the St. Johns County jail. He’s been charged with driving under the influence, driving with a suspended or revoked license, aggravated fleeing, attempting to elude and resisting arrest without violence. No one was hurt.
The chase began about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday when a Florida Highway Patrol trooper began following a pickup truck with no headlights heading north on Interstate 95 in Flagler County. Troopers and deputies watched the driver throw beer cans from his truck as he weaved through traffic at high speeds in heavy rain. The truck eventually spun off the road and crashed into a tree.
“The suspect rolled down his window and drank from a beer can while displaying his middle finger in defiance,” the report said.
When Galloway would not get out of the truck and started to reach for his glove box, a deputy fired a 15-second Taser stun gun burst, the report said.
Galloway told deputies he would have fought them all if he had not been jolted with the Taser, the report said.
Galloway passed out several times after telling officers he had been taking methamphetamine and drinking alcohol all day, the report said.
Why do a lot of these type of stories happen in Florida?
An interesting police chase took place last week near the town of Dussen Amsterdam last week. A Dutch farmer couldn’t believe his eyes as he watched a car drive through his corn fields only to be joined by two police vehicles in hot pursuit. A helicopter also joined in the chase.
The drive of the car was under the influence of cocaine as he drove wildly through the field.
The 35 year old man was eventually cornered after his vehicle careened into a neighboring orchard and crashed into a ditch.
“Shoot out two tyres… then the problem is solved,” irate farmer Ad Van Schendel told police, according to the Brabants Dagblad newspaper.
Damage to the cornfield was estimated at 7,000-8,000 euros (4,700-5,380 pounds).
In the North Idaho city of Sandpoint the police are telling residents to stop chasing the moose. During the past few weeks, the Sandpoint Police Department has received dozens of phone calls each day reporting moose inside city limits. Area residents have taken to chasing the moose. Police Chief Mark Lockwood said.
The towns residents are sharing the city with about three to five moose. It’s not all that uncommon for moose to come into areas with a lower elevation in the winter months as the snow is usually not as deep.
“When these animals roam into the city, they can become frightened and disoriented, making them more dangerous than if they were encountered in the wild,” Lockwood said.
One woman pushing a jogging stroller recently chased after a moose in an attempt to photograph it, with a pack of people close behind. If things don’t change, Lockwood said police may have to cite residents for “molesting wildlife.”
“Do not approach any moose, even if it seems quiet and gentle,” Lockwood said. “If approached repeatedly, even by the best-intentioned onlookers, it may become aggressive. Sooner or later Bullwinkle is going to stomp somebody.”