DUNEDIN, Fla. – A man fleeing police recorded himself driving at high speed across the pristine sand of Clearwater Beach in Florida, plowing through chairs and drinking alcohol, according to WTSP-TV.
After a wild, nine-minute chase, officers caught up with the suspect, identified as 27-year-old Ryan Stiles, of Pinellas Park.
The video shows Stiles tearing across the beach screaming obscenities. At one point he yells “Crash parade, bro!” as he appears to drive over multiple folding chairs.
The beach Stiles allegedly drove down is a popular resort destination located along a thin strip of land off of Clearwater, Florida.
“We were extremely fortunate that we didn’t lose any officers, nor did we lose any civilians,” said Clearwater Deputy Police Chief Donald Hall at press conference Thursday. “If you go to the beach at any time it can be very populated.”
Police pursued him down the beach until he reached Caladesi Island, where his escape route reached a dead end.
“We still felt as he went further up, toward Caladesi there were more beachgoers who were going to be in his path, so we were concerned about that,” Hall said. Out of precaution, Pinellas County Sheriff’s officers joined the pursuit.
Police arrested Stiles without incident after his car apparently broke down on Caladesi Island.
Hall added that his department had to “race against high tide” to remove the suspect’s vehicle from the beach on Caladesi Island, a state park with bright white sand and clear, turquoise water.
Hall said officers took took Stiles to the station to undergo a sobriety test; charges are pending.
