Florida man offers police booze during car chase: 'Don’t know if he was expecting us to just say ‘cheers''
Richard Christopher Smith, 39, allegedly asked deputies after the chase: 'You guys had fun, though, right?'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Don't drink and drive.
A Florida man casually offered pursuing deputies a vodka spritzer in the middle of a car chase after he allegedly stole several items from a convenience store, authorities said.
Deputies with the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Spring Lake Market on Saturday after Richard Christopher Smith, 39, allegedly took items from a market, including several alcoholic beverages, and walked out.
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Richard Christopher Smith, 39, is seen offering a drink to Florida deputies in the middle of a car chase on Saturday. (Highlands County Sheriff's Office)
When the deputies arrived, Smith fled in a vehicle, prompting a pursuit, the sheriff's office said.
"It was during this pursuit when Smith held a can of Ketel One vodka spritz out the window as he drove by a deputy trying to get him to stop, telling the deputy ‘I was just going to give you a drink, that’s it’ as he passed," the sheriff's office said. "We don’t know if he was expecting us to just say ‘Cheers!’ and let him go, or what."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The chase ended a few minutes later in the parking lot of a business at the Sebring Regional Airport.
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Richard Christopher Smith is seen on body camera footage being arrested after a car chase with Florida deputies. (Highlands County Sheriff's Office)
After his toast, Smith, who is a Miami resident, tried to ram two patrol vehicles as all four of his tires were flattened by spike strips, police said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He was unfazed as he calmly tried to walk away from the scene – which was surrounded by deputies – while puffing on a cigarette, authorities said.
"You guys had fun, though, right?" he asked them.
He was eventually Tased in the middle of his smoke break and arrested.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Richard Christopher Smith is seen outside his vehicle after a police chase. (Highlands County Sheriff's Office)
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Smith is 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.