Monroe County Sheriff’s police pursued a backhoe on the Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys after a man stole the backhoe and took it back-and-forth on the bridge for at least 90 minutes.
The bridge was damaged as the backhoe dragged along the pavement, and as the offender dumped boulders on the roadway. At one point the deputies had to leave the bridge for their own safety. At least one patrol vehicle was also damaged.
The offender was captured when he left eh bridge about 1:20 a.m. Tuesday, February 16, 2016. Officers threw spike strips in front of the vehicle to cause it to stop. The offender is believed to have stolen the backhoe in Marathon City, Florida. He was transported to the hospital in custody complaining of a sore shoulder and difficulty breathing.
Carl Blahnik was charged with reckless driving, fleeing and eluding police, digging up or any way disturbing any street or highway (FL. Statute 316.2035.3), failing to register a motor vehicle and grand theft of a vehicle.
Here is a short video clip of Deputy Orlando Alvarez following the backhoe on the Seven Mile Bridge in the early morning…
Posted by MCSO – Florida Keys on Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Stay informed with news from PublicSafetyReporter.com’s Emergencies Behind the Scenes Facebook page — Facebook.com/CardinalEmergencies. Includes links to favorite public safety and emergency rescuers and product manufacturers and safety companies that have Facebook pages. Submit your pictures or just stay up-to-date on with fire, rescue, EMS and police photo galleries. Please add your public safety photo to the wall album — go direct to the Arlington Cardinal Emergencies Behind the Scenes photos. For a list of all of The Cardinal Facebook fan pages, go to Arlingtoncardinal.com/about/facebook …
