‘Bored’ man arrested for driving on Florida beach closed because of COVID-19 and leading police on 35mph chase that ends in a hotel parking lot
- John McGarry, 25, of Idaho was arrested Saturday after he drove on a Sand Key Beach, which is closed due to the coronavirus pandemic
- The Clearwater Police Department says they were called after onlookers spotted McGarry driving on the sand Saturday afternoon
- Cops say McGarry drove at speeds of up to 35mph on the sand and was chased by officers who caught him in the parking lot of the Sheraton Sand Key
- When asked why he drove on the beach, McGarry explained ‘out of boredom,’ say the cops
- Florida has had close to 30,900 cases of the coronavirus, which has been blamed for more than 1,050 deaths
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
A man was arrested after he drove on a Florida beach that was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic and was caught by cops after leading them on a chase that ended in a hotel parking lot Saturday afternoon.
John McGarry, 25, of Idaho, was arrested after onlookers spotted him driving on Sand Key Beach, says the Clearwater Police Department.
Cops say McGarry drove at speeds of up to 35 miles-per-hour on the sand and was chased by officers who apprehended him in the parking lot of the Sheraton Sand Key as he was trying to flee, say police.
John McGarry, 25, of Idaho, was arrested after onlookers spotted him driving on Sand Key Beach, says the Clearwater Police Department. Cops say McGarry drove at speeds of up to 35 miles-per-hour on the sand and was chased by officers (pictured) to a hotel parking lot
He said he had driven on the closed beach ‘out of boredom,’ say the cops, reports the Tampa Bay Times.
Clearwater Beach and other Pinellas County beaches remain closed amid efforts to slow and contain the spread of the deadly flu-like virus, also known as COVID-19.
So far, Florida has had close to 30,900 cases of the coronavirus, which has been blamed for more than 1,050 deaths.
Across the US, there have been 960,144 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, which has been blamed for 54,109 deaths.
So far, there have been 960,144 cases in the US of the coronavirus, which has been blamed for 54,109 deaths
How the number of new coronavirus cases in the US has escalated over time
How the number of new coronavirus infections in the US has escalated over time
A day-to-day look at the number of deaths in the US attributed to the coroanvirus
The Clearwater Police say McGarry was charged with reckless driving, resisting arrest without violence and driving with a suspended license.
He was detained at the Pinellas County Jail in lieu of $650 bail.
Sand Key Beach, even when open, does not permit vehicles on the sand, the Tampa Bay Times reports.