Highlands County Sheriff’s Office
A Florida man tried to buddy up with a sheriff’s deputy during a high-speed chase … allegedly offering him a vodka spritzer — even though they were actually going after him!
The wild scene went down in Highlands County, FL this past weekend … when deputies claim they chased 39-year-old Richard Christopher Smith of Miami — sharing body cam video from their interaction.
The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office footage from the chase … kicking off with a guy driving a minivan showing an officer a can of what they claim is a can of Ketel One Vodka Spritz.
The man seems to yell out, “I was gonna give you a drink” before speeding off into the street, despite the deputy’s commands to stop.
Later on, body cam footage shows police putting down spike strips to slash the van’s tires … and, the high-speed chase quickly became a low-speed pursuit before the van crashed into another vehicle.
The driver is told to get on the ground … but, he doesn’t comply — calmly smoking a cigarette and advancing in bare feet toward deputies before he’s tased.
The man, who cops allege is Smith, is then cuffed and arrested … but, not before asking cops if they had a good time chasing him.
The sheriff’s department says Smith has been 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.
Cops didn’t pal around and knock a few back with this suspect … and, there’s a chance the next thing he’ll be toasting with is wine made in a jail toilet.
