CLEARWATER (970 WFLA) -- Amazingly, no one got hurt, but a car and at least a few beach chairs became casualties when a man took a drunken joyride through Clearwater and onto Clearwater Beach, likely under the influence, and streamed it live on Facebook.
Clearwater police say they got calls from as far away from California, as people reported watching a man identified as Ryan Stiles drive from downtown over the Causeway, smashing into a vehicle near Island Way, causing minor damage.
The first call of a possible drunken driver came in around 4:26 p.m. at U.S. 19 and Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard. A few minutes later, police say, Stiles, 27, reached Clearwater Beach and began a nine-minute rampage up the shoreline toward Caladesi Island. Clearwater police chief Donald Hall says Stiles could have hurt people had he driven closer to the water.
During the ride up the beach, Stiles continued his video stream, cursing and shouting. His cries included "Crash parade bruh!" , "We're going to die tonight, bro!" , "GTA" (presumably, referring to the game Grand Theft Auto) and "I'm going down, I'm going down" as horns honked and police sirens screamed in the background.
The joyride ended at the northern tip of Caladesi Island, not long after the driver said on his Facebook stream that his transmission had given out.
Police say Stiles didn't stop causing trouble in custody. They say Stiles took off his belt and swung it inside a holding cell, leaving a crack in a door window. Police say Stiles refused a breath test. The Facebook video shows the driver swigging from what appears to be a liquor bottle.
Stiles is charged with DUI, driving with a suspended license, reckless driving, fleeing and eluding, hit and run, felony criminal mischief and threatening a public servant.
Stiles' Facebook stream is linked below (NSFW for bad language!)
Hear Jack Harris weigh in below (from AM Tampa Bay).
Photo courtesy Clearwater Police Department and Clearwater Public Safety