TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Rushing home to stay on top of the news is not a valid excuse for driving over the speed limit, a Florida driver learned this week.
According to body camera video from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, the man was pulled over in a white sports car on Tuesday after going 50 in a 30-mph zone.
“Do you know the reason I stopped you? How fast do you think you were going?” the deputy asked him.
“Forty?” he answered in response to the question.
“I think you ran that stop sign as well because you didn’t even see me sitting there,” the deputy said.
The man first told the deputy he was speeding because he was looking at the dashboard and trying to get his vehicle out of Sport Mode.
“I saw a car coming and I wanted to get out before them,” he added.
Then after producing his driver’s license and registration, he offered another excuse.
“The truth is, I just found out that Putin says he is going to launch nuclear thermal war. I was trying to get back to my house to find out what is going on. I’m freaking out here. I got people in Ukraine,” he said.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office shared video of the traffic stop on Facebook with the caption, “Putin made me do it.”
“I’ve always gone with the bathroom excuse. Next time, I’ll have to try Putin,” one commenter said.
Ultimately, the driver did receive a ticket for speeding, Public Affairs Officer Melissa Morreale confirmed to Nexstar.