What would you do if a police officer pulled you over for speeding? Blame it on the Russian president? Well, at least this is what a man in Florida did – he blamed Vladimir Putin for making him break the traffic rules.
In bodycam footage released by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook, the man claimed he was rushing back home to catch the news on the Russia-Ukraine war. “Putin made me do it,” the in-caption in the video read, which was shared later as part of the County sheriff’s #CopHumour social media posts.
“Do you know the reason I stopped you? How fast do you think you were going?” the officer was heard asking. While the driver guessed “40”, the officer corrected him saying he was driving at the speed of 50 in a 30 mph zone.
“I think you ran that stop sign as well because you didn’t even see me sitting there,” the deputy said. “I literally saw you run the stop sign, make a left turn, and hop on the gas. There was no reason for that at all,” the cop said after asking the driver for his license and insurance.
While initially the driver can be heard saying that he had just bought the car, and then pointed towards a small screen to claim he was watching something while driving, he later blamed Putin for speeding.
“The truth is: I just found out that Putin says he is going to launch thermonuclear 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,” the man said.
The video has since gone viral on social media, leaving many in splits. “I’ve always gone with the bathroom excuse. Next time I’ll have to try Putin,” one user wrote on Facebook. “What a surprise he didn’t blame Trump as so many else have!” another quipped.
