Why did this Florida man have a light-weight pole strapped to his car?

TAMPA, Fla. — Why did this Florida man have a light-weight pole strapped to his automobile? … It sounds just like the opening to a shaggy dog story. in any case, Google “Florida man” and you’ll be humored for the relaxation of the day. in addition, no one of their right mind would strap a lightweight pole to their automobile, so there’s received to be a punch line, correct?

in fact, no, there isn’t. It’s just a “Florida man” doing what they do (apologies to usual guys from Florida), and getting arrested for grand theft within the method. (Confession: scavengers like this are a dime a dozen in California, too.)

Douglas Allen Hatley, seventy one, became pulled over on a Tampa roadway on Monday after yet another driver reported that a maroon Toyota Camry become hauling a metallic pole – practically double the length of the vehicle – on its roof, the Florida toll road Patrol mentioned.

Hatley looks to be a scavenger, the form of man who stacks pallets and so forth. a mile high above his automobile. He found the pole on the floor via the facet of the dual carriageway and desired to sell the steel for scrap, in response to troopers.

during this photograph offered via the Florida toll road Patrol a downed vigor pole is strapped to the roof of a car, Monday, Nov. 16, 2020, on Interstate four, in Hillsborough County, Fla. (Florida motorway Patrol)

A driver told authorities they’d seen Hatley tie the light pole to his vehicle roof a couple of miles away on Interstate four close the Interstate 75 interchange.

Troopers told Hatley that a toll road protection employee had mentioned the pole stolen, the Tampa Bay times stated.

Hatley turned into being held on $2,000 bond. (Hillsborough County penitentiary)

The seventy one-12 months-historic Lakeland man said he didn’t recognize that it become unlawful to eliminate damaged utility and light poles from the facet of the highway.

Hatley became arrested and charged with grand theft. He changed into being held on $2,000 bond, Fox pronounced. A passenger within the vehicle become now not charged.

Hatley advised troopers that he had discovered the pole on the floor through the facet of the dual carriageway and had planned to promote the metal for scrap, in response to the record. (Florida highway Patrol)

Hatley has a protracted rap sheet, having been arrested 48 times in Florida on account that 1971 on expenses equivalent to grand theft, burglary and probation violation, the instances stated, citing state crook heritage records.

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