A late-night stunt in Belle Isle ended in handcuffs after police say a 19-year-old driver rolled through an intersection with several people riding on the roof of his SUV at an estimated 40 to 45 mph. Officers reported that the rooftop passengers were cited and released, while the driver was arrested on a reckless driving charge. Police also said they smelled alcohol and marijuana coming from inside the vehicle before a search turned up alcohol and other items.
Caught on Camera During Traffic Enforcement
According to FOX 35 Orlando, an officer conducting traffic enforcement early Monday spotted an SUV moving through an intersection with multiple people apparently hanging out on top of the vehicle. The officer estimated the SUV was traveling roughly 40 to 45 mph and noted the stereo was blasting so loudly it could be heard from about 75 feet away.
Behind the wheel, police say, was 19-year-old Gary Mathurin. He was arrested and booked on a reckless driving charge, and tickets were issued to each person found on the roof of the SUV. The wild ride may have looked like a late-night thrill to those involved, but officers treated it as a high-risk traffic incident caught in real time.
Search Finds Alcohol, Handgun and Citations
Police say that after smelling alcohol and marijuana inside the SUV, officers conducted a search that turned up a bottle of whiskey, a handgun, and a bag containing what officers described as a pipe. The passenger seated closest to the whiskey bottle was cited for an open container violation and released at the scene. Those who had climbed onto the roof were also cited and released.
"We're all for making memories with friends, but becoming a traffic safety lesson isn't the kind of memory anyone should be aiming for," the Belle Isle Police Department wrote on Facebook, according to FOX 35 Orlando. The department used the incident as something of a cautionary tale for anyone tempted to turn a moving vehicle into a rooftop party.
What the Law Says
Florida law defines reckless driving as operating a vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property, a standard that can carry criminal penalties, including fines or jail time, according to the Florida Legislature.
Possession of an open alcoholic container inside a vehicle is treated as a non-moving violation for passengers under a separate state law, per the Florida Senate. Counties and cities are allowed to adopt stricter local rules, which can add another layer of consequences if alcohol is involved.
Next Steps
Reports indicate that Mathurin was booked into the county jail and that the arrest affidavit was cited as a source for details of the case. Belle Isle police also posted a traffic-camera clip of the incident online and urged drivers and passengers alike to make safer choices as the case moves through the court system.
