Before sunrise on Interstate 4 near Lakeland, Florida, a deputy clocked a Honda sedan slicing through traffic. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the driver, identified as Mr. Betancourt, was traveling 117 miles per hour in a 70 zone.

Florida Man wasn’t just speeding

He was weaving between cars at that pace, risking collisions while other drivers were likely still shaking off their early morning fuzzies.

When pulled over, he reportedly explained that he was trying to get his passenger to a restroom.

The deputy responded by checking his record, which turned out to tell its own story.

The driver’s license record logged 7 suspensions over unpaid traffic fines

Two originated in Hillsborough County. The remaining five were from Polk County, Florida. His history includes five moving violations, such as speeding, driving with a suspended or revoked license, and leaving a crash site.

During the traffic stop, Florida deputies reported he repeatedly asked not to be arrested, explaining he was trying to qualify for a commercial driver’s license

That request didn’t go anywhere. Based on his track record, authorities hinted his chances of earning a CDL in Florida may be slim.

Driving 47 miles per hour over the limit and threading through traffic at that speed meets the legal threshold for reckless driving. Add in the claim that it was all to reach a restroom, and the situation moves from surprising to baffling. Authorities say he now faces charges of reckless driving and dangerous excessive speed.

Whether it’s a medical situation or a friend’s urgent pit stop, there are safe ways to handle it. Triple-digit speeds during morning traffic isn’t one of them.