Florida man drives a Tesla through a restaurant so he could ‘charge up’
Range anxiety and desperation. It’s not a great combination. Frankly, it seems like enough to drive a person to do wild, crazy things. Like a Florida man driving a Tesla through a restaurant, scooting tables out of the way as he did, so he could “charge up.”
Security camera footage captured a Florida man after he broke into a popular Palm Beach eatery to charge his stone-dead Tesla
23-year-old Scott Evan Bobal probably didn’t plan on running out of juice in his Tesla Model 3. But that’s no excuse to use the EV as a skeleton key. The Florida man reportedly drove the Tesla into Harry and the Natives, a popular restaurant and watering hole in Palm Beach. The reason? Bobal wanted to charge his car so badly that he pushed his way into the eatery, shoved tables out of the way, and attempted to “charge up” at the bar.
Bobal’s lunacy got him enough charge to leave, as it took security camera footage after the fact to tie the Florida man to the crime. A few days ago, Martin County Sheriff’s Office personnel and other agencies arrested Bobal for burglary and attempted theft, setting his bail at $12,500.
As hilarious as it seems, one of the security camera stills that MCSO posted online shows Bobal on the ground behind his dark-blue Tesla Model 3. In the image, Bobal is supine, flat on his back, with his arms collapsed on his upper body. He has the “bewildered and stranded” look down.
Now, MCSO seemed keen to hit the public service announcement angle with the social media post. “We appreciate the outstanding teamwork that brought this unusual case to a close– and remind everyone: restaurants are for dining, not docking your vehicle,” the agency said on Facebook.
But it’s a better reminder that breaking into an establishment to charge your car is simply stupid. For starters, planning ahead for your EV’s range is always a good idea. However, Bobal was on-camera playing with his phone after breaking into Harry and the Natives. There’s a reminder: when in doubt, call a ride. But who knows what possessed the Florida man to think this was the right move?
