It wouldn’t be a day of the week if a Florida man didn’t attempt some sort of head-scratching driving maneuver on the Sunshine State’s streets. Entertainingly, this one’s no different. A suspected DUI driver cruised right past police at an active crash scene on three tires, with the fourth tire shredded down to the rim.

If that wasn’t enough, the wayward driver decided to attempt a U-turn to get away from the police rather than pull over for a traffic stop.  

The Florida man drove right past an active crash scene with a shredded tire– that’s when police suspected him of a DUI

Deputies with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office were already working a motor vehicle accident scene when a Florida man nearly hit several officers. Worse yet, the driver was cruising by on three tires, rather than the highly recommended four. 

“Don’t be suspicious….don’t be suspicious!! We’re pretty sure that’s what Ernest Pickett Jr. was thinking as he drove past multiple law enforcement officers with their flashing lights on while working a crash investigation on Aurora Road,” a statement from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office read.

The first line conjures mental images of Jenny Slate and Ben Schwartz dancing and singing “Don’t be suspicious” at the end of “Parks and Recreation.” Of course, they had just faked Schwartz’s death. Not exactly driving past a working emergency scene devoid of one tire. Still, clearly someone at the sheriff’s office has a sense of humor. 

“At some point while driving, Pickett seems to have hit something, causing his entire tire to shred down to the rim.” Yikes. But what ultimately prompted police to spring into action was just how close Pickett came to hitting officers on the scene.

Rather than stopping for the deputies, the driver then “decided to make an illegal U-turn into a parking lot.” And the hits just keep on coming.

Needless to say, and DUI conditions notwithstanding, driving on three tires isn’t a good idea. Driving on a flat, even for a short distance, can cause significant damage to your wheel and vehicle. Friction isn’t your friend, unless it’s between a healthy tire and the pavement.

Virginia Tire & Auto reminds drivers that they should “only drive far enough to find a safe place to pull over.” And that’s just a flat; driving on a shredded tire can severely compromise your vehicle’s stability. It’s straight-up dangerous.