Florida man steals patrol car, says 'This is a felony?,' police say

Credit: Volusia County Sheriff's Office

Credit: Volusia County Sheriff's Office

AFlorida man jumped into a parked patrol car and drove it around before he was pulled over and expressed confusion about why he was being arrested, police said.

Eric Sirmans, 44, got into a parked police cruiser at 9:20 p.m. Aug. 31 in Daytona Beach, Florida, and drove off with the red and blue lights flashing, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported. Police said Sirmans led them on a 40 mph chase with the lights on.

Sirmans was pulled over and got out of the car with his hands raised and apologized for his actions, police said.

"I think we are a little beyond apology," an officer said in response, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported.

In a video posted by the Daytona Beach News-Journal, police officers can be heard laughing as Sirmans asks whether or not his crime was a felony.

"Oh, yeah, it's like the toppest felony we can go," Daytona Beach police Officer Steve Pignataro answers in the video.

Sirmans was arrested and charged with grand theft with damage of more than $1,000, fleeing and attempting to elude and violation of pretrial release conditions stemming from a recent drug arrest.

Officer Nicholaus Sault, to whom the stolen patrol car belonged, is now under investigation into whether he violated department policy by leaving his car unattended, the News-Journal said.

Read more at the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

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