This man in a backhoe is doing everything in his power to keep Florida weird.
The Seven Mile Bridge was closed to traffic for over three hours earlier today after Carl Blahnik, 59, dumped boulders at the north end with a backhoe. Blahnik proceeded to take his new backhoe for a joyride for an hour and a half, driving north and southbound multiple times, damaging the roadway and sides of the bridge.
The footage – recorded by Deputy Orlando Alvarez – shows Blahnik and the stolen backhoe as Alvarez pursued.
Image: Fox 13 News
Deputies followed Blahnik for most of the ordeal, moving out of his way several times to avoid being hit, before eventually leaving the bridge for their own safety. Blahnik finally exited the bridge on the north side around 1:20 a.m. where waiting deputies threw spike strips in front of him and Blahnik was arrested.
Traffic resumed after 3 a.m., following an hour and a half clean-up of debris to making sure the roadway was safe.
Blahnik was charged with reckless driving, fleeing and eluding police, digging up or any way disturbing any street or highway, failing to register a motor vehicle and grand theft of a vehicle.
