When I saw on another state's news site "Armless, One-Legged Driver Leads Chase," I knew it could only refer to Florida's very own Michael Wiley:
Authorities were led on a high speed vehicle chase by an armless, one-legged man, and they said this wasn't the first time the 40-year-old eluded police.
Michael Francis Wiley taught himself to drive after losing both arms and a leg in an electrical accident when he was 13. He spent time in prison for kicking a Florida Highway Patrol trooper after an accident in 1996. He led police on a 120 mph chase in 1998.
On Tuesday, Wiley sped off in a Ford Explorer when police approached him at a convenience store, New Port Richey police Capt. Darryl Garman said. Officers pursued, but called off the chase after eight minutes because they did not want to put others in danger, Garman said.
Wiley was arrested the next day on charges of fleeing from police and habitually driving without a license. He also is awaiting trial on separate drug charges and traffic violations. He faces up to five years in prison if convicted.
Defense attorney John Hooker said his client has paid off previous traffic fines that got his license suspended and tried to get a new driver's license, but he was rebuffed by state officials. Wiley's license has been revoked so many times it is now a felony to drive.
"What makes him do it?" Hooker said when asked why Wiley keeps getting behind the wheel. "I think it's an urge he has that makes him feel as important and as good as anyone. It gives him a sense of self-esteem."
Hooker said he had not had a chance to talk to Wiley about the most recent charges.
Even before Wednesday's arrest, prosecutors were seeking to send Wiley to prison for at least five years for felony drug and traffic charges.
"He has a hideous record," Assistant State Attorney Mike Halkitis said after an August 2006 arrest. "It's just got to end."
Wiley was being held in the Pasco County jail on $500,000 bond.
He drives like the Dukes of Hazard boys, but can he hood-slide like them?
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Previous Postings:
Handicapable
Career-Change Needed
How about we start us a "Special NASCAR" kinda like the "Special Olypics" they have for folks with disabilaties?! I'm sure there are lottsa folks just like him that just don't have the nerve to go tearin' up the th public road like that.
Here's my pic for the new state cracker song...
http://www.sarasotaslim.com/music-32.html
...anyone with multiple pics of Duane is OK with me.
Posted by: Gene SARASOTA SLIM Hardage at May 11, 2007 10:17 AMI see a Sundance Film Festival entry here.
The "electrical accident." Pushy cops. Righteous disabled man. Somome grab a camera. Definitely for the Aspen crowd.
Posted by: CJ at May 11, 2007 04:46 PMI remember this guy from before...and he's still nuts.
Hey Gene 'Sarasota Slim' Hardage ! I saw you open for Johnny Winter in 89 ?? 90 ?? @ Janis Landing !
I must say, you really ripped it up that night, bro..schweeet! In fact, I stole a riff of yours and use it to this day ;) One you use on Mean Ol World..:)
Quite a show. I also almost made it to a gig you were going to do in Lakeland, more recently..
oh well.
Nice to see you dropped by for the Florida Cracker Skydog Vault. I swear one day she's gonna drop a bomb on us...
I remember that show specifically, because I am a fan of Johnny's.. and I didn't think I could make it because a close friend asked me to speak at an AA meeting of all things.. I had done it before in
Tampa, but he said this one was in Street Pete.
When we got close he whipped out the tickets ! It was a hoax ! A nice one too..
Authorities are stumped as to what makes him do it. It appears he's stepped over the line this time.
Posted by: nancy at May 11, 2007 08:47 PMThought it may appear otherwise, "Sparky" doesn't have a leg to stand on when he goes to court.
Posted by: tfhr at May 11, 2007 10:43 PMOops! I have to throw my arms up in the air on this - one consonant too many on "though" and I end up taking the legs out from under my own argument.
Posted by: tfhr at May 11, 2007 10:48 PMHe's lucky he didn't die in a hail of police bullets,since he was heavily armed.
Posted by: rg at May 12, 2007 01:31 AMBut seriously. I once got yelled-at for accidently parking in a handicapped spot. I tried to explain that I'm an emotional cripple. I can't really cry. I mean *really* cry, y'know? I blame our patriarchal culture.
Posted by: rg at May 12, 2007 01:43 AMHe'll be kickin' around the jail for a while now, won't he?
Posted by: nancy at May 12, 2007 08:06 AMLOL@rg.
It's easy to lay the finger of blame on him for his footloose nature, but personally I gotta hand it to a guy in his condition jumping into life with both feet and wringing every drop of experience out of it before throwing away the rind. He may shake his fist at law enforcement, but as long as he toes the line while in jail, he should be OK.
Posted by: Donnah at May 12, 2007 11:43 AMMaybe shaking his "fist" is how he got all those traffic infractions in the first place? Both hooks should be at the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock position at all times.
Posted by: rg at May 12, 2007 01:03 PMYou know, when I read the "emotional cripple" riff, I was just a little bit jealous that I hadn't thought of that a long time ago when watching seemingly healthy (aside from being grossly overweight) people hop out their cars and jaunt into the Dunkin' Do-nuts, Baskin Robbins, etc., from the much coveted disabled parking spaces.
But when rg threw down the "hooks at 10 and 2", I realized that I was in the presence of a master. Two thumbs up for rg.
Posted by: tfhr at May 12, 2007 01:20 PMOn a "Now what?" note, if Wiley can get up here (thumb a ride?), I'm pretty sure he could get a job as a DC Metro bus driver since a couple of those guys have managed to mow down several pedestrians in crosswalks over the past two months.
Just thinking of the guy as a bus driver opens up all sorts of options. How much better would "Speed" have been if instead of Sandra Bullock, they had Wiley behind the wheel? I mean, if Keanu Reeves can't act but still gets the part, why should the bus driver be able to drive?!
Posted by: tfhr at May 12, 2007 01:28 PMhe doesn't actually go to *jail* , persay.. it's more like an infirmary deal..no way would he ever be exposed to the population. That is why he keeps thumbing his nose at the law.
Posted by: csason at May 12, 2007 02:33 PMAn old Australian euphemism for something/someone of little utility is "As useless as a one-legged man in an arse-kicking competition" (US readers "arse" = "ass")
Is this guy the exception to that rule?
Posted by: Rick from Oz at May 13, 2007 09:54 PMWe say " As BUSY as a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest" That's why he's NO exception.
Our "useless" quip (the one I know) is:
'He's as useless as tits on a bore hog'
sry bout my earlier 'thumbed his nose' comment.
I guess I should've been more sensitive.