Deputies: Florida man steals car in ‘good faith,’ leaves it on tracks before train slams it into house
A Florida man has inserted himself into a car vs. train vs. house story while also attempting to steal a forklift and vandalizing a fruit stand, according to law enforcement.
Bradford Weitzel, 38, of Port St. Lucie was arrested after events early Saturday left a stolen car tossed into the side of a house after it was hit by a train, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
Weitzel told sheriff’s detectives that he could not find his car after leaving a bar early in the morning, so he “stole one in a good faith effort to locate his own,” according to a post on the sheriff’s office Facebook page.
He told deputies that he ended up on train tracks along Indian River Drive and that the vehicle stopped dead on the tracks as a train was coming, the post said.
Weitzel told sheriff’s detectives he ran from the vehicle, which was hit by the train, “catapulting it into a nearby home where the homeowners were sound asleep,” the post said.
“Fortunately, they were not physically injured, although the explosive sound of a driverless car smashing into the side of their home was clearly jolting.”
The sheriff’s office said Weitzel then vandalized a nearby fruit stand and attempted to steal a forklift.
“In the end, Weitzel said he thought it was best to flag down the responding deputies to let them know he was still looking for his car,” according to the post.
He was charged with grand theft and criminal mischief with more charges possible, the sheriff’s office said.
