Punta Gorda man exceeded 100 mph on Periwinkle Way, said he was 'in the middle of nowhere'
A man saying he was in the middle of nowhere, trying to escape from his family by driving more than 100 mph on Sanibel, faces several charges.
Jason Michael Shorter, 42, faces charges of fleeing or eluding police; refusing to submit to DUI testing after his license was suspended; and drug possession or use.
The island is roughly 12 miles long and three miles at its widest point. Periwinkle Way, Sanibel's longest road, is about 4.5 miles long.
Around 6:50 p.m. Sunday, according to an incident report from Sanibel Police, Shorter was traveling west on Periwinkle Way — one of the main roads on the island — when authorities logged the incident. Police first responded to the 400 block of East Gulf Drive.
Authorities stopped him in the 2200 block of Periwinkle Way.
As officers interacted with Shorter, they reported the smell of alcohol as he shouted at officers.
Authorities said Shorter screamed at officers and continuously repeated to let him go, saying he was "in the middle of nowhere," and was trying to "just get away" from his wife and everyone else.
Police said Shorter stumbled as he walked and spoke with slurred speech. As they searched his car, they reported a smell of what they believed was burnt marijuana. Residue within a glass container later confirmed their suspicion.
Authorities said Shorter attempted to jump to his feet in an attempt to flee several times, but was unsuccessful.
Shorter posted a $13,000 bond on Tuesday and is next due in court Aug. 7 for his arraignment. He's at least the third driver arrested in Southwest Florida over recent months for exceeding 100 mph speeds.
Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran, Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews and Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Punta Gorda man arrested after exceeding 100 mph speeds on Sanibel
