The Flagler County Sheriff’s Department arrested William Murphy III, 47, of Palm Coast, after he was caught driving backwards on State Road 100, a busy highway in northeast Florida, on March 13. Multiple callers reported seeing a silver sedan moving in reverse on the roadway, prompting law enforcement to respond.
The department’s Time Crime Center tracked the vehicle to a Panda Express parking lot. Deputies stopped Murphy near the intersection of SR 100 and Airport Road after he turned the car around to face the correct direction. Video footage shows the vehicle maneuvering backwards around a median divider.
Murphy told deputies that the car had mechanical issues and that he believed driving in reverse to a nearby AutoZone was his best option. However, officers noted the mechanical issues appeared to disappear once they began following him.
Body camera recordings capture Murphy attempting to justify his actions, saying he did not drive dangerously. A deputy responded, “You were driving backward on the road!”
Murphy was arrested for habitual driving with a suspended or revoked license. Officials said he has more than 10 prior convictions related to this offense. He was transported to Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility and subsequently released on a $1,000 bond.
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