CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) — A video that’s circulating on social media shows a man being let out of a patrol car on Florida’s Clearwater Beach, running away handcuffed as the crowd cheers him on.
The video was captured on Wednesday night after police responded to the beach to break up a disturbance.
Clearwater Police Department spokesperson Rob Shaw said some are treating the video as a joke.
“Everybody thinks it’s funny, everybody thinks it’s a joke. This is not a joke,” Shaw added. “I mean, these are unruly people out there behaving in inappropriate ways on the beach.”
He said it’s disappointing that so many are sharing and commenting on social media.
“It’s not a joke to us, it’s not a laughing matter. It’s not about page clicks and page views and social media,” Shaw said. “This is about people violating the law and then flouting it.”
Police caught up with the teenage fugitive within seconds.
Dominic Glass, 18, of Land O’ Lakes, is now facing charges for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and escape.
On Thursday evening, police arrested Adam Asad, 18, of Oldsmar. He is the one accused of opening the patrol car door allowing Glass to escape.
According to police, Asad bragged he was going to be famous for his actions and is now facing charges for aiding escape and resisting arrest without violence.
Glass made his first appearance before a judge on Wednesday afternoon. The judge instructed him that if he does post bond he cannot go back to Clearwater Beach during spring break.