ISLAMORADA (CBSMiami) – Drunk, driving a boat without lights in the dark, and threatening to kill the state agent who stopped to investigate; in Islamorada, that’s enough to send you to a jail cell, even if your name is Bible.
Wednesday was a bad day for Thomas Bible. He was spotted by Florida Wildlife Commission officer Shelton Bartlett zipping through the Snake Creek Channel without lights. That’s dangerous at 10 p.m., and Bartlett tried to get Mr. Bible to stop.
But instead of following the rules in his namesake book, Bible first threatened to kill Bartlett , and then took off, first speeding away in his boat, and then, jumping into the water while it was still moving.
Bartlett watched Bible head for shore, following along as the water got shallower. When Bible started walking in the water, Bartlett tried to arrest him and the two struggled. Out came the pepper spray, and into the water Bible went.
But he wasn’t done. When the Coast Guard arrived and tried to help with the arrest, Bible made more threats. Eventually, the officers got him to the hospital, where tests showed Bible may have been sipping from the sacramental wine before officers arrived.
Bible was booked into the Monroe County jail with a number of felony charges, and he could face more as the investigation continues.
Had he just stopped when asked, he most likely would have faced a fine instead of jail time.