Armless Driver Gets 5 Years In Prison

*KROW* · 08-05-2007, 01:39 PM

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. (AP) - A man with no arms and one leg who wouldn't stop driving despite a long list of traffic violations was sentenced to five years in prison Friday on felony driving and drug charges.

Michael Wiley, 40, also was sentenced to 15 years of drug offender probation. He pleaded no contest in June to the charges.

"I'd just like to say I know what I did was wrong," Wiley said in court Friday. "I am truly sorry your honor. I am."

Wiley taught himself to drive after losing both arms and a leg in an electrical accident when he was 13. He has already spent more than three years in prison for habitually driving without a license, kicking a state trooper and other charges.

He once had a valid license, but it has been suspended several times since 1985, according to his lawyer. He starts the car with his toes, shifts with his knee and steers with the stump of his left arm. He turns on the lights with his teeth.

In his most recent brush with the law last May, Wiley sped off in a Ford Explorer when police approached him at a convenience store, officials said. Officers pursued, but called off the chase after eight minutes because they did not want to put others in danger, police said.

Defense lawyer John Hooker pleaded for leniency and a minimum sentence of 2½ years. He cited his client's need for treatment for his many physical and mental health problems, including anxiety, panic attacks, depression and a pain disorder related to his amputations.

In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Wiley said he's done driving.

"I'm beat. The white flag is up," he said. "You can only bang your head against the wall so long before it hurts."

SOURCE

==========

Stormy found this as a small article in a village newspaper at her workplace last night. I went online to get more credibility and boom, here we are. I gotta say, this is some weird stuff. When you hear the words "armless" and "driver" put together successfully, your interest is peaked. I'd like to know how this guy even got a license considering his mental and bodily state. Then he manages to actually kick a cop and elude the force. Talk about inspiration.

I'm wondering how he got apprehended. What orders could the police have given him? They couldn't cuff him. Did they carry him like a potato sack? Honestly, I'm stumped... if you'll pardon the pun, heh heh.

CudleyCowlick · 08-05-2007, 02:05 PM

I'd like to see how he kicked a state trooper with just one leg. Really, if I could just see the look on the trooper's face when he realized what had just happened.

*Mecha Cow* · 08-05-2007, 07:23 PM

'Armless'? Come on, this would have been a great opportunity for an 'Unarmed' pun.

*XERO* · 08-06-2007, 12:57 PM

Farewell to Arms.

There. You happy, Mecha?

*ZariusTwo* · 08-06-2007, 01:57 PM

He did'nt have a grip on this did he?

*Cure* · 08-06-2007, 02:09 PM

OOH! OOH! My turn!

I guess maybe we should give him a hand!

*buh-dm-pshh*

*KROW* · 08-06-2007, 08:10 PM

I love it that a thread I started is filled with so many puns and jibes. It's so apt.

Ra · 08-07-2007, 03:13 AM

"I once sailed with a geezer who lost both his arms and part of his eye."
"What did you call him?"
"...Larry."

Does that one count?

I remember reading about the chase afew months ago and just cracked up laughing. Then I realized that this was real. Pretty amazing for that guy to drive with only a leg as his only limb...

**ThirdMarioBro** · 08-07-2007, 03:38 AM

Don't make fun of someone's disability, even if the person in question is an arm's length from being a psycho....

opps.

*Mecha Cow* · 08-07-2007, 09:56 AM

We're not making fun of him, no need to get up in arms about it.

...OK, I'll stop.

08-05-2007, 01:39 PM	#1
KROW Meat-n-Potatoes Man Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: State's Anus, NY Posts: 6,472	Armless Driver Gets 5 Years In Prison NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. (AP) - A man with no arms and one leg who wouldn't stop driving despite a long list of traffic violations was sentenced to five years in prison Friday on felony driving and drug charges. Michael Wiley, 40, also was sentenced to 15 years of drug offender probation. He pleaded no contest in June to the charges. "I'd just like to say I know what I did was wrong," Wiley said in court Friday. "I am truly sorry your honor. I am." Wiley taught himself to drive after losing both arms and a leg in an electrical accident when he was 13. He has already spent more than three years in prison for habitually driving without a license, kicking a state trooper and other charges. He once had a valid license, but it has been suspended several times since 1985, according to his lawyer. He starts the car with his toes, shifts with his knee and steers with the stump of his left arm. He turns on the lights with his teeth. In his most recent brush with the law last May, Wiley sped off in a Ford Explorer when police approached him at a convenience store, officials said. Officers pursued, but called off the chase after eight minutes because they did not want to put others in danger, police said. Defense lawyer John Hooker pleaded for leniency and a minimum sentence of 2½ years. He cited his client's need for treatment for his many physical and mental health problems, including anxiety, panic attacks, depression and a pain disorder related to his amputations. In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Wiley said he's done driving. "I'm beat. The white flag is up," he said. "You can only bang your head against the wall so long before it hurts." SOURCE ========== Stormy found this as a small article in a village newspaper at her workplace last night. I went online to get more credibility and boom, here we are. I gotta say, this is some weird stuff. When you hear the words "armless" and "driver" put together successfully, your interest is peaked. I'd like to know how this guy even got a license considering his mental and bodily state. Then he manages to actually kick a cop and elude the force. Talk about inspiration. I'm wondering how he got apprehended. What orders could the police have given him? They couldn't cuff him. Did they carry him like a potato sack? Honestly, I'm stumped... if you'll pardon the pun, heh heh. __________________ - Optimus Acid Trip - Cult of a Half-Shell - Raiden's Bitter Tongue - *I don't try to be funny; I fail at it naturally.*

08-05-2007, 02:05 PM	#2
CudleyCowlick Stone Warrior Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vermont, USA Posts: 721	I'd like to see how he kicked a state trooper with just one leg. Really, if I could just see the look on the trooper's face when he realized what had just happened. __________________ THE DARKNESS AGE IS RETURN!

08-05-2007, 07:23 PM	#3
Mecha Cow Gorgeous and modest too Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 3,699	'Armless'? Come on, this would have been a great opportunity for an 'Unarmed' pun. __________________

08-06-2007, 12:57 PM	#4
XERO Hybrid Theorist Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Alamo City Posts: 8,185	Farewell to Arms. There. You happy, Mecha? __________________ "Travel at the speed of light... then hit the nitro!"

08-06-2007, 01:57 PM	#5
ZariusTwo Overlord Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Britain, DINO THUNDER...POWER UP! Posts: 22,505	He did'nt have a grip on this did he? __________________ Spider-Man: The Rescue Spider-Man: The Galloping Cat Spider-Man: Scarlet Mirror Doctor Who: Child of the Daleks

08-06-2007, 02:09 PM	#6
Cure Y'all need Jesus Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 8,938	OOH! OOH! My turn! I guess maybe we should give him a hand! buh-dm-pshh __________________

08-06-2007, 08:10 PM	#7
KROW Meat-n-Potatoes Man Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: State's Anus, NY Posts: 6,472	I love it that a thread I started is filled with so many puns and jibes. It's so apt. __________________ - Optimus Acid Trip - Cult of a Half-Shell - Raiden's Bitter Tongue - *I don't try to be funny; I fail at it naturally.*

08-07-2007, 03:13 AM	#8
Ra It's my desire? Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: In your pants. Posts: 4,441	"I once sailed with a geezer who lost both his arms and part of his eye." "What did you call him?" "...Larry." Does that one count? I remember reading about the chase afew months ago and just cracked up laughing. Then I realized that this was real. Pretty amazing for that guy to drive with only a leg as his only limb... __________________ "So. The whole lot of you against little old me? How retarded."

08-07-2007, 03:38 AM	#9
ThirdMarioBro Tea Time! Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 8,905	Don't make fun of someone's disability, even if the person in question is an arm's length from being a psycho.... opps.

08-07-2007, 09:56 AM	#10
Mecha Cow Gorgeous and modest too Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 3,699	We're not making fun of him, no need to get up in arms about it. ...OK, I'll stop. __________________