A Florida man apparently had a bathroom destination in mind when a sheriff’s deputy says he came flying past at 117 mph.
There was just one problem with the explanation he allegedly gave after getting pulled over: the Buc-ee’s bathroom he was trying to reach was still about 60 miles away.
The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office said Deputy McLaughlin was conducting traffic enforcement on northbound Interstate 95 on Aug. 6 when Omar Ahmed Soliman, 30, passed him at 117 mph. As the deputy moved to catch up, he said he watched Soliman abruptly change lanes and tailgate other vehicles before eventually pulling him over.
When McLaughlin asked why he was driving so fast, Soliman allegedly told him he was trying to get to Buc-ee’s to use the bathroom. Sheriff Wayne Ivey acknowledged that the chain is known for exceptionally clean restrooms, but pointed out that Soliman was still roughly 60 miles from his intended pit stop.
A Bathroom Break Turns Into a Trip to Jail
Soliman never made it to Buc-ee’s. The sheriff’s office said he instead took a ride to what Ivey jokingly calls “Ivey’s Iron Bar Lodge.”
Brevard County booking records show Soliman was booked at 5:31 p.m. on Aug. 6 on misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and excess of the speed limit by 100 mph or more. His bond was set at $500 on each charge, for a total of $1,000.
The records list the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office as the arresting agency and show both charges under the same case number. No court date was listed.
Soliman was released the following day, Aug. 7.
Ivey also made sure to address the most pressing concern created by the change in destination. The sheriff said there were plenty of bathrooms at the jail, although they were “not quite as nice,” and the snack options were nonexistent.
People Had Plenty to Say About the Buc-ee’s Excuse
The 60-mile bathroom run gave commenters almost as much material as it gave the sheriff.
One commenter pointed out that “some of the Buc-ee’s billboards do urge you to hold it.” Another wondered whether there really were no gas stations, fast-food restaurants, or other places to use a bathroom during the remaining 60 miles.
Others focused on what Soliman missed by never reaching Buc-ee’s, with brisket sandwiches and Beaver Nuggets repeatedly coming up in the comments. One person offered a much simpler alternative to the entire situation: “Shoulda went to Wawa.”
At least one commenter could relate to the underlying excuse. She wrote that she had once been pulled over in Brevard County while pregnant and desperately needing a bathroom. She said she was going 12 mph over the limit and still received a ticket. “Using that at 60 miles away was stupid on his part,” she wrote.
Another commenter looked at the 60-mile distance differently, joking that at 117 mph, Soliman was only about 30 minutes away.
Instead, according to the sheriff’s office and booking records, the trip ended with two misdemeanor charges, $1,000 in bonds, and a night in custody.