Black Paraplegic Steals Car From Dealership Using Cane for the Accelerator

Daily Mail
February 1, 2014

Paraplegic Shamal Battice has been arrested after allegedly stealing a car from a Florida dealershi, using his cane to work the pedals
Paraplegic Shamal Battice has been arrested after allegedly stealing a car from a Florida dealership, using his cane to work the pedals.

A paraplegic man has been accused of stealing a car from a dealership by holding his cane down on the accelerator.

Shamal Battice visited a dealership in Ocala, Florida, on Wednesday and told a salesman he wanted to swap his wheelchair for a faster ride.

But when dealer Anselmo ‘Chico’ Barreto allowed him to sit in a Pontiac G6, Battice allegedly locked it, turned the key in the ignition and pressed his extending cane down on the pedal before driving away.

After Battice took the Pontiac G6
He thought he would swap his wheelchair for a Pontiac G6. Once he was left alone in the car, he unfolded a cane and was able to use it to reach the accelerator and drive away.

Ocala police then chased Battice to the Alachua-Marion County line, where Alachua officials carried on the chase, before also giving up.

Battice was eventually spotted trying to refill the white sedan in Bradford County, almost 60 miles from where he first started.

Battice has been charged with driving while having a suspended or revoked license, and faces a possible charge of grand theft auto from law enforcement officials.

According to the Ocala Star Banner, Mr Barreto saw no harm in letting Battice sit in the vehicle as he has sold cars to people in his condition before and never had a problem.

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