One guy's learned a serious lesson: When life (or personal lack of planning) gives you a lack of fuel, it may just be better to walk home. The decision proves more important yet if that broken-down vehicle happens to have stolen plates, drugs in the SUV -- or if, say, you happen to be a "wanted" man. He may be a fugitive but he's no Harrison Ford.
The Louisiana man who phoned cops just for gas got cuffs and a reservation behind bars instead. And he put himself there.
The guy called police for a pick-me-up of fuel instead got officers who decided to run his plates, while waiting for the gas drop-off. A license plate proved part of the problem. What Covington officers are calling narcotics are another part. But something called an outstanding warrant seems about 90% of the issue.
As it turned out, the Lincoln Navigator's plate didn't seem to belong to the Louisiana resident. The plate number kind of came up stolen. Unfortunately for 35-year-old Eric Carter, cops also decided a search of his vehicle might be helpful. And it was -- for them anyway. That's when a bottle of hydrocodone tablets -- the narcotic pain medicine otherwise known as Vicodin -- turned up, along with another little gem: Cops found a second plate in the car, also reported stolen.
That's about the time police officers decided to check out the guy himself, discovering he was an active fugitive with warrant for arrest.
Most fugitives run. Some jump off cliffs to escape, and spend weeks on the run. And then there are the stupid fugitives -- apparently so lazy, they're willing to even take a ride from cops. To jail.