A man who broadcast live on Facebook as he sped down a Florida beach while drinking from a bottle of whiskey says he was trying to commit suicide.
No one was injured July 20 when police say 27-year-old Ryan Stiles drove over chairs and umbrellas on Clearwater Beach before surrendering at the water's edge... all while livestreaming on Facebook.
In an interview with the Tampa Bay Times at the Pinellas County jail, Stiles said he had been scheduled to meet his public defender about a previous arrest for allegedly drunkenly assaulting a police officer at a motel.
But he said he snapped and instead set out for what he called "one last good hurrah."
The five-minute Facebook video shows Stiles repeatedly saying, "We're goin' die tonight."
Facing multiple new charges, including DUI and reckless driving, Stiles said he regretted "that crazy drive on the beach."