Naked man driving stolen ATV leads police on chase on interstate

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Authorities say a naked man has been arrested in Missouri after fleeing on an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and driving the wrong way on an interstate. Police say the man is suspected of being under the influence of drugs during the Sunday afternoon chase in northern Kansas City. 

CBS News affiliate KCTV-TV reports authorities originally received report of a naked man driving an ATV through people’s yards. Officers attempted to stop him, but he sped off onto Interstate 435 where he occasionally drove into oncoming traffic. 

At one point during the pursuit, authorities chased the suspect onto a set of train tracks, but he struck railway junction boxes and was thrown off of the ATV. According to KCTV-TV, he tried to run from authorities but was subsequently arrested. The suspect was later hospitalized for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash. 

Capt. Will Akin of the Clay County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged it “might be comical” but stressed it a was “very dangerous” incident. 

Video of the pursuit, which was posted to Facebook by Jess Fishell, has been viewed more than one million times. 

“I look over and I see a yellow ATV just come up on the road,” Fishell told KCTV-TV. “I said, ‘Dude, you’re gonna get arrested on the highway.’ He was naked. It’s something my grandma used to say: Naked as a jaybird.” 

Fishell said he found it odd that the driver remained calm during the incident. 

“I couldn’t be that calm in public naked,” he said. “I’d be freaking out having an anxiety attack.” 

No other injuries were reported.