Chicago man accused of reckless driving on Fort Myers Beach during sea turtle nesting season

FORT MYERS, Fla. —

A Chicago man was arrested after being accused of driving a pickup truck onto the sand near Fort Myers Beach late Tuesday night, performing reckless stunts in a sea turtle nesting area, and attempting to flee from deputies.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office identified the driver as 27-year-old Emmanuel Lopez. Deputies said Lopez drove the truck off Estero Boulevard, through a parking lot, and onto the sand near Times Square just after 11 p.m. during sea turtle nesting season.

Cynthia Kearns, a visitor to the area, expressed concern about the incident. "If there were other people out here, this is open to the public 24-7. So if there were other people out here, it's just risky behavior. Really risky behavior," Kearns said.

Javier Gonzalez, a bartender at Sunset Grill, also commented on the potential harm to wildlife. "Sea turtles are out there. You have wildlife out there. You never know what could have been there," Gonzalez said.

Body camera footage released by the sheriff’s office appears to show Lopez attempting to run away after deputies tried to detain him. The arrest report states that deputies had to chase him down and tackle him before taking him into custody.

Kearns noted Lopez’s demeanor in his mugshot. "He looks quite proud of what he did. He's smiling. He's... Yeah. I don't think he's remorseful for what he did," Kearns said.

Gonzalez agreed, saying, "Definitely no remorse. He looks like he thinks it's funny."

Jim Lyttle, a Punta Gorda resident, added, "They need Jesus. You know, they need Jesus."

When asked about his actions, Lopez claimed he drove onto the sand for a photo opportunity. In the video, Lopez can reportedly be heard saying, "I was taking a picture."

Deputies charged Lopez with driving an engine-powered vehicle on the beach and resisting an officer without violence.

Kearns believes the penalties should be harsher. "I think the penalties should be worse. It is dangerous. I think somebody probably could have died, you know, had people been out here. And I understand it was late," Kearns said.

Investigators photographed the tire tracks left behind in the sand, which they said matched the truck’s tires.

Lopez is scheduled to appear in court later this month.

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