Pantless Florida car thief storms out of porta-potty ‘wielding two wooden stakes’
Joshua Mulnix, 43, allegedly tried to run over a construction worker in Florida — before hiding from cops in a porta-potty.
Authorities in Cape Coral, Florida, say a man’s drug-fueled outburst led to a chaotic series of events that included a stolen SUV, a near hit-and-run, and an unusual standoff inside a portable toilet.
According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, 43-year-old Joshua Mulnix was arrested on October 27 after allegedly stealing a construction worker’s vehicle and attempting to run him over. Deputies said Mulnix appeared to be under the influence of drugs when he wandered from a nearby beach onto private property wearing only sweatpants.
An arrest affidavit states that Mulnix began shouting at a construction worker and tried to break into a shed before noticing the worker’s unlocked white Nissan SUV with the keys still inside. He jumped behind the wheel and “aggressively accelerated” toward the worker, who managed to dive out of the way just in time.
Mulnix then crashed through the property’s gate, causing thousands of dollars in damage, before abandoning the SUV at another site. Deputies responding to reports of a “suspicious male” found him hiding inside a porta-potty. When he finally emerged, he had shed his pants and was “wielding two wooden stakes,” according to the affidavit.
After a brief foot chase, a deputy used a taser to subdue Mulnix as he allegedly tried to break into another vehicle. Officials estimate the rampage caused roughly $4,000 in property damage.
Mulnix was taken to a local hospital before being booked into the Lee County Jail. He faces charges including grand theft of a motor vehicle, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and criminal mischief. He posted $7,500 bond on November 4 and was released. His arraignment is scheduled for December 8.
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