A suspenseful police chase in Florida concluded when a man, suspected of stealing a Nissan SUV, emerged from his Porta-Potty hiding spot with no pants on. He then wielded wooden stakes to defend himself against the police and fled, but the officers finally caught up with him, tasered him, and took him into custody.
The bizarre series of events unfolded on October 27, 2025, in Lee County, near Blind Pass Beach on Sanibel Island. Deputies say 43-year-old Joshua Mulnix approached a private construction site after walking off the beach and tried to break into a shed. When a construction worker confronted him, Mulnix allegedly stole the worker’s white Nissan SUV, which someone had left unlocked with the keys inside.
According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Mulnix then attempted to run over the construction worker, who managed to dive out of the way. Mulnix rammed the vehicle through a gate, causing more than $4,000 in property damage, before fleeing the scene toward the end of Sanibel Island.
A “suspicious male” and an unusual hiding spot
Deputies soon tracked the stolen SUV, which Mulnix abandoned on a nearby property. A short time later, they received another call about a “suspicious male” in the area. Responding officers discovered Mulnix hiding inside a portable toilet. As deputies approached, Mulnix burst out of the Porta-Potty without his pants, clutching two wooden stakes, and began to move toward another parked vehicle.
When he refused to comply with commands, deputies used a taser to subdue him. Police arrested Mulnix on charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and criminal mischief. Authorities booked him into the Lee County Jail on a $7,500 bond, and his arraignment is scheduled for December 8.
“Lock your cars”
Witnesses and nearby residents expressed disbelief over the chaotic scene. One local told WSVN 7News, “A lot of people in Florida carry. I suggest you hide. Next time you do something stupid like that, you’re going to get shot dead.” Another neighbor added, “Lock your cars. You can never be too careful.”
Police have not said what motivated Mulnix’s erratic actions, but one resident told reporters, “I think drugs are involved,” calling the suspect’s behavior “beyond bizarre.”
Law enforcement officials often remind car owners to remove their keys and lock their vehicles, even when parked briefly. Leaving a car running or unlocked remains one of the leading causes of vehicle theft.
The wild chase and half-dressed confrontation quickly went viral on local social media, both for its strange circumstances and for the image of a pantless suspect wielding makeshift weapons in a desperate attempt to escape. In the end, the incident injured no one, but locals shook their heads at a crime spree that began with a stolen SUV and ended inside a Porta-Potty.
