Forklift Used in Bizarre Joy Ride

FW police chase man driving stolen forklift

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by Bruce Felps

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Fort Worth police engaged in some serious street cabaret last evening, and a couple of dudes following the scene dutifully recorded the action.

The videographer, Nathan Lowery, who used an iPhone, naturally, picked up the action along University Drive near TCU and followed the low-speed chase until it concluded on westbound Interstate 30. It would be interesting enough if the police chased someone driving a car. This is even better.

The target of the chase — Timothy Raines, who turns 44 next month — drove a stolen forklift. It might have been his second choice in a joyride because police also are investigating reports of an attempt to steal a street sweeper.

Anyway, the video — broken into two parts, and seriously, mind the hardcore profanity because it is used liberally — and narration chronicle Raines as he trundles along Fort Worth streets, drinking beers, flinging the empties toward the squad cars, inviting officers to watch the birdie, if you catch that drift, raising and lowering the business end of the forklift, and generally making a hazard of himself.

He either avoided or shrugged off an officer's attempt to subdue him with a Taser until finally police nailed him on the highway near Camp Bowie Boulevard.

Raines now faces a cornucopia of charges, including “alleged” DWI, an out-of-town warrant, local warrants, evading arrest, aggravated assault on a peace officer, violation of a protective order, and felony theft of a forklift.

So, hey, happy birthday, there, Tim.


Bruce Felps owns and operates East Dallas Times, an online community news outlet serving the White Rock Lake area. He’s done some crazy stuff in his life but yields to this superior lunacy. 

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