Sarasota driver caught on camera driving on sidewalk to avoid rush hour traffic

SARASOTA, Fla. - No one likes being stuck in rush hour traffic, but this Sarasota County driver's dangerous decision to bypass cars could have ended in tragedy.

A resident contacted the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday about a vehicle they spotted driving on the sidewalk to avoid traffic congestion.

The citizen included dashcam video, showing the sedan driving quickly past stopped cars in the 8000 block of Fruitville Road, and added that they've seen the vehicle regularly driving on the sidewalk during the morning rush hour.

The next day, the sheriff's office dispatched a deputy to the area. Around 7 a.m., the deputy watched as the same sedan pulled onto the sidewalk adjacent to Fruitville Road to avoid the backed-up traffic.

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The deputy's dashcam video showed the driver traveling a short distance on the sidewalk, but they soon spotted the deputy's patrol car and quickly pulled back onto the road.

Deputies pulled the vehicle over and issued the driver a citation for driving on the sidewalk.

"We REALLY shouldn't have to say this, but you are not supposed to drive a motor vehicle on the sidewalk," the sheriff's office wrote on their Facebook page. "It's illegal and extremely dangerous. Thank you to the concerned citizen for bringing this to our attention!"