William Murphy III, a 47-year-old Palm Coast man, was arrested in Flagler County after deputies said he drove his Hyundai Sonata in reverse for roughly two miles along State Road 100 while trying to reach an AutoZone. According to local reports, Murphy told deputies the car was suffering from mechanical problems and that he believed driving backward was the best way to get where he needed to go. Concerned drivers called 911 after seeing the unusual and dangerous scene unfold on the highway.

Deputies tracked Murphy down on March 13 after locating the vehicle near a Panda Express parking lot by SR 100 and Airport Road. Body-camera footage showed Murphy calmly explaining that he did not think the situation was that serious, insisting he was not swerving or driving fast. Authorities said the mechanical issue appeared less convincing once deputies stopped him and the vehicle was no longer limited to reverse.

The arrest, however, was not primarily about the reverse driving itself. Reports indicate Murphy was charged with habitual driving while license suspended or revoked because he had more than 10 prior convictions for driving without a valid license. He was taken to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility and later released on a $1,000 bond.

The case quickly drew attention because of its bizarre circumstances, but it also highlights how repeated traffic violations can turn a strange roadside incident into a serious criminal matter. What may have started as a claimed mechanical mishap ended with another major legal problem because of Murphy’s record. The episode became yet another example of the kind of headline-grabbing case that law enforcement in Florida says still carries real public safety concerns.