The man bearing the Transformers-inspired name wasn’t behind the wheel of a blue and red semi-truck, but rather a reportedly pilfered Mercedes
June 12, 2024 at 16:10
- An individual named Optimus Prime Blakely was arrested by the police in Texas.
- The 37-year old man was reportedly driving a stolen Mercedes.
- Optimus Prime is being charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and remains in custody.
Forget Megatron’s Decepticons, it seems the real threat to Austin’s streets comes in the form of… Optimus Prime? Believe it or not, a man by that name has been arrested by the Austin, Texas police for allegedly driving a stolen vehicle. Looks like this Prime directive involved less leadership and more hotwiring.
While the famous Autobots leader takes the form of a truck-based robot, the 37-year-old Optimus Prime Blakely is undeniably human, necessitating the regular use of a set of wheels for transportation. Unfortunately for him, his vehicle of choice—a white Mercedes—had been reported stolen just the day before.
More: Florida Woman Calls Police To Report Herself Stealing A Car
According to the affidavit, Optimus Prime was sighted behind the wheel of the Mercedes on Congress Avenue in south Austin on June 4. The individual purportedly arrived at a Radam Lane game room, a location notorious to the police as a “hub of criminal activity” and a hotspot where numerous stolen vehicles have been retrieved in the past.
When confronted by police officers, the suspect claimed to have stumbled upon the unattended white Mercedes with its engine running on Riverside Drive. As reported by Statesman, Optimus Prime admitted to entering the vehicle and driving away. To his credit, he refrained from mentioning any grievances with Megatron or exploiting the conflict between the Autobots and the Decepticons as an excuse for his actions.
The man—or at least his parents, who seem to be big Transformers fans—is facing charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Without his Autobot pals to bail him out, Optimus Prime finds himself stuck in the Travis County Correctional Complex, all for the low, low price of an $8,000 bond.
