Police: North Carolina man arrested for running over turtle nest in Daytona Shores

DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Fla. — A North Carolina man was arrested after police said he was spotted driving recklessly and had run over a marked turtle nest.

Officers said they were called to the area of 2000 South the Beach in Daytona Shores after getting reports of a Ford F-150 pickup with North Carolina plates driving recklessly on the beach, outside of the posted traffic lanes just after 6 p.m. Saturday.

Officers later spotted a pickup matching the description in the area and pulled the driver over.

While being questioned by officers, the driver, 48-year-old Gary Killian of Mocksville, North Carolina, was found to be driving on a suspended license.

As police were taking Killian into custody they received word that in addition to driving recklessly, Killian had run over a marked turtle nest.

Investigators were able to match tire marks and masking tape from the nest to a piece of tape found stuck to Killian’s truck.

Killian was charged with driving with a suspended license and felony molestation of a marine turtle nest and booked into the Volusia County jail.

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