Smoke billowed and sparks flew from reckless driver’s wheel-less car

Robert Mitchal Rowe

By Joe Johnson

A 67-year-old Winder man was arrested early the morning of June 20th for driving a car that was missing a wheel on the Athens Perimeter.

A police officer reported that he conducted a traffic stop near the Oglethorpe Avenue interchange on Robert Mitchal Rowe’s BMW sedan because it was “leaning to the left, sparks flying, and smoke billowing from the vehicle.”

Rowe told the officer that he had struck something with his car, possibly a wall, but was unsure where.

He said that he continued to drive without a wheel because he “did not have capital to pay for a tow,” according to the report.

It is noted in the report that two civilian vehicles and a police car were damaged by debris from Rowe’s BMW.

The police officer also observed that the man’s shoes were on the wrong feet.

He admitted to having taken some kind of medication prior to driving, but police did not field test him for impairment.

Rowe was charged with reckless driving, operating a vehicle with an expired registration, and driving an unsafe vehicle.