85-Year-Old Takes 'Favorite Car' On Alleged 110 MPH Ride, Gets Arrested For Street Racing A Corvette

If a picture is worth a thousand words, the smiling mug shot of an 85-year-old Florida resident almost says it all. The man who told authorities he wasn't drag racing and didn't even know the guy speeding along with him on a Florida highway just a week ago, looks to be fairly proud in the image taken just after his arrest. But according to his "unknown" partner in crime, he didn't even win the race that both parties claim wasn't a race.

In bodycam footage obtained by Fox 35 Orlando from a June 12 stop just before midnight, the 85-year-old, William Bosworth, is found smoking a cigarillo as he explained to Lake County Sheriff's Office officials that he was just taking his "favorite car for a little ride." Bosworth's favorite car, a 2006 Nissan 350Z, was clocked going over 100 mph southbound on US 27 in Leesburg, Florida, along with a "red Corvette," according to the arrest affidavit and records filed with the courts. It appears the ride was a bit more than a "little ride."

During the traffic stop, sheriffs informed Bosworth that he had been doing 110 mph in a 45 mph zone. The Corvette was clocked doing 125 mph. When asked why they were racing, Bosworth denied the two vehicles were racing and that there was no intent of racing, adding that he didn't even know the guy in the other car.

Bosworth told the sheriff that the Corvette had swerved at him and he reacted. "That guy [the Corvette driver], he swerved at me. He swerved at me, and he shouldn't have done that," he said. "I'm out just having a little ride in my favorite car, and I'm not doing anything to anybody." He added that he wanted to "get away from him before we caused a problem."

That's not quite the story the red Corvette driver told. The owner of the 1998 Chevrolet Corvette (a predictable C5), that News 6 identified as 57-year-old Philip Signorino, also denied involvement in street racing. In body cam footage obtained from his arrest, the sheriff says that he was going "125 miles an hour." Signorino replied, "No sir. No sir. Absolutely not." 

According to his arrest affidavit, Signorino told the sheriff that his car couldn't reach said speeds, and that his Corvette was "incapable of going that fast." A Car and Driver test of a 1998 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible from October 1997 lists the top speed at 167 mph. So that argument is busted.

The truth comes out in both of these men's stories via the affidavits, during and after the arrests. Bosworth was stated as having told the sheriff that he "used to drag race and was familiar with high performance vehicles." He continued to express that he was "a good person" and "did not want to cause problems." Authorities stated in Signorino's arrest affidavit that he was also cooperative during the arrest, although during his booking, one of the staff asked Signorino which car he was driving. He is stated to have said, "the one that won. The Corvette."

It's also worth pointing out that although Bosworth and Signorino denied knowing each other at the time of their respective arrests. But since when has a lack of familiarity with another driver stopped anyone from street racing? Have we not watched any films from The Fast and The Furious franchise?

Both men were arrested and charged with racing on a highway and operating a vehicle exceeding a speed limit by over 50 mph. Bosworth pleaded not guilty to both charges. His plea negotiation and sentencing is scheduled for early August. Signorino's arraignment is set for July 1st.