Smokey and the Buckfast Honey Bees

"I saw that, you sombitch! You did that on purpose! You're going away till you're gray! I got the evidence!" ~ Buford T. Justice

It was a real life scene from “Smokey and the Bandit” in Wake County, North Carolina, yesterday. Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Jenkins was trapped for over three hours inside his patrol car, which was swarmed by 50,000 Buckfast honey bees.

Read news article

The truck driver, who was transporting the bees, was trying to take a nap on the side of the highway, but the bees were getting a bit testy and kept him awake. So, he figured that he would let them out for some exercise. The hive was still in the truck, so the bees hung around outside.

Along came Deputy Jenkins in his marked Dodge Charger with a spotlight checking the truck’s stickers. The bees didn’t like it and became hot and bothered.

One-by-one they landed on Jenkins’ windows blocking his view.

Jenkins became suspicious and thought that the driver was wanted in another State and had trained the bees as scouts and lookouts. So, he got the radio dispatcher to run the license plate of the truck.

“I got the first three numbers, and then a swarm of bees lit on my windshield,” he told the dispatcher.

“No, I haven’t been drinking Jethro’s moonshine. I need a backup and a beekeeper!”

“Did you hear me, boy?”

“Stop laughing and call the Sheriff. I’m going to die out here.”

“I tried blowing them off.”

“Yes, I used the damn gas pedal.”

“Don’t you get it? They are stuck on here!”

“I can’t go faster, I can’t see, you idiot!”

“A grip? I’m going to kill you, boy!