Running on Empty: AWOL Soldier Arrested After Stolen Humvee Runs Out of Gas

A soldier has learned in a very personal way the perils of gas guzzlers. Private Sean Johnson reportedly decided to go AWOL and grabbed a Humvee to make his escape. He was arrested down the road with an out-of-gas Humvee as eco-friendly AWOL soldiers zoomed by in their Minis.

The deputy who encountered Johnson asked to see his paperwork to explain why he was driving around in a military vehicle. He called the Army and learned that Johnson was literally running on empty.

For future soldiers contemplating going AWOL, here are a few useful statistics. A standard humvee holds 25 gallons of fuel. Without added armor, the Humvee can make 13.5 mpg. That gives it a range of 300 miles.

However, grabbing the colonel’s Toyota Prius will get you up to 50 mpg, though some Prius owners have questioned that figure, here. When available, the most AWOL-enabled vehicle will be Chevy’s Volt at 230 mpg, here.

Johnson is likely a new convert to green technology but he will first have to deal with grand theft charges in addition to AWOL charges.

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