Grumpy Old Man Rages Against the Medicare Machine

An elderly Fort Myers man went on a drunken, gun-toting rampage at a Social Security Office, crashing his truck into parked cars and assaulting an EMT worker, police said.

George Kirby, 72, was arrested on a slew of felony charges after causing quite a ruckus inside and outside the Federal building last Thursday, according to WESH.com.

Kirby's wife, Marlene, said the crazy old coot was just going to the office to get a new Medicare card.

"My husband has never been in trouble before," Marlene Kirby told WESH. "If there are any problems, it's all through a misunderstanding."

After Kirby was turned away from the Social Security office for being drunk and disorderly, police said he went on a destructive driving spree, cruising over a concrete barrier, running over a handicapped sign and crashing his truck into a parked car.

When deputies arrived, they noticed a strong odor of alcohol on his breath. When they searched his truck, they found a cache of guns, including a small pen gun that the old man could have easily hid.

Kirby was arrested on the spot, but his adventure didn't end there.

The grumpy Kirby allegedly got surly with a female EMT worker after he complained of chest pains, twisting and scratching the worker's arm.

Kirby was charged with DUI, property damage, carrying a concealed firearm, and aggravated battery on an EMT.

Given the firepower the drunken old man was carrying, the incident could have been a lot worse.  

"He was falling all over the place," said Doralee Davis, who was in the social security office when Kirby was kicked out of the office and is the owner of the car he hit. "This could have been a really bad situation."

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