Mike Kopeski

SPRINGFIELD

— He stole a police cruiser –

allegedly

– and led cops on a bizarre chase through the snowy, slushy streets of Springfield, all the while asking his would-be arresters for assurances and addressing them either as

sir

or

man

.

Michael Kopeski must have used the latter title at least a dozen times during his wayward journey. Even so, the 27-year-old Springfield resident doesn't come close to Dennis Hopper, who dropped man too many times to count in the 1969 film "Easy Rider."

Here's some vintage Hopper playing the character Billy: "Whew! Man, look, I gotta get out of here, man. Now we – we got things we want to do, man. ... Uh, I gotta get out of here, man."

Here's Kopeski on the cruiser's radio talking to a dispatcher and various officers during Thursday's predawn chase:

Kopeski again:

Again:

And again:

Despite veteran police dispatcher Ray Parylak calmly – and repeatedly – asking Kopeski to pull over the cruiser, which he allegedly commandeered at the scene of a domestic dispute police officers were trying to sort out, Kopeski kept on driving.

He drove for a good 20 minutes before officers eventually boxed in the cruiser and arrested him on a variety of charges, including assault, auto theft and resisting arrest.

Prior to Kopeski fleeing the scene of the domestic involving him and his girlfriend, an officer pepper-sprayed him as he hopped into the cruiser and drove away. Kopeski complained about the incident to Parylak, who's known for his mild-mannered unflappability even when all hell's breaking loose.

Parylak:

Kopeski:

During the course of Kopeski's jaunt through the city, he asked police to "chill out," told them to call him "sir," and showed flashes of insight into the gravity of his situation.

Case in point: After Parylak requested, for the umpteenth time, that Kopeski stop driving and wait for officers to "assist him," Kopeski replied, "No, because I'm gonna get arrested, man."

His intuition proved correct.

But before Kopeski wound up wearing the cuffs, listeners of the 14-minute audio clip chronicling the back-and-forth between Kopeski and the cops learned that he apparently likes to listen to music while running from the law.

Kopeski:

Police officer:

Kopeski: