Individualist Extreme Sports enthusiast receives 10-days plus fine

From Eric Dondero:

Remember "Super" Dell Schanze, the mid-2000s TV ad computer pitch man? He ran as a Republican for Salt Lake City Mayor. In 2008, he ran for Utah Governor on the Libertarian Party ticket. He even accused moderate GOPer Jon Huntsman, and now Obama administration ambassador to China of being a closeted "Socialist." He received 3% of the vote in a 3-way race.

Schanze is a well-known eccentric and controversial extreme sports enthusiast. His chosen sport is experimental para-gliding.

In August of 2009 the thrill seeking Schanze was convicted of "reckless driving and three seat-belt violations." He was fined $670.00 and received a 10 day sentence in the Utah County Jail.

According to the Salt Lake City Tribune, March 16:

The charges stemmed from an August 2008 incident on Redwood Road. Officer Michael Paletta, an investigator with the state Division of Motor Vehicles, testified at trial that he saw Schanze jerking his car back and forth in the lane, causing Paletta to fear that Schanze was going to hit him. Paletta pulled Schanze over, and discovered that two of his children were sharing a seat belt, a violation of state law, and that Schanze was unbuckled.

Harold W. Stone III, Schanze's attorney, argued the traffic stop was unwarranted. He said Schanze was rocking the car back and forth within his own travel lane, which does not meet the definition of reckless driving.

Schanze and his new lawyer are now appealing the conviction on the grounds that he was improperly stopped by police. Part of the original arrest involved Schanze not having a properly registered concealed carry sidearm.

Schanze is now making serious noises of another run for Governor. He plans to highlight these issues of Nanny-state government and over-restrictive gun laws to light.

The Super Dell philosophy is grounded in eccenstrism and extreme individualism which has rubbed many the wrong way, including local politicians and media. In fact, Schanze has long maintained that he's a special target for police harrassment for his libertarian outspokeness and criticisms of local politicians.

The Super Dell philosophy from a 2006 interview with KSL:

"Just because I think I'm a superhero and I love me and I think I'm great doesn't mean I think anybody is beneath me. All I'm trying to do is say, 'Hey, everybody should be the center of their own universe. Everybody should be happy with the way they are. It's not an arrogant thing; you only take it wrong if you have a low self esteem and don't really comprehend where it's coming from."

Dell lives on a compound in the mountains with his wife and four boys. He enjoys his privacy when not campaigning or paragliding. It's described as a "cozy mountain home, complete with a six foot electric fence topped with razor wire."

As for his Governor's run it's all about personal freedom, no nanny-state rules, gun rights and keeping taxes extremely low. Continuing:

"And now I might have go up and file for governor. You have one chance where you can vote for 'Super' Dell and lower taxes," he said.

No word if he's planning to run on the Republican or Libertarian ticket?

You can visit Schanze's blog which features extreme sports videos at dellschanze.blogspot.com

Photos of Schanze paragliding in Utah, his computer store, and him being arrested.