The Adventures of Florida Man

Florida man killed by large flightless bird he owned
3 hours ago


Cassowary birds (filephoto) are described as having "dagger-like" claws | GETTY IMAGES

A 75-year-old man has been killed in Florida after he was attacked by a large flightless bird he owned.

Alachua County Sheriff Department told the BBC they were called to the man's property on Friday and found the man badly wounded by a cassowary.

The man, named Marvin Hajos, was taken to hospital by paramedics where he died from his injuries.

Police are investigating but say initial information suggests this was a "tragic accident".

It happened south of the city of Alachua in northern Florida.

"My understanding is that the gentleman was in the vicinity of the bird and at some point fell. When he fell, he was attacked," Deputy Chief Jeff Taylor told the Gainesville Sun newspaper.

A woman at the property, who identified herself as Mr Hajos' partner, told the newspaper he had been "doing what he loved".

Mr Hajos had kept exotic animals, including llamas, for decades, reports from local newspapers say.

Similar in appearance to emus, cassowary are among the largest and heaviest bird species in the world - and can weigh more than 100lb (45kg).

The birds can run up to 30 mph (50km/h) and have a five-inch claw on each foot.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission consider cassowary a Class II species, which require a permit for ownership.

Police say the bird involved in the incident remains at the property.

Published 14 mins ago
Florida fisherman dies after attempting to retrieve fishing pole: report
Fox News

A Florida fisherman who was pulled from the water on Saturday after attempting to retrieve his fishing pole in West Palm Beach has died, a report said.

The unnamed fisherman was caught in an undertow after jumping into the water near Summa Beach, WPFB 25 News reported. He was pulled to safety within 10 minutes and rushed to a nearby hospital, the report said, citing fire officials.

Published 26 mins ago
Florida teen arrested after video shows him wrestling fake alligator in mall
By Ann W. Schmidt | Fox News

A high school student was arrested Monday after he was filmed fighting a fake alligator in a Florida mall.

A teenager — identified by police as Gianny Sosa-Hernandez — can be seen in the video, released by the Miami Dade Police Department, taking off his shirt and jumping over a barrier into the mall display before "attacking" the fake reptile.

The incident occurred on March 30 in the courtyard of the Falls Shopping Center in Miami Dade County, according to WPLG. The alligator cost $3,690 and was damaged in the alleged attack, reported CBS4 Miami, which posted a video of the scene

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBSMiami/status/1117969283944828928

In the video, Sosa-Hernandez is captured throwing the alligator into a nearby display pond and attempting a wrestling move that police called an R.K.O. Sosa-Hernandez is then seen turning the gator on its back and pinning it.

An R.K.O. is a move coined after WWE pro-wrestler Randy Orton that involves a person jumping into the air, grabbing the back of an opponent’s head and slamming their face into the mat as they fall back down.

The teen was reportedly charged with criminal mischief for the incident and was being held on $5,000 bond at a correctional facility in Miami-Dade County Monday.

According to ABC News, Sosa-Hernandez was identified by a witness who saw the video. After he was arrested Monday, the teenager allegedly confessed and apologized to police.

In a separate incident last week, Sosa-Hernandez was arrested after allegedly attempting to perform the same wrestling move on his principal Humberto Miret at Miami Southridge Senior High School.

In that case, Sosa-Hernandez faces charges of battery on a school official and interference with an educational institution. He was reportedly released without bond, according to WPLG.

Unlucky Florida Man Thought He Was Stealing Opioids, But They Were Laxatives
Silke Jasso, April 16, 2019 12:07 pm

A Florida man got more than he expected after he decided to steal drugs from a Pinellas County home, believing the pills he was stealing were powerful opioids. Turns out, the man was shocked after the opioids turned out to be laxatives! According to an arrest affidavit, Peter Hans Emery mistakenly stole “gentle laxatives” believing they were hydrocodone, which is a powerful narcotic. He eventually threw the pill bottle he stole when he realized they were “something else.”

The bottle, which was labeled hydrocodone-acetaminophen, actually contained ‘Equate Gentle Laxatives’ from Walmart that are meant for “gentle dependable overnight relief.” No the type of relief he necessarily wanted, but surely enough, a relief. I really have to give him this one because this is definitely a shitty situation to be in.


LoDuv????
@LoDuv_
Hahahaha that was probably a shitty experience. Karma. Florida man thought he was stealing opioids; they were laxatives, deputies say http://www.wbtv.com/2019/01/29/florida-man-thought-he-was-stealing-opioids-they-were-laxatives-deputies-say/ …


Florida man thought he was stealing opioids; they were laxatives, deputies say

Fifty-six-year-old Peter Hans Emery Jr. faces a felony petit theft charge after cameras allegedly caught him opening a lock box and dumped pills into his hand, according to WPEC.

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s office was able to catch Emery after obtaining surveillance video that showed Emery breaking into a lockbox at the victim’s residence on Lake Allen Drive in Pinellas Park, and was seen putting the “opioids” into his hands. He then left the residence with the medication.

Emery, who reportedly has prior theft convictions, admitted to police that he didn’t have permission to take the pills. He retrieved two of the pills from his trash to show officers and was quickly arrested. The 56-year-old faces several probation violation charges including a felony charge of petit theft.

The question here is, if the opioids weren’t in the prescribed bottle, then where are they? Did someone else steal them and replace them with laxatives? So many questions here, what kind of home is this anyways? Florida, oh Florida.

I’m looking for the Florida woman story regarding her Columbine obsession and suicide.

65-year-old Florida woman fights off half-naked attacker with bat
Published at: 9:43 AM, Wed Apr 17 2019
Video By WGFL, CNN VAN | Posted: Wed 12:40 PM, Apr 17, 2019

GAINESVILLE, FL (WGFL/CNN) — A 65-year-old Florida woman used a baseball bat to chase away a half-naked man.


It was early Sunday morning when Clarese Gainey said that she heard a noise outside her apartment. She peaked out her window to see a large, police say, 300-pound man, pulling on her car door handle. (Source: WGFL/CNN VAN)

She said he was trying to break into her car and added he's lucky she only had the bat.

It was early Sunday morning when Clarese Gainey said that she heard a noise outside her apartment. She peaked out her window to see a large man pulling on her car door handle and knocking on its window, attempting to break it, all while only wearing his boxers.

"I grabbed my bat, and I braced myself," she said. "I braced myself, I eased the door open."

Gainey says 5'6, 300-pound Antonio Mosely charged her, so the former high school softball player defended herself.

"I took that bat and hit him upside the head - 'Pi-Yah!'" she said. "And he said, 'Ow!'"

Police said Mosely ran to a nearby mobile home park, leaving behind his jeans, shirt and a sock.

"He was in his drawers, he didn't have no shoes on, no shirt or nothing," Gainey said.

Police said a K-9 unit tracked Mosely down inside a mobile home with new pants on and cocaine in his pocket. Officers brought him back to Gainey to identify him.

"I said, 'That's him right there,'" she said. "They said, 'Ms. Gainey, he's got a big knot on his head.'"

Mosely was booked in the Alachua County Jail with two charges of burglary and drug possession.

"He better be glad I didn't have a gun, because I would have shot him," Gainey said. "But this (bat) right here is my gun, because I had gone 'Pi-Yah!'"

Copyright 2019 WGFL via CNN VAN. All rights reserved.

See video at https://www.whsv.com/content/news/508701462.html

Deputies look for naked burglar who stole from Little League
yesterday

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Authorities in Florida are asking for the public’s help in tracking down a man who they say burglarized a Little League concession stand wearing nothing more than a ballcap and gloves.

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office says the naked burglar struck the stand at Fischer Field in Dunedin almost two weeks ago.

Deputies say the burglar stole cameras and a cash box with $250 inside, and he caused $5,000 in damage.

Surveillance video obtained by the Tampa Bay Times also shows the man taking a package of hot dogs.

The ball field is shared with Dunedin High School.

Florida man impersonating police pulls over undercover detective
POSTED 5:50 PM, APRIL 18, 2019, BY TRIBUNE MEDIA WIRE, UPDATED AT 05:51PM, APRIL 18, 2019

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – A Florida man is behind bars after pulling over a real police officer while pretending to be one, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

Matthew Joseph Erris, 26, was arrested for impersonating a law enforcement officer, according to WFLA.

According to deputies, Erris turned on red and blue lights Tuesday night and pulled over an undercover detective. The detective called 911 to report the bizarre traffic stop, and Erris was arrested a short while later.

WFLA reported deputies found a “realistic looking” airsoft pistol inside Erris’ Chevy Trailblazer.

He was arrested and later released on bond.

Florida crew misspells 'school' in school crosswalk
by The Associated Press | Friday, April 19th 2019

DORAL, Fla. (AP) — A road crew in Florida should get an “F for spelling.

A motorist on Thursday spotted the error, realizing that workers in Doral had made a mistake when painting the word “school” at a pedestrian crossing in the road. Instead of S-C-H-O-O-L, it was spelled S-C-O-H-O-L.


City of Doral

@Cityofdoral
#UPDATE- This SCHOOL zone striping was handled by the developer's contractor. They have been notified and are working expeditiously to correct. Thank you to all who brought this very important matter to our attention. https://www.local10.com/news/florida/doral/school-daze-misspelled-school-crosswalk-found-in-doral?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar …
13 people are talking about this
1:28 PM - Apr 18, 2019

School daze! Misspelled school crosswalk found in Doral
Well, it looks like someone in Doral isn't going to win the spelling bee this year.

local10.com
27 people are talking about this

The city tweeted that the private contractor has now corrected its work.

"It's not a good thing when you misspell school. It's not a good look. At all," said one resident. "My buddy pulled it up on Twitter and saw that someone had misspelled school and we had to come see it for ourselves."

It’s not clear how long the mistake was there in plain sight.

Videos at https://cbsaustin.com/news/offbeat/florida-crew-misspells-school-in-school-crosswalk

Published 1 hour ago
Florida person in Easter bunny costume captured brawling on video
By Katherine Lam | Fox News

Bunny beatdown: Florida man gets walloped by hoppin' mad Easter rabbit.

The Easter bunny was hoppin’ mad Sunday night and ended up in a three-person brawl in Florida.

A video posted on Instagram showed a person dressed as a white bunny running toward two people, who were already wrestling each other on the sidewalk in downtown Orlando, and joining the fight. The costumed character appeared to begin throwing punches after initially trying to pull the two men apart.

The fight continues for several more seconds as the Easter rabbit delivers vicious body blows (instead of the usual chocolate-filled baskets) and bystanders watch and shout. A police officer eventually jumps in and breaks up the beatdown.


A person dressed as an Easter bunny was involved in a fight in Orlando, Fla. (Instagram @workfth)

The promoter who posted the video told FOX35 Orlando the melee began when a man bumped into a woman. It’s unclear why the Easter bunny jumped in or who was underneath the costume.

"As you can see, the Easter rabbit been taking boxing classes,” said the promoter, who goes by workfth on Instagram.


The promoter posted the video on his Instagram with the caption, “HAPPY EASTER. ONLY IN #ORLANDO.”

It’s unclear if anyone was arrested in the incident.

Video at https://www.foxnews.com/us/easter-bunny-florida-brawl

Flesh-eating bacteria infects Florida man fishing off coast in Gulf of Mexico
A Florida man has been hospitalized after contracting a life-threatening flesh-eating bacteria while fishing out in the Gulf of Mexico.
Updated 2 hours ago

TAMPA, Fla. -- A Florida man has been hospitalized after contracting a life-threatening flesh-eating bacteria while fishing out in the Gulf of Mexico.

ABC affiliate WFTS reports Mike Walton is being treated at Tampa General Hospital for flesh-eating disease, necrotizing fasciitis, a bacterial infection that's extremely rare in the United States.

Walton said he was fishing on Saturday about 20 miles off the coast of Palm Harbor when he was stuck by a fish hook. Walton says it was a small prick, and it's something that's happened hundreds of times while fishing.

Saturday, Walton went to a nearby hospital where he received antibiotics after his hand began swelling. By Easter morning, his hand grew black bubbles.

"I had like little blisters starting to form on my hand and you could watch like sweat beads coming up on side of the hand, and then they just turned black," he said.

Walton was rushed to Tampa General Hospital and placed in the burn unit where the infectious disease doctors could treat him.

He said doctors told him he's lucky to be alive, and lucky to have his arm.

"When you look down and you can see your own tendons, back of your hand and your bone going up your arm," said Walton, "that makes it real."

Doctors at one point, had to consider possibly amputating his arm, but they were able to get inside his arm and remove the bacteria from his tissues.

"They sliced all the way down my arm, to relieve the pressure, and then I got a skin graft going from my elbow to the palm of my hand," he said.

The Ozona native received a skin graft on the top of his hand, and up his left arm where his skin had been infected and was deteriorating. Walton depends on his hands as he works in construction.

Video at https://abc7.com/health/flesh-eating-bacteria-infects-man-off-florida-coast-/5270833/

Lemon, elsewhere wrote:

The 90 Wildest Florida Man Headlines of 2019 (So Far)
Whatever insanity is happening in your state, Florida has done it with an alligator and possibly some amphetamines.
BY JUSTIN KIRKLAND
APR 1, 2019

The Florida Man is a bit of an enigma. He is the frayed fabric of a worn tobacco ring in his left back pocket. He lives in the breeze that goes through your hair while doing donuts on an ATV. He is the slight echo in the air when someone says, "Hey, watch'is!" He is Florida, and Florida is him. Do not confuse him with your average male resident of Florida: Florida Man is a brand.

Every day there is a story that involves one of them shooting something or screaming incomprehensible babble in a Natural Light addled rage before getting arrested. And while we all may have a little bit of shame for our hometown stories, we can always rest assured that at least we aren't from Florida, unless you are from Florida, in which case, we're keeping you in our thoughts.

To honor the Florida Man, we have compiled a list of his most absurd headlines from this year. Granted, all of these should be treated as allegations. While we are treated to the idea that a Florida Man, say, exposed himself in the Walmart pillow aisle, we will not be treating it as if it's fact. That is between the Good State of Florida and the Florida Man to decide. But allegations do not keep us from laughing to ourselves. So put in a lipper of Skoal and settle into the nearest papasan chair because we have some headlines to discuss.

This is the best of the Florida Man, 2019.

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a26899191/florida-man-headlines-2019/

Bummer...clicking the pic in the story only gets me a full size image of the pic. Maybe one has to be an Esquire subscriber to see this years' stories???

Published 59 mins ago
Drunk Florida man kicked out of library told cops he was Jason Bourne: report
By Stephen Sorace | Fox News

A drunk Florida man wasn’t “Bourne” with the identity he allegedly gave police.

After he was kicked out of the Barbara S. Ponce Public Library in Pinellas Park for causing a disturbance, the man identified himself to police as Jason Bourne, the fictional super-spy created by author Robert Ludlum and portrayed in the movies by Matt Damon, News4Jax reported.

Police eventually identified the inebriated man as 45-year-old Jonathan William Chapman, the station reported.


An intoxicated man was arrested last week after he identified himself to police as Jason Bourne, the fictional super-spy. (Pinellas Park Police Department)

Chapman had also reportedly given officers a fake Social Security number.

The 45-year-old was arrested on a first-degree misdemeanor charge of resisting an officer without violence.

MAY 7, 2019
Florida Man, 23, Arrested For "I Eat Ass" Sticker On Rear Window Of His Truck




A Florida Man landed behind bars Sunday after he refused to remove an “I Eat Ass” sticker from the rear  window of his new truck, according to an arrest report.

Dillon Shane Webb, 23, was driving near his home in Lake City when a cop spotted the sticker and pulled over Webb’s Chevrolet extended cab pickup.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office deputy contended that the sticker violated the state’s obscene material statute, and asked Webb how “a parent of a small child would explain the meaning of the words 'I EAT ASS.'"

After issuing Webb a notice to appear ticket, the deputy asked him to alter the sticker so that it would “no longer be derogatory.” Webb declined the request, citing First Amendment speech protections.

The deputy then took Webb into custody on a charge of resisting an officer without violence, a misdemeanor. He was also charged with possession of obscene material, also a misdemeanor.

After placing Webb into the back of a squad car, the cop called for a tow truck, which subsequently removed Webb's truck from the scene.

Pictured above, Webb was released from the county jail Sunday evening after posting $2500 bond. He is scheduled for arraignment on May 21.

According to his Facebook page, Webb purchased the Chevy last month.

Florida woman pulls gator out of pants during traffic stop
by Sabrina LoloMonday, May 6th 2019
AA



Florida woman pulls gator out of pants during traffic stop (Charlotte County Sheriff's Office)



CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — Just when you thought Florida couldn't get any weirder.

The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office said a woman pulled an alligator out of her pants during a traffic stop after she was asked, "Do you have anything else?"

She also had 41 three-stripe turtles in the vehicle, according to the sheriff's office. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is now taking over the investigation.

Florida City Tries To Steal an Elderly Man's House Over Uncut Grass
Institute for Justice sues Dunedin, Fla., over the $29,000 in fines imposed without due process over Jim Ficken's unmowed lawn.
BRIAN DOHERTY | 5.8.2019 3:10 PM

The city of Dunedin, Florida, wants to foreclose on a private home because the owner, Jim Ficken, owes the city over $29,000 in fines. The crime for which he is threatened with home loss? Having his lawn grass be too tall (over 10 inches) for a period of eight weeks last summer. The city fined him $500 per day of violation, with no warning.

Ficken was out of town at the time, settling his mother's estate. Ficken hired a handyman to deal with his lawn while he tended to his dying mother and then to her estate, but in a cruel twist, the handyman also died during the Fickens' ordeal, leaving the lawn uncut.

Ficken is 69 years old and lives on a fixed income. He was unaware that he was racking up the daily fines, but cut his grass within two days of finally being informed by a city code inspector that there was a problem. In a sane world, Ficken's explanation for neglecting his lawn and the fact that he remedied the problem as soon as he learned of it, would seemingly resolve the issue. No harm, no fine.

But the Dunedin government is apparently not sane. Because Ficken was also cited for overly tall grass in 2015, the city—unbeknownst to Ficken—classified him as a "repeat violator." This classification doubled his daily fine from $250 to $500 and relieved the Code Enforcement Board of providing him notice. Because Ficken cannot afford the fines he didn't know he was accumulating, the city of Dunedin insists that it can now take his home to pay off his debt.

With the help of the Institute for Justice, Ficken is suing to prevent the city from stealing his house. Earlier this year in the case of Timbs v. Indiana, the Supreme Court showed a willingness to give teeth to the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on excessive fines, even when not involving direct federal action.

Ficken and the Institute for Justice hope the Florida Circuit Court for the 6th Judicial District will agree that the city's practice of imposing such fines with such consequences, "without providing them with notice before applying such classification…or advising them of the consequences of such a classification…violates the Due Process Clauses of both the U.S. and Florida Constitutions."

"The City's imposition of fines against Jim, without providing Jim notice that fines were being imposed on an ongoing basis, amounted to a violation of the Due Process Clause of the U.S. Constitution," the suit insists.

There is no cap on the amount in fines the city can levy for such petty violations, which cause no harm to anyone. That, the suit argues, also violates "the Excessive Fines Clauses of both the U.S. and Florida Constitutions." Taking someone's house for having overly tall grass for a few weeks seems, on its face, excessive and unreasonable.

The suit points out that "municipal salaries and expenses are paid with revenue collected from fines," giving officials motive to act unreasonably in such cases as grass taller than legally permitted. From 2007-2017, Dunedin's take from code enforcement fines increased nearly twentyfold, from $34,000 to $703,000.

"The City had the authority to mow Jim's grass and send him a reasonable bill," the filing points out. "Upon information and belief, the City did not do so because it prioritizes revenue over code compliance."

The city anticipates in its own budget that 2019 fine revenue will rise 81 percent from 2018, so they seem on a deliberate warpath on such petty issues. Remedying code violations does the city no good; fining for them keeps them in business (that is, the business of stealing homes over tall grass).

The suit asks the court to enjoin the city from pursuing the home foreclosure or squeezing the fine money out of Ficken in recognition that the procedures and fines violate the Due Process Clause and the Eighth Amendment. The suit also seeks a nominal dollar amount and reasonable attorneys and court fees.

UPDATE

____________________________________________________________

MAY 9, 2019
Charges Dropped Against Florida Man Busted For "I Eat Ass" Car Sticker
Comments()


Four days after a Florida Man was arrested for having an “I Eat Ass” sticker on the rear window of his truck, prosecutors have dropped a pair of misdemeanor charges filed against the 23-year-old motorist.

The decision by the Columbia County State Attorney’s Office came after Sunday’s arrest of Dillon Shane Webb received widespread media coverage (and a fair amount of mockery).

In a one-page "no information" filing today, prosecutors informed the court that they were dropping the case against Webb, who was free on $2500 bond following his May 5 collar for possession of obscene material and resisting an officer without violence.

A prosecutor noted that an evaluation of the evidence “through the prism of Supreme Court precedent” determined that Webb “has a valid defense to be raised under the First Amendment of our United States Constitution. Given such, a jury would not convict under these facts.”

Webb was pulled over by a sheriff’s deputy who spotted the “I Eat Ass” sticker (seen above) on the rear window of Webb’s Chevrolet truck. The cop contended that the sticker violated the state’s obscene material statute and asked Webb how “a parent of a small child would explain the meaning of the words 'I EAT ASS.’”

The deputy then asked Webb, seen at right, to alter the sticker so that it would “no longer be derogatory.” When Webb declined the request on First Amendment grounds, he was handcuffed and placed in the rear of a squad car.

Webb, who purchased the Chevy last month, told TSG that the sticker had only received positive comments and generated laughs in his Lake City neighborhood.

Webb, who has no prior arrest record, works in the warehouse of a large grocery chain. As a result of the arrest, he said, his employer had temporarily suspended him.

Florida man, 70, stands through moon roof on highway to 'praise God,' police say
Friday, May 10, 2019 5:46PM


LAKELAND, Fla. -- A Florida man was arrested after being caught on video standing through a moon roof as his car continued to speed down the highway.

WFTS reports an off-duty sheriff's deputy was behind 70-year-old Leonard Olsen when he stood up while driving on I-4 at a high rate of speed.

Video shows Olsen standing up in a white Cadillac with his arms spread open around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The deputy said Olsen "bounced back and forth in the center lane and sped up to over 100 miles per hour and slowed to about 40 miles per hour."

When asked why he did it, Olsen allegedly told Florida Highway Patrol troopers he wanted to praise God. He also told deputies the vehicle was in cruise control at the time.

Before he was detained, Olsen told the troopers he'd rather go to jail than go home.

He was charged with reckless driving and was booked at the Polk County Jail on a $21,000 bond.

Video at https://abc7.com/5295023

Florida man assaulted by woman screaming ‘go home Jew — tell your neighbors that Jesus Christ is here’
SARAH K. BURRIS
09 MAY 2019 AT 14:05 ET                  


Kirsten Kelly arrested for assault on Jewish couple (Photo: Orange County jail mugshot)

A Florida woman was arrested after an alleged assault while shouting anti-Semitic comments.

According to Jeff Gelman, he was having breakfast with his wife when he witnessed a woman drive through an unlocked gate to drive through his lawn, ClickOrlando reported.

“We looked out to window and we saw someone doing donuts in our backyard, right there,” Gelman said.

He said that he’s never seen the woman, who has been identified as Kristen Kelly, but she was screaming anti-Semitic attacks as if she knew their faith.

“She was yelling, go home Jew tell your neighbors that Jesus Christ is here and that I’m going to clean some dirty Jews,” Gelman said.

Things got worse when the couple tried to approach Kelly and demand she get off their property.

“When she got out of the car she sprayed us with detergent and said ‘cleaning the dirty Jews,’” Gelman said.

He took photos of the woman and her car so that it would help police in identifying who was behind the wheel.

“We didn’t recognize her at all; never saw her in our lives,” Gelman told the media.

Kelly has been charged with aggravated assault and is still being held in an Orange County jail.

A Florida man was rescued after trying to ride a hamster ball to the Bahamas
Posted By Kim Slichter on Mon, Apr 25, 2016 at 3:18 pm



A Florida man was rescued last weekend by the U. S. Coast Guard after trying to ride a hamster ball, or inflatable bubble, to the Bermuda Triangle.  

The U.S. Coast Guard voluntarily rescued and took Reza Baluchi back to land this Sunday, says the Washington Post. His journey started in Pompano Beach and ended near Fort Pierce.

If the past is any indicator, this rescue mission could end up costing close to $144,000.

"This proposed adventure unnecessarily risked the lives of Mr. Baluchi, the maritime public, and our Coast Guard men and women," said Capt. Austin Gould, Coast Guard Sector Miami Commander in a statement.

"Additionally, the Coast Guard is obligated to ensure taxpayer money and resources are used efficiently and appropriately."

This isn't the first time Baluchi's actions have taken a chunk out of taxpayer money. The endurance runner took his homemade contraption out on the water in October 2014, but ended up having to be rescued after losing his GPS system, reports WPLG. And, on April 13, he again attempt the quest only to be pushed back to shore because it was a little bit windy.  

A letter from the Coast Guard shows that Baluchi was warned to not go on his most recent trip, stating that doing so would result in a possible seven-year confinement and up to a $40,000 fine.

"I view your current planned voyage without use of an escort/support vessel or an equivalent safety precaution that would allow for self-rescue as unsafe," the letter says. "I encourage you to work with my staff to develop a voyage plan meeting the requirements I have set forth previously."

Baluchi has not made a statement on whether there'll be a fourth (probably unsuccessful) attempt.

Woman accused in Volusia drug ring won $1 million on Florida Lottery game
Claire Metz  |  WESH Updated: 5:00 PM EDT May 17, 2019


A 27-year-old woman arrested and accused of solicitation to deliver heroin won $1 million on a scratch-off lottery ticket last year.

Karlee Harbst made her first court appearance Friday.

Last year, Harbst was in Tallahassee, smiling for cameras after scratching off a $1 million ticket in a Gold Rush Florida lottery game.

In a lottery press release, Harbst, pregnant at the time, was quoted as saying, "I almost didn't buy a ticket. When I saw the ticket was number 24, I had to get it; 24 is my favorite number."

Harbst was charged with solicitation to deliver heroin and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

She was among 20 others charged in connection with a drug trafficking ring that authorities say was dismantled this week after a yearlong investigation.

The sheriff's department shared body camera video footage of detectives making arrests, executing search warrants and recovering drugs, money and guns.

Wendy's investigates after video shows man bathing in kitchen sink
Warning: Video contains graphic language; viewer discretion advised
By:  WKRG
Posted: May 22, 2019 01:13 PM EDT, Updated: May 22, 2019 01:14 PM EDT



Milton, Fla (WKRG) -- A woman posted a video on Facebook of what appears to be a Wendy's employee taking a bath in the sink.

In the minute-long video, the young man is shirtless and barefoot in the kitchen before climbing into the sink full of soapy suds.

"Go, go go go, oh s****" a person says in the background, apparently encouraging the act.

The person who posted the video says it happened at the Wendy's in Milton.

"How's it feel?" someone asks the young man in the video.

"It's warm," he replies as several people in Wendy's uniforms stand by and record it on their cell phones.

"Wash your armpits, ooh yeah ooh" the voice behind the camera says as the young man did just that, grinning the whole time.

The person behind the camera then says "let's see them toes, let's see them toes," the camera momentarily flips to selfie mode to show the face of another person who appears to be in a Wendy's uniform.

The Operations Manager for Wendy's says they are aware of the video and they are investigating.

He says they can not comment on anything else.

News 5 is also reaching out to the health department to find out if they are investigating.

Video at https://www.wric.com/news/national/wendy-s-investigates-after-video-shows-man-bathing-in-kitchen-sink/2018807743

Vacationers Find Alligator Lounging on Alligator Pool Float at Their Miami Airbnb
JESSICA LIPSCOMB | MAY 20, 2019 | 10:27AM

Here are some places in Florida where you can reasonably expect to encounter an alligator: a storm sewer, the end of an airport runway, your local golf course. But this might be a first — while in town for a wedding, Georgia resident Dave Jacobs and his family spotted a gator casually chilling on an alligator-shaped pool float at their Airbnb in South Miami.

"My daughter, who’s 14, was like, 'Dad, this is soooo meta,'" Jacobs tells New Times.

Jacobs says his family first spotted the gator in the lake outside of their vacation rental Saturday. The alligator seemed to be taunting their dog, Rascal, who spent the day barking and running around the screened-in pool deck.

"We thought that was pretty cute," Jacobs says. "Then, the next day, it just showed up in the pool."



Jacobs' wife called the Airbnb's owner, who contacted someone from wildlife management. Eventually, the gator wrangler was able to fish the reptile out of the pool. He told Jacobs he's been busy lately because it's mating season for alligators.

"I guess it's not that unusual, but it was unusual to me," Jacobs says.

This morning, Jacobs and his family began the long drive home, where at least they'll be able to share some pretty interesting stories about their priceless Florida Man experience.

"We have gators in Georgia, but they're just in areas that are not as populated, like some swamp where no one lives," Jacobs says. "But in Florida, they're just in your neighborhoods."

Video at https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/alligator-spotted-on-alligator-pool-float-at-miami-airbnb-11177604

Police: Woman attacked Burger King manager after staff denied request for free fries
MAY 28, 2019 | https://wsvn.com


Courtesy: Miami-Dade Corrections
Johari Canty
SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A woman has been arrested after she was accused of attacking the manager of a Southwest Miami-Dade Burger King when her request for free French fries was denied.

According to an arrest report, 42-year-old Natasha Ethel Bagley and 27-year-old Genesis Peguero went through the drive-thru of a Burger King, located at 18240 South Dixie Highway on April 2.


Natasha Ethel Bagley in bond court.

Police said while in the drive-thru, the pair asked for free fries, but the employee denied their request.

Detectives said minutes later, Bagley and Peguero went inside and caused a commotion, and Peguero jumped over the counter into the employee-only area.

The store manager heard the ruckus and stepped out of her office, where she was confronted by Peguero. The manager said Peguero demanded she open the register and give her all the money inside, and she threatened to hit her over the face with a gun.

Investigators said the manager went to call police, but Peguero pulled the phone out of her hand and punched her in the face.

Police said Bagley then attacked the manager with Peguero. The two then jumped back over the counter to leave, and Peguero pulled apart the computer and register, causing it to break.

Police said Peguero then jumped back over the counter and began to hit the manager again.

Both women then fled the scene in a black SUV.

Police were able to run a check on the SUV’s license plate and found that it was registered to Bagley.

Bagley was later tracked down and arrested and charged with battery, robbery and criminal mischief.

According to the police report, Peguero remains at large.