The Weird Florida News Thread

I have stickied this thread and will be updating it from time to time with new posts. Shouldn't be a problem :cool:

Sinkhole Swallows Florida Man
From NBC news (Gabe Gutierrez and M. Alex Johnson, NBC News); Massive sinkhole swallows Florida man — and it's still growing!
Authorities evacuated neighbors Friday around a sinkhole that swallowed the interior of a Florida house — apparently taking a man to his death — describing the sinkhole as "seriously unstable" and likely to keep growing. Jeffrey Bush, 36, hasn't been heard from since he screamed as a 20-foot-deep by 20-foot-wide hole opened underneath his family's home near Tampa late Thursday. Officials and engineers were continuing their search for him Friday.
"I couldn't get him out," said Bush's brother, Jeremy, who tried to rescue him. "All I thought I could hear was him screaming for me and hollering for me, but I couldn't do nothing."
The sinkhole was still growing Friday evening, officials said, and residents of homes on both sides were evacuated. Engineers were using three-dimensional photos of the soil and other data to figure out the best way to stop its spread, said Bill Bracken, president of an engineering firm that was called in to assist. By Friday, the hole's "safety zone" — the land around it that was considered unstable — extended 100 feet, he said at a news conference. Meanwhile, it continued to deepen and presented a significant potential for what authorities called a "sudden collapse."
The sinkhole swallowed part of the interior of the house but left the exterior remarkably intact. The only thing sticking out of the hole was a small corner of a bed's box spring. Cables from a television led down into the hole, but the TV set, along with a dresser, was nowhere to be seen.
Officials lowered equipment into the sinkhole but didn't see any sign of life.
NBC station WFLA of Tampa reported that six people were in the house when the sinkhole tore through it about 11 p.m. ET. All but Jeffrey Bush escaped. "They heard a sound they described as a car crash emanating from the bedroom," Hillsborough County Fire Chief Ron Rogers said outside the house in Seffner. "They rushed in. All they could see was part of a mattress sticking out of the hole. Essentially, the floor of the room had opened."
The hole almost got Jeremy Bush, too. But Hillsborough County sheriff's Deputy Douglas Duvall arrived to save him, WFLA reported.
Sinkholes are relatively common in Florida, but they don't always cause injury or major disruption. Officials said they didn't immediately know whether the neighborhood near Tampa has had problems in the past, but the threat is apparently evident enough that at least two companies in Seffner advertise their expertise in "sinkhole repair.""Florida sits on a system of caverns filled with water," Rogers said. "As that water moves up and down, it erodes those caverns, and from time to time they collapse."

Pics or it didn't happen.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013...l-growing?lite

Ohh ya it def happened..

Here are a few highlights from 2012;
We're tough on crime. A judge in Ocala sentenced a homeless man to 180 days in jail and fined him $500 for stealing $2 worth of candy. An Everglades airboat captain was showing an Indiana family the pretty alligators when a 9-footer bit his left hand off. Authorities later charged him with illegally feeding an alligator.
We're serious about our food. A Holly Hill man fatally shot his roommate during an argument over how to prepare pork chops, while St. Petersburg police say a man killed his roommate over a missing corn dog.
Give her an A for effort. A Pasco County teacher had some explaining to do when she was caught using her dog's "cone of shame" on her ninth-graders to "redirect student behavior".
A naked Miami cannibal grabbed a homeless man, held him down, and ate his face.
Florida's notorious bra bandits were finally arrested after stealing thousands of dollars worth of bras.
Police Tasered a man to stop him from using his garden hose to try to keep a house fire from spreading because "that's what insurance is for."
A woman who'd had enough of bad sex was arrested for attacking and beating the crap out of her boyfriend when he, ahem, "arrived" earlier than his lady.
"Hi there. Are you feeling hot?" Our Gov. Rick Scott gave the media a phone sex number to promote a meningitis hot line.
Whenever you hear about some really cray cray story, there is a strong likelihood it took place in Florida. Welcome to the Sunshine State, where weird is a way of life. I'll keep you posted. :D

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - A Charlotte County deputy made some surprising finds during a traffic stop that resulted in four arrests on drug charges.The deputy spotted a car without brake lights and pulled it over. When the four people inside were asked if they had weapons, drugs or other contraband in the vehicle, all four said no and consented to a search. When backup units arrived, the search began - and that's when drugs started popping up everywhere. When deputies asked 23-year-old Bradley Jordan Greus if he had anything hidden in his prosthetic leg, he said yes, took off his leg, removed the bag of cocaine he had stashed inside, and handed it over. Deputies then found a baggie with morphine and hydromorphone pills in the bra of 22-year-old Teal Lee Thompson. The driver, 20-year-old Alexis Ann Clancy said she had more pills in her wallet. The fourth suspect, 25-year-old Donald Carlo Acqurelli, jumped out of the car, grabbed her wallet and swallowed at least one of the pills. Deputies continued searching the car and found five hypodermic needles containing a clear liquid that tested positive for opiates. Clancey said the needles were hers and she used them to shoot opiates. Clancey also told deputies she had another hypodermic needle hidden in her butt; she was removed from the patrol car and produced a needle from her backside and gave it to the deputy. Acquarelli and Greus both said they had just bought the cocaine from someone in a WalMart parking lot. All four were arrested and charged with various drug possession charges.

From the Tampa Bay Times;
Miami-Dade police dogs, cocaine used in fourth-grade science project

An ounce of cocaine can fetch as much as $1,300 on the streets of Miami, or a three-year mandatory prison sentence in criminal court. Or it can help a fourth-grader win first place in the science fair at Coral Gables Preparatory Academy.
In fact, the Miami Herald reports, Emma Bartelt’s “Drug Sniffing Dogs” project earned her a spot at Saturday’s Miami-Dade County Public Schools Elementary Science Fair at Miami Dade College, alongside experiments exploring name-brand battery life and how to make plastic out of milk.
Emma, who was awarded an honorable mention Saturday, couldn’t have done it without the help of the Miami-Dade Police Narcotics Bureau, which provided three narcotics detector canines and 28 grams of powder cocaine for her experiment. “The purpose for this scientific investigation was to find which dog would find the cocaine fastest using it’s [sic] sense of smell,” Emma, 10, wrote in her abstract.
To pull off her experiment, Emma enlisted the help of her father, Detective Douglas Bartelt, and Detective William Pedraja and Sgt. Samantha Machado, according to her acknowledgments.

Im afraid of needles... I cant imagine stashing one in my ass lol...

Science on NBC News article by Marc Lallanilla

One of the most ferocious insects you've ever heard of — it's the size of a quarter and its painful bite has been compared to being knifed — is set to invade Florida this summer. The Sunshine State, already home to man-eating sinkholes, invading Burmese pythons, swarming sharks, tropical storms and other disasters, can expect to see an explosion of shaggy-haired gallinippers (Psorophora ciliata), a type of giant mosquito, according to entomologist Phil Kaufman of the University of Florida.
Gallinipper eggs hatch after a rainstorm or flood, and the state saw a big jump in the numbers of gallinippers last summer after Tropical Storm Debby dumped its load on Florida. Eggs laid last year could produce a bumper crop of the blood-sucking bugs this summer if Florida sees a soggy rainy season. "I wouldn't be surprised, given the numbers we saw last year," Kaufman said in a statement. "When we hit the rainy cycle, we may see that again."
As insects go, gallinippers are particularly formidable. Their eggs lay dormant for years, awaiting the floodwaters that will enable them to hatch. Even in their larval stage, gallinippers are so tough they'll eat tadpoles and other small aquatic prey. And as adults, the voracious pests feed day and night (unlike everyday mosquitoes, which generally feed only at dawn and dusk). Their bodies are strong enough to bite through clothing, and they're known to go after pets, wild animals and even fish, MyFoxOrlando.com reports. "It's about 20 times bigger than the sort of typical, Florida mosquito that you find," Anthony Pelaez of Tampa's Museum of Science and Industry told Fox Orlando. "And it's mean, and it goes after people, and it bites, and it hurts." Pelaez described the gallinipper's bite as so painful it "feels like you're being stabbed."
The term "gallinipper" isn't recognized by most entomologists, but over the past century, the word — and the insect — entered popular legend through Southern folktales, minstrel shows and blues songs, according to a report from the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida. The earliest description of the pest comes from 1897 by a writer who called the insect "the shyest, slyest, meanest and most venomous of them all." (Gallinipper bites don't actually contain any venom — they just feel that painful.)
Will insect repellents help to protect people from the dreaded gallinipper? Maybe, Kaufman said, though the pests may be more resistant to bug repellents — even those containing DEET — because of their large size. If there's a silver lining to a possible invasion of gallinippers, it's the fact that their larvae are so ravenous they eat the larvae of other insects, including mosquitoes, thus reducing the populations of those pests. And they're not known to carry any diseases, though that may be small comfort to beleaguered Floridians.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48Dm0...yer_detailpage

A whole week has gone by with nothing weird to report, which is kind of weird. Anyway, here are some favorite news items from 2011 to tide you over - enjoy!

A Palmetto man was arrested after shoving his ex-girlfriend's mother onto a fold-out couch, and then folding her up inside.

A giant Lego man washed up on Siesta Key beach.

A 92-year-old woman was arrested for firing four shots at a neighbor who refused to kiss her.

State Representative Ritch Workman filed a bill to repeal the state ban on dwarf tossing, a bar fad in which individuals of small stature are thrown around for entertainment purposes.

Among various creatures found in swimming pools by startled homeowners were several alligators, at least one python, a bear and a retired racehorse.

Police in St. Petersburg said two would-be carjackers forced a couple out of their car at gunpoint, but then ran away after they couldn't figure out how to drive a stick shift.

$1.25 million worth of cocaine washed up on a beach south of Port Canaveral in September. An additional $2.2 million in cocaine washed up on a Fort Pierce beach the next month.

Two managers of a Lake City Domino's Pizza were charged with burning down a rival Papa John's as a way to increase business.

Two deaf men using sign language were stabbed at a Hallandale Beach bar when another costumer thought they were flashing gang signs.

A North Naples man who was pulled over for a traffic violation called 911 and reported a shooting nearby to get out of a ticket. He still got the ticket and was also charged with making a false 911 call.

A Boynton Beach man splashed rubbing alcohol on his roommate's boxer shorts and set them on fire because he was late with the rent.

A Flagler County woman who bought what she thought was a novelty cigarette lighter called authorities when it turned out to be a real, though not live, grenade.

A celebrity boxing promoter sued Jose Canseco when the former baseball star sent his identical twin Ozzie to the bout instead.

A South Florida man accidentally threw out his wife's engagement ring, then went to the dump the next day and sifted through a 9-ton pile of trash. He found it.

Not that romance always flourished in Florida. A Broward County woman was arrested after holding a steak knife to her husband's throat and demanding he sign the divorce papers.

An Orange County man lay down in front of a car to try to stop his girlfriend from leaving after a fight. But the driver didn't see him and he was run over.

‘Oh No She Didn’t!’: Mom Wrestles Alligator Near Middle School Instead of Waiting for Animal Control; From article by Liz Klimas

A 7-foot alligator was encroaching on a middle school’s property just as school was letting out for the day. Local police officers came onto the scene, but instead of waiting for a professional trapper, one of the officers — a Florida mom — took care of business herself.
Jessica McGregor, a Lake County deputy, called to Clermont Middle School Thursday was actually rather familiar with wrestling gators. According to the Orlando Sentinel, she and her brother would catch them for fun and would occasionally bring them home, much to the discontent of their mother: “I’ve lived in Lake County my whole life. Back in the day, you had these things come up on your land, and you just caught ‘em up and threw ‘em back in the nearest watering hole,” said Jessica, 29. “You didn’t feel the need to waste anybody’s time.”
The mother of two girls said with school getting out, she didn’t want anyone to get hurt. So she grabbed a rope, lassoed the reptile and proceeded to get the thrashing animal under control to a point where should could sit on it.
Shooting it might have been an option, but the Orlando Sentinel reported McGregor saying it would be quite a mess and might have caused some disturbance with the kid witnesses being picked up from school.
Although what McGregor did is impressive, the commentary in a video showing her actions is a close tie for being equally as entertaining. A person filming the wrangling of the animal while standing a safe distance behind a chain-link fence provided encouragement to McGregor.
The videographer starts off saying a quick prayer to keep McGregor safe. When McGregor subdues the alligator long enough to step over it from behind and sit on its back to strap its mouth closed, the commentator says: “Oh, no she didn’t!”
“She is serious about that thing." Check out the footage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ypnXxd7TUAU

plz keep this thread going

And yes, these are all real headlines.

Florida Man Threatens Ex-Girlfriend With Blowtorch After Assaulting Her With Cinnamon Roll

No Charges For Florida Man Who Chased Jogger Because She Was "Pretty"

Florida Man Jailed Again For Riding Wheelchair In The Middle Of Busy Road, Says It's His Constitutional Right

Florida Man Threw Wine Bottle At Deputy's Golf Cart After He Was Refused A Ride

Florida Man Wearing Bed Sheet Breaks Into Elementary School, Says He's Looking For Help With Classes

Florida Man Flees Scene Of Theft, Found With Several Teeth Missing After Collision With Post

Florida Man Punched Police Horse For No Apparent Reason

Florida Man Arrested For Giving Wedgies

Wedgie-Giving Florida Man Arrested For Somersaulting Over Cops

Florida Man Fired Arrow Through Wall And Into Neighbor's Apartment, Claims He Was Testing New Crossbow

Police Search For Florida Man Who Robbed Bank In Lacy Pink Sweater And Fuzzy Slippers

Florida Man Calls 911 When Roommate Tries To Throw Out Food, Asks To Be Connected To "The Discrimination Line"

Florida Man Tells Cop "I Am Going To Have Someone From Colombia Come Here And Kill You"

Florida Man Arrested Peeking Over Woman's Fence, Tells Cops He'll Tell Wife A Story About "The Garden Or Something"

Florida Man Robs Girl Scouts Selling Cookies

Florida Man Faces 3000-Year Prison Sentence

Florida Man Knocks On Woman's Door At 3am, Punches Her In The Face And Runs Away

Florida Man Hits Boyfriend With Plate For Listening To Too Much Alanis Morissette

Florida Man Calls His Mom For A Ride After Failed Convenience Story Robbery Attempt

Florida Man Enters Wrong Home, Tries To Kick Everyone Out

Florida Man Attacks Three Women With Sword And Peanut Butter Sandwich

Police Arrest Florida Man For Drunken Joyride On Motorized Scooter At Walmart

Florida Man Repeatedly Called 911 Saying He Needed A Ride To Mexico

I'm not so sure I want to visit Florida anymore ...

60-year old woman arrested in marijuana sting
Woman hit man in face with cell phone, police say
Sex-sting suspect tried to fake death, officials say
Fla. deputy removes Doritos bag from deer's head http://www.gainesville.com/article/2...33?tc=obinsite
http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs...W=445&border=0
Cop resigns after wife charged in running brothel
Deputy runs over sleeping woman on beach

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Poseidon

60-year old woman arrested in marijuana sting
Woman hit man in face with cell phone, police say
Sex-sting suspect tried to fake death, officials say
Fla. deputy removes Doritos bag from deer's head http://www.gainesville.com/article/2...33?tc=obinsite
http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs...W=445&border=0
Cop resigns after wife charged in running brothel
Deputy runs over sleeping woman on beach

---

Uhmm... WHAAAAAAT?

Woman attacked man with rib bone, police say
Mom took son, 5, on burglary, police say
Police: Man facing new charges after continuing to harass woman from jail
Woman looking for ride ends up in Columbia jail
------Lake City police who went to a hotel on Thursday morning in response to a person looking for a ride wound up giving the woman a lift to the ----county jail. [...] Officers ran a warrants check and found a Columbia County warrant for her arrest on charges of burglary to a vehicle, battery -------and petty theft.
SW Fla. boy survives being sucked into drainpipe
Man jailed after Facebook shame over dine-and-dash