Wait… Florida Man Did What?!?

We’ve all heard of Florida Man but who is he? The term Florida Man has become a popular internet meme which describes someone who lives in Florida who has done something very ridiculous. Florida Man has done some crazy stuff in the past, but here are some of the stories that stood out.

The Alligator Drive-Thru Incident

Joshua James was found guilty for tossing a live 3.5-foot alligator into a Wendy’s drive thru. He said that it started as a stupid joke, but the court decided that he was on probation for 12 months and had to complete 75 hours of community service. Including having to pay a fine of $1,200. In court, the cashier said that she got so scared she jumped out of the window after the gator was thrown at her.

Florida Man Tries to Shoot Puppies, a Puppy Shoots Him Instead

Jerry Allen Bradford decided to shoot seven puppies in the head because he couldn’t find them a home. He was holding two puppies in his hand, with one in his arms and the other in his hand. The dog in his hand moved and put its paw on the gun in his other hand. This caused the gun to shoot at Jerry and put him in the hospital for a gunshot wound to the wrist. Later on, investigators charged an arrest warrant on Jerry for felony animal cruelty. 

Florida Man Breaks into Jail to Visit His Friends

On Monday, of December 15, 2015, 24 year-old Patrick Rempe drove his car into the fence of jail and tried to climb it before getting stuck in the razor wire. Later, he admitted that he was drunk and said he just wanted to visit his friends. He soon faced charges of aggravated assault and battery on a law enforcement officer and three counts of felony criminal mischief. This included leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, driving under the influence and possibly more.

Florida Man Calls 911 to Report that His Wife Is a Black Widow Spider

At approximately 1:36 a.m., William Rutger was reported calling the police and saying that his wife was a black widow spider. When the deputies arrived, they noticed that he seemed very intoxicated. They soon left and gave him a warning that 911 is used only for emergencies. However, less than two hours later, they received another call from William stating that his wife was still a black widow spider. After the second call, he was arrested and charged for misuse of the 911 system. Later on, he was released since he had served all of his time in jail.

Florida Man Arrested for Riding Manatees

In Islamorada, James Roy Massengale, Jr. was seen approaching a creek with manatees. When officials arrived, they saw James laying over and touching the manatees. In the creek, there were two adult manatees and a calf. When the officers tried to take him away, he was very verbal and was taken into custody. Officials say he was placed in an isolation cell after refusing to tell them any information. Since manatees are a protected species, he was faced with a fine up to $500 and 60 days in jail. 

Florida Man Threatens to Destroy Everyone with His Army of Turtles

On April 11, 2019, Thomas Devaney Lane was faced with several charges including disrupting the peace, misusing 911, and resisting an officer. He was seen yelling out obscene things such as calling himself a saint and saying that in an hour his turtle army would destroy them. This caused the police to get seven calls about a man disturbing the peace. He even entered the police department and yelled at the police dispatcher, while pounding on the glass walls. When he left the building he called 911 while at 7-Eleven and once again, threatened the dispatch officer. Later, Thomas was found in his car but refused to get out while yelling profanic things.

Florida Man Slaps Florida Woman with a Cheeseburger

Kyle Jamison Jones’s girlfriend called law enforcement on Tuesday and told them that Kyle woke her up abruptly by slapping her in the face with a cheeseburger. She then said that he kicked her down the stairs and pulled her hair. When the police got there there were visible remains of the food item on her face. Kyle was soon arrested with battery charges.

Florida Man Pretending to be a Cop Pulls Over an Actual Cop

A deputy was driving when a car with the emergency lights on pulled up behind him. He pulled over to the side of the road, Barry Hastings Jr., and told him to slow down. When the deputy in the car asked for Barry’s credentials, he said that he was a true cop and that he left his credentials at his office. When Barry tried to drive away after the deputy said he would contact law enforcement, he was stopped by another County Sheriff’s deputy. They searched his car and found a functional siren box and a light set up.

Florida Man Tells a Cop His Name is “Ben Dover”

On November 6, 2018, Andrew James Leighton was at Palm Harbor’s John Chestnut Park when a county sheriff asked him to leave since it was closed. When the officer asked his name so he could give him a warning, he told him it was Ben Dover. Additionally, he gave the deputy the middle finger. Andrew tried to leave the scene but got caught and was taken into custody. He was released on a $300 bond, but now he faces several charges which include resisting an officer and obstruction by a disguised person.

Florida Man Feeds an Alligator a Sandwich in a Viral Video

A video that went viral on social media showed a man and a woman sitting in the water, waving a piece of bread. The alligator swims closer and he drops the food into the gator’s mouth and gives it a pat under the mouth before it swims away. He tosses another piece of food at the gator, trying to feed it again. The caption of the video says “Florida man is gonna Florida man”. This video got over 1,000 comments sparking some debate.