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5 craziest 'Florida man' crime stories of 2025 that sound fake — but aren't
The notorious "Florida man" didn’t just live up to his reputation in 2025 — he shattered it.The Sunshine State became a rolling highlight reel of off-the-rails antics, including a meth-fueled birthday joyride on a stolen train and a crazy police bodycam video capturing the arrest of a costumed suspect as stunned families watched in disbelief at a Chuck E. Cheese.'Would y’all put Mickey Mouse in handcuffs?'So we hereby present the top five wildest incidents of the year involving the infamous "Florida man."1. Key West chaos: Man with meth pipe hijacks tourist train on birthday, police sayAs Blaze News reported in July, a 57-year-old Florida man allegedly celebrated his birthday with a meth-fueled joyride by hijacking a tourist train in Key West.Citing the arrest report, WPLG-TV said Jonathan Patrick Winslow stole the Conch Tour Train and even managed to pick up "two random passengers" while driving the trolley. When confronted by cops, Winslow had a meth pipe in his possession — and he told deputies that it was a "weed pipe," according to the police report.Police said Winslow told officers he previously worked at the Conch Tour Train Depot, that he merely "borrowed" the train — and that "today is his birthday."Despite it being his birthday, Winslow was arrested and hit with burglary, grand theft auto, and drug charges.2. Kids watch in shock as man in a mouse costume is arrested at Chuck E. CheeseWhat was supposed to be a fun, innocent time for children devolved into a bizarre arrest caught on police bodycam footage that captured officers arresting a Chuck E. Cheese mascot — with kids and parents watching.Blaze News reported in September that 41-year-old Jermel Jones was accused of allegedly purchasing items with someone else's credit card."We’re gonna detain the mouse," a police officer is heard telling a fellow cop on bodycam footage as they enter the pizza restaurant in Tallahassee.An officer about to confront the man in the mouse costume is heard telling a woman, "Chuck E.’s a little bit busy, ma’am." A police officer orders the man in the costume, "Chuck E., come with me. Chuck E! Chuck E! Stop resisting! You’re being detained! Stop resisting! Let it go! Do not cause a scene here, sir."The Chuck E. Cheese mascot is handcuffed and then escorted out of the children's restaurant as parents and kids watch in stunned disbelief.A woman is heard yelling at the officers, "I would like y’all to walk him out the door instead of traumatizing all these children seeing someone like Chuck E. Cheese get arrested."She then asks, "Would y’all put Mickey Mouse in handcuffs?"Jones was arrested and charged with theft of a credit card, criminal use of personal identification information, and fraudulent use of a credit card totaling over $100.3. Florida man offers cops alcoholic drink during car chase — then gets tasedOnly in Florida does a police pursuit include a suspect casually offering officers an alcoholic drink mid-chase.In April, police were called to a local market after a report of a theft of alcoholic beverages, according to the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office.Blaze News reported that 39-year-old Richard Christopher Smith of Miami was driving a black minivan in circles near the market, after which a miles-long police chase ensued.The sheriff's office said Smith was holding a can of Ketel One vodka spritz out the window of the minivan as he drove by a deputy attempting to pull him over. Smith is heard in the bodycam video telling the officer, "I was just going to give you a drink, that’s it."The sheriff's office said in a statement, "We don’t know if he was expecting us to just say 'Cheers!' and let him go, or what."Officials added, "After his toast, Smith attempted to ram two patrol vehicles in the midst of getting all four tires flattened by spike strips." The minivan slowed down, and the crazy police pursuit ended several miles away in the parking lot of a business at the Sebring Airport. Bodycam video shows Smith exiting the minivan and being greeted by cops with their guns drawn and ordering the suspect to get on the ground.However, the suspect is seen not obeying orders and walking toward a deputy — and Smith gets tased and falls headfirst on the pavement.According to the bodycam video, Smith asks officers why he's being arrested, to which the deputy replies, "A lot of stupid s**t, right now."Smith is heard saying to the officers in the bodycam footage, "You guys had fun, though, right?"Jail records show that Smith was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer, two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, driving under the influence, refusal to submit to a DUI test, and petty theft.4. Here's how an alligator sent Florida folks flyingFlorida motorcyclists were sent flying over their handlebars after slamming into a large alligator on a highway.Blaze News reported in June that two motorcyclists collided with a six-foot alligator on Interstate 4 in Orange City. The impact of hitting the alligator crossing the highway sent both riders soaring into the air.Motorcyclist Cameron Gilmore told WESH-TV, "I saw it, like, 10 feet in front of me, and I just, you know, I thought — I knew I was going to hit it. It kind of just happened so quick." Gilmore added, "I didn't even have a second to do anything. Couldn't put on the brakes or not. And I just had to hold on."Gilmore said the collision caused him to "start flying for a long way."The two bikers were rushed to the HCA Lake Monroe Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.5. Sex offender gets rejected at job interview — reacts by flinging bottles of urineA Florida man reportedly turned a denied job interview into a criminal spectacle and threw bottles of urine at a store.As Blaze News reported in April, 51-year-old John Connaughton asked for a job interview at a door store in St. Petersburg.Connaughton was rejected, after which he lashed out by hurling multiple bottles filled with urine at the front of the store, according to an arrest affidavit. Urine splattered on building materials and splashed at least one employee, court documents say.The affidavit accused Connaughton of causing more than $1,000 in damage "to various building materials" by "splattering [them] with urine." Image source: Florida Dept. of Law EnforcementConnaughton reportedly fled, but two men chased after him. Connaughton — a registered sex offender — raised his skateboard over his head as if he were going to hit one of the men with it, according to the arrest affidavit.The St. Petersburg Police Department arrested Connaughton, and he was charged with felony battery, criminal mischief, and two counts of aggravated assault, according to court records.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
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