Odd, strange, or bizarre news stories from Florida

In Florida, gator takes bite out of crime -- and man
By Jake Carpenter, CNN
updated 4:21 AM EDT, Fri May 10, 2013

(CNN) -- A Florida man fleeing a traffic stop almost got away, police say. Until he met up with an alligator.

Bryan Zuniga escaped police early Thursday, but was arrested at a Florida hospital hours later following the painful encounter with the gator.

The incident started after deputies pulled over the 20-year-old in Pinellas Park for allegedly failing to maintain a single lane.

He stopped the vehicle, jumped out and broke through a nearby fence, successfully eluding police, the Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies said in a statement.

But his freedom did not last long.

Authorities arrested him a few hours later at a local hospital, where he was getting treatment after the alligator attack.

Zuniga told deputies an alligator bit him near a water treatment plant in St. Petersburg, which is a few miles from where he ditched his car.

Deputies took him into custody after he was treated for multiple puncture wounds to the face, arm and armpit area, the sheriff's office said in a statement.
...

First Coast News reported on Monday that Bobby Wingate was cited by an officer for “walking down the wrong side of the road” during the stop, then punched in the face. When the officer pulled out his Tazer, Wingate called 911 to protect himself.

“He said do I really want to fight him?” Wingate can be heard telling the emergency dispatcher. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”

Wingate was arrested, charged with resisting arrest without violence and walking down the wrong side of the road and brought to trial. But in court, the officer testified he was not sure what side of the road Wingate was on, prompting the judge to dismiss the case. Wingate has since filed a civil suit against the department.

“The conduct that is outlined in the transcript and the 911 call is not only breathtaking, it’s outrageous, it’s disgraceful,” Wingate’s attorney, Andrew Bonderud, told FCN.

Chef: Levon Wallace, Proof on Main
Instrument of Injury: Abnormally blunt oyster knife
"I’ve always played the role of medic in the kitchen and I’ve seen some ‘gushers,’ but this one takes the cake. During a stint in Florida, I put grilled oysters on the menu and they were a popular item. My line cooks had a hard time keeping up. One cook, who thought of himself as a badass, was attempting to shuck a ton of oysters during service with an abnormally large and blunt oyster knife. Of course his hand slipped and he shoved the entire blade of that oyster knife between his thumb and index finger! I've seen plenty of gushers, but the sound of that dull, five-inch blade piercing his thumb muscle is what I’ll never forget! Just talking about it gives me chills."