Getting out of work, getting into a chase, and getting into the spirit of the weird, wacky and wild news from our corner of the globe is what we're getting into in this week's edition of ONLY IN FLORIDA.ONLY IN FLORIDA is our weekly roundup of the strange, bizarre and just plain ridiculous headlines from right here in the Sunshine State.
ONLY IN FLORIDA do people find extremely creative ways to get out of going to work.
Hillsborough County deputies say Dwayne Yeager allegedly staged a fake break-in at his Brandon home.
Yeager called 911 to say that his home had been broken into and he saw a white car pulling away from his corner. Deputies say there was no car and no signs of forced entry.
When deputies confronted Yeager, he allegedly told them he didn't realize he could go to jail for staging the crime. He is free on $500 bond after being arrested on one charge of lying to deputies. (KSDK)
ONLY IN FLORIDA do criminals stop fleeing police during a high-speed chase to pay a highway toll.
The Seminole County Sheriff's Office said the driver of a blue Ford Mustang fled from police in Sanford after an officer tried to pull the car over for a traffic violation. The driver led police on a two-county chase.
While still fleeing, deputies said the driver stopped at a toll plaza, presumably paid the toll, then continued driving south on State Route 417.
Deputies used Stop Sticks to puncture the tires of the Mustang and stop the driver. He is charged with fleeing and eluding law enforcement. (Click Orlando)
ONLY IN FLORIDA can we take pride in our state consistently making news. Often it’s news of the weird, but guess what, the Huffington Post is out now with a list of 23 reasons why Florida is "quite possibly the best state in America."
Citing our culture, our food, our gorgeous weather and scenery, and even name-checking Amelia Island and St. Augustine, it’s a great read. Reason #23 we’re so great; in Florida we are laughing along with our state’s crazy headlines just like everybody else. (The Huffington Post)
Send your ONLY IN FLORIDA suggestions to firstcoastconnect@wjct.org.
You can follow Melissa Ross on Twitter @MelissainJax and Patrick Donges at @patrickhdonges.
