Squirrel Rampage, George Zimmerman Bounced, Suspect Fished Out of Canal: Weird Florida

Patch operates 24 daily news sites in the Tampa Bay area and surrounding counties. The following are some of the wackier, wonderful or just plain weird stories that have made headlines in recent weeks:

Battery Brouhaha, Racial Slurs Prompted George Zimmerman’s Bar Bouncing: Deputies

George Zimmerman, the Florida neighborhood watch captain who was catapulted into the news following the 2012 shooting death of an unarmed black teenager, is once again making headlines. This time he’s accused of slinging racial slurs, creating a brouhaha in a bar and saying a deputy was “under qualified to flip burgers.”

Deputies Fish Drowning Suspect Out of Canal

A 39-year-old man who reportedly tried to flee Pasco County Sheriff’s deputies on Wednesday night by diving into a canal ended up requiring a save from the very law enforcement officers he tried to run from.

911 Audio: Squirrel Rampages at Florida Senior Community

Sharks, alligators, the occasional bear and stray monkey tend to top the list of culprits involved in Florida wild animal attacks. Squirrels generally aren’t even a blip on the radar.

275 Bottles of Nail Polish Swiped, 2 Suspects Sought

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is on the trail of two people its deputies say seem to have a serious passion for nail polish. The pair, a man and woman, are accused of swiping more than 275 bottles of nail polish from a Walmart store.

Watch: Tutu-Wearing Man, Accomplice Steal Fruit, Sodas, Deputies Say

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is looking for help identifying two men its deputies say broke into the Tampa Farmers Market Tuesday and helped themselves to a few consumables. One of the men, deputies say, was wearing a tutu at the time of the crime.

USF Student Robbed Pizza Guy with Toy Gun, Police Say

A 20-year-old University of South Florida student faces armed robbery charges after an early Tuesday morning hold-up of a pizza delivery man.

North Port’s Missing ‘Woobie’ Case Resolved

North Port’s case of the missing “woobie” hasn’t exactly been solved, but it has been resolved. That’s thanks to a good Samaritan who stepped in to help.

Find My iPad Feature Led to Burglars’ Downfall: Sheriff

Stealing electronic devices that have self-tracking technology equipped can be a crapshoot. At least that’s what a man and woman from Miami found out on Sunday after Sarasota County Sheriff’s deputies say they swiped an iPad from a woman’s Toyota Rav4.

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