Banana Brouhaha, Taliban ‘Joke,’ Unwanted Hug

Patch operates 24 daily news sites in the Tampa Bay area and surrounding counties. The following are some of the more unusual, wacky, wonderful or just plain weird stories that have had people talking over the past few weeks:

Taliban Bomb ‘Joke’ Lands Florida Man In Jail

A 48-year-old Clearwater man is in hot water after his alleged attempt at humor was deemed as anything but funny by Largo Police.

Banana Brouhaha Leads To Man’s Arrest

A Monday morning dispute between two men took a violent turn when Pasco County deputies say one revved his engine, moved his vehicle forward and pinned the other.

Not-So-Great Aunt Left Baby With Stranger: Deputies

A 48-year-old Bradenton woman faces child neglect charges after Sarasota County Sheriff’s deputies say she left her 2-week-old great niece in the care of a stranger she met at Bee Ridge Park.

Bed Bug Infestations Earn Tampa National Ranking

Mosquitoes might not be the only nasty, pesky, biting bugs for folks in the Tampa Bay area to worry about. Terminix on Friday released its list of top 20 bed bug-infested cities across the country. Tampa was the only Florida town to earn the dubious placement.

Unwanted Hug Lands Man Behind Bars

A 48-year-old Hudson man faces criminal charges after Pasco County deputies say gave a woman a hug in a Holiday parking lot Monday night. While that might not seem like a major offense, deputies also say Jerry Lee Campbell forced his way into the driver’s seat of the woman’s vehicle to deliver the embrace. She was sitting in it at the time.

McDonald’s ATM Hauled Off By 3 Masked Men

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is on the hunt for three men accused of forcing their way into a McDonald’s Wednesday morning and then helping themselves to the store’s ATM.

Starbucks’ Up-Skirt Peeper Foiled By Flash: Deputies

A 48-year-old Tampa man’s decision to turn on his flash while taking photos in Palm Harbor Starbucks on Monday evidently did more than illuminate his intended subject. According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the action tipped off an employee that the man was allegedly taking up-skirt photos of a customer.