Brain-Eating Amoebas, Gator Attacks, Mayoral Carjacking: Weird Florida

Patch operates 23 daily news sites in Florida. The following are some of the more unusual, wacky and just plain weird stories that had people talking this summer:

Florida Confirms Brain-Eating Amoeba Case

On the heels of an 11-year-old South Carolina girl’s death due to Naegleria fowleri, or the brain-eating amoeba, a resident of Broward County has been hospitalized with the condition. The Florida Department of Health confirmed the localized case this week.

Alligator Kills Florida Woman’s Dog

A Florida woman is mourning the loss of her 1-year-old Jack Russell terrier after a fatal encounter with an alligator at Pinellas County’s Joe’s Creek Greenway Park.

Woman Accused of Dumping Soup on Boyfriend Arrested

A 41-year-old woman wanted on an attempted murder charge after her boyfriend suffered serious burns following a Sunday morning argument is now in custody.

Krispy Kreme Doughnut Glaze Mix-Up Led to Meth Arrest, Man Says

That sticky, sweet glaze that makes Krispy Kreme doughnuts so hard to pass by (especially when the bright red “Hot Now” light is illuminated in a store window) can also lead to a case of mistaken identity. At least that’s the contention of an Orlando man, who says he was falsely arrested last year after a cop thought doughnut glaze flakes were crystal meth.

‘Mac and Cheese Boy’ Arrested in Florida

The University of Connecticut's Mac and Cheese boy has been arrested again. This time, however, the New Yorker was far from home.

Mayor Of City Where Trayvon Martin Died Carjacked

The small Florida city cast into the national spotlight following the 2012 shooting death of unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin is once again making headlines. This time, it’s Sanford's own mayor, Jeff Triplett, at the center of the story.

911 Call: Alligator Found With Human Body In Mouth

As Lakeland Police continue to investigate the death of a person found in an alligator’s jaws in Lake Hunter on Tuesday, the 911 call reporting the grisly discovery has been released.

Man Nicknamed ‘Pork Chop’ Buried Boss Alive: Deputies

Whether Johnny Paycheck’s “Take This Job and Shove It” was an earworm running through a Florida man’s head on Wednesday morning remains unclear. What is clear is that the 32-year-old DeBary man faces felony charges after Volusia County deputies say he dumped two loads of dirt on his boss following an argument.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission