Witness Tampering, Brain-Eating Amoeba, Fish Tale: Weird Florida

Patch operates 23 daily news sites in Florida. The following are some of the more wacky, wonderful or just plain weird stories from the past few weeks:

Drive-By Shooting Meant to Stop Parents’ Testimony: Sheriff

A 20-year-old New Port Richey man’s troubles with law enforcement took a turn for the worse Thursday morning when Pasco County deputies say he fired shots at his parents’ home to prevent them from testifying against him in a grand theft case.

Woman Accused of Torching Car Thought It Was Her Ex’s: Cops

The search for an accused arsonist has ended in the arrest of a 19-year-old woman. The woman, Clearwater Police say, torched a car last weekend, because she thought it belonged to her ex-boyfriend.

Two-Headed Alligator (Statue) Turning Heads in Seminole Heights

An unusual sight along North Nebraska Avenue is making folks who pass by question their eyes. After all, a two-headed alligator isn’t exactly something people see every day.

Man Wearing Handcuffs Turns Himself In: Deputies Say

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrest of a man its deputies say slipped away from custody with handcuffs still on after a Tuesday night traffic stop.

Woman Stole $85K from Girl Scouts: Sarasota Sheriff

A 42-year-old Sarasota woman faces criminal charges after deputies say she left a trail of evidence behind while allegedly swiping nearly $85,000 from the Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida.

Florida Man’s $2.8 Million Marlin Might Get Away

A Florida man might not get to reel in a cool $2.8 million prize from Ocean City, Maryland’s White Marlin Open after all. Organizers of the annual tournament say there’s something fishy about the catch and have refused to pay out the proceeds, according to court documents.

Brain-Eating Amoeba: Florida Teen Defies the Odds

The 16-year-old Broward County boy who contracted Naegleria fowleri, also known as the brain-eating amoeba, earlier this month has defied the odds. Sebastian DeLeon is the fourth person in the United States to have survived a run-in with the deadly amoeba in the past 50 years.

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