Dead Bat In Salad, Flight From Cops: Weird Florida

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:

Man Passed Out, Needle In Hand, In Store Bathroom

A 29-year-old Sarasota man’s alleged decision to do cocaine in a convenience store bathroom Friday morning ended with a trip to jail. According to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the man was found by deputies passed out in a bathroom stall with a needle still in his hand.

Man’s Flight From Cops Leaves 2 People Injured

A 44-year-old Holiday man faces a long list of criminal charges after Tarpon Springs Police say a routine traffic stop Tuesday afternoon took a few wild turns. According to police, Christopher Charles Milland fled from officers, caused a crash that left two people injured and fled again before finally being brought into custody.

Dead Bat In Walmart-Sold Salad Prompts Florida Recall

Floridians who purchase pre-packaged salads may want to check their crispers for a particular brand. Fresh Express has issued a recall of certain brands of salad after two people were recommended for post-exposure rabies treatment after a dead bat was found in a bag of salad they bought in a Florida grocery store, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Wild Crime Spree Ends At Gunpoint

A 48-year-old man faces a long list of criminal charges after Pasco County deputies say he kept them and residents of a Hudson condominium complex hopping on Friday morning.

Mom Smoked Crack Moments Before Giving Birth: Cops

A baby boy whose life got off to a rocky start on Monday is in stable condition at a local hospital. His mother, however, now faces child neglect charges after Clearwater Police say she smoked crack cocaine moments before giving birth to the child on the porch of a Cleveland Street. She is then accused of trying to hide the newborn from her friend and authorities.

Fake Cop Followed Woman Home: Deputies

A 55-year-old Bradenton man faces criminal charges after Sarasota County deputies say he followed a spa owner home over the weekend and then proceeded to rob her. The man is also accused of passing himself off as a police officer while visiting the woman’s Sarasota spa on previous occasions and during the alleged attack.

Girl Punched Shark That Bit Her In Florida Waters

A 17-year-old girl from Louisville, Kentucky, is on the mend after a close encounter with a shark in Gulf of Mexico waters Sunday. The young tourist reportedly punched the critter after it took a hold of her legs.

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