Monkey Attack, Deadly Parasite, Tarnished Life: 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:

Florida Man Dances In Street, Goes To Jail

A 57-year-old Holiday man’s decision to dance in public landed him on the wrong side of the law Thursday evening. It’s not necessarily that Pasco County deputies were opposed to Edward Anthony Rose Jr.’s moves, it was his venue of choice that raised alarm bells.

Florida Man Cashed In On Wife’s Frozen Body: Feds

The heirs of a Sun City Center man accused of putting his wife in a deep chill after her 2002 death so he could keep collecting her Social Security checks have reached an agreement with federal authorities. The sale of Allan Dunn’s condo resulted in the Social Security Administration’s recovery of more than $15,000 of the estimated $92,088 the man was accused of swiping, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Wild Monkeys ‘Attack’ Family At Florida Park (Video)

A family’s recent visit to Ocala’s Silver Springs took a wild turn when they encountered some of the park’s most famous inhabitants. It seems the resident rhesus macaques were none too happy to have human visitors and they made it quite clear by growling, hissing and chasing people away.

Florida Man Fires BB Gun At Deputies Gets Shot: Sheriff

As the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate a Monday night shooting involving two of its own, the agency has released more details about the case.

Potentially Deadly Parasite Found In Florida Counties

University of Florida researchers have found evidence of a potentially deadly parasite in five counties across the state, including Hillsborough. The study was designed to determine the geographic distribution of the rat lungworm, which is known to cause meningitis in humans.

Man Who Helped Lost Girl Says His Life Is ‘Tarnished’ By Facebook Shaming

A 39-year-old Lakeland man called out on Facebook as a “child molester” after he tried to help a lost toddler reunite with her family says his life has been tainted by the experience. What was intended to be an act of kindness was mistaken as an abduction attempt. While police believed him, the child’s parents and their friends did not.

No Sad, Silent Trump For Disney’s Hall Of Presidents: Report

A petition drive that garnered more than 14,000 signatures wasn’t enough to get Walt Disney World to break a tradition that began during the Clinton Administration. A spokeswoman for the Florida theme park announced over the weekend that the animatronic being made for President Donald Trump’s entry in its Hall of Presidents will have a fully functional voice box.