Two women apparently decided to turn their shopping trip into a wine tasting event June 19, 2013

Not the average place you would go out to have a drink. Deputies say two women were arrested Friday for drinking wine inside a Wal-Mart.

According to the arrest report, Alicia Potter and Megan Beck took wine from the shelf and started drinking it while walking around the store.

Both women were taken out of the store– as they yelled and cursed at the people nearby.

The report says that Potter was pepper sprayed because she kicked and fought deputies while they tried to put her into the patrol car.

Both were arrested for disorderly intoxication and were taken to the Naples Jail Center.

Arson bust: Mom, son accused of setting fire to granny’s vacant house

A Winter Haven mother and her son have been arrested for arson after they set fire to a vacant home on 21st. St., SW in Winter Haven.

On 6-10-13 at approximately 2:18 a.m., Winter Haven Fire units responded to a residential fire at 440 21st St., SW in Winter Haven. At the same time, officers were investigating a suspicious vehicle just one block away. The occupants of the vehicle were mother and son Tamara Wesson (DOB 12-31-70) and John Marshall Nelson (DOB 10-28-93) both of 151 Lake Thomas Dr., Winter Haven. The mother and son had just been seen by independent witnesses walking out of a driveway along 20th St., SW, which had direct access to the back yard of the home that was currently on fire.

Officers continued to interview the pair, but were unable to confirm the reason they were in the area. Through interviews with the neighbors, it was discovered that the pair had previously lived at the residence that was on fire. Officers located a crowbar and some rubber gloves inside of the vehicle that Wesson and Nelson were in, which raised more suspicion. Wesson and Nelson were ultimately arrested for Loitering and Prowling.

Further investigation concluded that the mother of Wesson (grandmother of Nelson), Clara Ann Harms of Winter Haven, owned the vacant home that was on fire, which was currently in foreclosure.

Detectives began a criminal investigation into the fire, ultimately resulting in the arrest of Wesson and Nelson for Second Degree Arson of an Unoccupied Dwelling and Burglary. The pair remain booked in the Polk County Jail without bond.

Drunken bicyclist fled cops ……. while making a siren noise

A bicyclist who witnesses said was drunk and repeatedly falling off his bike into traffic was arrested on multiple charges after an officer confronted him and he fled on the bike while making a siren noise with his mouth.

Gainesville Police Department Officer Michael Cavett spotted 57-year old Scott R. Morse of Gainesville as Morse was traveling east on the north side of Archer Road near Butler Plaza. Morse was arguing with bystanders and fell off his bicycle while Cavett watched.

The officer tried to stop Morse using his car lights and siren, but when he exited his police car, Morse mounted his bicycle, made his own siren noise and fled east into westbound traffic.

Cavett gave chase as Morse sprinted north on Southwest 34th Street, with the officer eventually intercepting Morse in the 3400 block of Windmeadows Boulevard. Cavett exited his vehicle and tackled Morse as he turned onto the grass median, according to a statement released by police spokesman Officer Ben Tobias.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Bryon Carroll, a former GPD officer was driving down Archer Road when he saw police lights flashing up ahead. As he got closer he observed Morse fighting with Cavett and immediately activated his own lights and jumped out to help. Together the two officers handcuffed Morse as he resisted and threw punches at Cavett and Carroll, police reported.

“I just did what any offer would do,” Carroll said Tuesday in a phone interview. “I saw the guy fighting an officer and jumped in to help.”

Morse had a baggie of marijuana in his pocket and a marijuana pipe in a cup on his bike, police said. At one point Morse screamed “I surrender!” before intentionally slamming his head into the patrol car, police reported, and was “Ripp Hobbled” by the officers — a restraining technique used to transport violent offenders.

Morse was charged with possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting an officer with and without violence, and fleeing and eluding police. He was booked into the Alachua County jail, where he remained Tuesday without bond.

Man, 87, allegedly shot stepson in the face for being a ‘moocher’ …. so be forewarned!

A North Fort Myers man is facing an attempted murder charge after deputies say he shot his stepson in the face for being a “moocher.”

William Calvin Crow, 87, is also facing a conspiracy charge and a weapons charge, and he remains in custody at the Lee County Jail. He was charged Monday, but the incident occurred on June 11.

The victim, identified as Craig Barton, 54, survived the shooting.

Deputies responded to a residence on Blue Skies Drive and learned Crow and Barton had been involved in a fight the night before.

Investigators said Barton was sitting under the carport when Crow approached him, pulled a .25 caliber gun and fired several shots at Barton’s face and neck, according to a Lee County Sheriff’s Office report.

Barton then tried to grab the gun from Crow, and the two struggled until Barton took the gun away and threw it into the yard.

Both men were transported to Lee Memorial Hospital for care, and Crow was later taken into custody.

Crow told investigators he was tired of Barton being a “moocher” and was upset over his stepson’s heavy drinking, according to the report.

Man beaten, robbed, left naked on first date with ‘Tree’ … what kind of name is Tree?

Flagler County Sheriff’s detectives are investigating Friday night’s robbery of a Holly Hill man that occurred in a rural area of western Flagler County.

The victim, Shaun Williams, 34, told deputies that a woman he met two weeks prior had picked him up in Daytona Beach Friday night to go on their first date. Williams said the woman had two other men in her car when she picked him up. The woman told Williams one of the men was her brother and that she had to drop him off at his house after which she would take Williams to dinner. The woman drove around for several minutes eventually ending up on a small side road of off West State Road 100 in Bunnell. The woman then backed the vehicle down a small side road into an empty cow pasture.

Williams told deputies he got out of the vehicle and was then hit in the face with a hard metal object and fell to the ground. One of the males then told Williams to give him all his money and clothes. Williams asked the man if he was serious. The man then pointed a handgun at him. Williams then emptied his pockets, took off all of his clothing, and turned everything over to the man. The woman and two men then fled leaving Williams standing naked on the side of the road.

Deputies found Williams bloodied and naked walking along West State Road 100 near County Road 205 in Bunnell. Williams was taken to Florida Hospital Flagler where he was treated for several minor injuries.

And …. more and more bizarre …. Boat captain grabbed machete; crew jumped overboard June 18, 2013

A Sunday boating trip down the Ocklawaha River ended with four people abandoning ship after they said the vessel’s operator got upset and went for a machete.

It was unclear what set off Rex Crews, 51, but it was enough that the four passengers on the boat, including Crews’ daughter, decided it was safer in the water, according to Marion County Sheriff’s Office reports.

The four were picked up by a passing boat and the sheriff’s helicopter was able to spot Crews’ boat near Moss Bluff. Crews docked the boat and ran into the woods. He was eventually caught by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers and charged with boating under the influence.

Crews was booked into the Marion County Jail, from which he was released Monday morning after posting a $500 bond.

And dumber than dumb ….. Man accused of bringing boy, 6, to drug deal

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man who brought a six-year-old boy with him as he and a friend drove to a north Sarasota home to buy drugs.

Deputies conducted a traffic stop on a white pickup truck just after 10:00 p.m., Friday night. The vehicle had just left a residence at Dixie Avenue and Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd., and ran a stop sign as it left the area. When deputies approached the vehicle they found Fallon Miller, DOB 2/10/81 (driver, no permanent address), passenger Gregory Wagner, DOB 4/28/65, 3735 Aloha Drive, Sarasota, and the child sitting between them.

Deputies noticed Miller had put crack cocaine in her mouth in an attempt to conceal the drugs and after a short struggle the small white was collected as evidence. Miller admitted hiding a crack pipe beneath the child and acknowledged her driver’s license was suspended.

The area where the drug deal occurred has had a number of narcotics-related violent crimes recently and Wagner knowingly put the six-year-old child at risk. Wagner is charged with Child Abuse and being Principle to Possession of Cocaine. Miller is charged with Possession of Cocaine, Tampering with Evidence, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Driving While License is Suspended.

Deputies called a family member to take custody of the child and reported the incident to DCF. This is Wagner’s 17th arrest in Sarasota County and Miller’s 22nd local arrest.

And … even more dangerous …. Boy, 9, found loaded Glock in movie theater bathroom

A 9-year-old boy found a loaded handgun inside an Ybor City movie theater bathroom on Father’s Day.

The gun was a Glock 26 9-mm.

“My son opened the door and immediately said dad there’s a gun in the bathroom,” recounted Wesley Noland, the boy’s father.

Noland was at the Muvico theater in Centro Ybor with his two sons to see the new Superman movie.

He said the weapon was sitting on top of the toilet paper dispenser.

“When I was in the bathroom there were two other fathers and three kids and the theater was very busy and the place was full of kids and families.”

Noland, an ex-Marine who has a Concealed Weapons Permit, said he immediately secured the handgun and called police.

On Monday, he told 10 News his biggest fear was that the wrong person could have found the handgun.

“That the gun could have been picked up by a child, or it could have been picked up by a convicted felon or a rowdy group of teenagers or something like that. But in any case, it could have been used in a crime or accidentally discharged and it could have killed somebody in the theater — worst of all a kid.”

Police now have the gun and are searching for its owner.

But even if the owner had a permit and left it by mistake, the person could still face charges.

“We believe that this would meet the standard of willful and wanton disregard for the safety of others, to leave a loaded weapon where a child — and in this case a 9-year-old found the gun — that certainly put others at risk and we’re just thankful that a very responsible abiding law abiding citizen found the gun and did the right thing,” said Tampa Police Spokesperson Laura McElroy.

“I think the gentleman should be punished. He should have to answer for what he did. He put a lot of people’s live in jeopardy yesterday,” said Noland.

“Like what my dad said, if a kid could pick that up then [someone] could have gotten killed or shot on Father’s Day which could have been like a horrifying fact,” added Zane Noland, the boy who found the gun.

Noland said the theater manager told him the owner returned about 90 minutes after they called police. But authorities had already left with the gun.

When reached for comment about the incident, Muvico’s Chief Operating Officer James E. Herd, Jr. issued a statement to 10 News saying:

“We are currently investigating the incident along with our risk management consultants and the appropriate law enforcement department. Safety is of the utmost priority at Muvico Theaters and we take all incidents seriously.  We continue to monitor and enhance our procedures and work closely with our management, as well as our risk consultants to ensure the safety of our guests and employees at all times.”

God … these people are getting weird .. Man ran to woman walking outside while fondling and exposing himself

A Fort Pierce man allegedly exposed and fondled himself while he ran toward a woman as she was walking along a street and grabbed her clothes, according to an arrest affidavit, reports TCPalm.com in Stuart.

The woman kicked the stranger, later identified as Nafredrick Altwon Robinson, 20, before calling the cops, who found him a short time later, according to the report.

Thank goodness.

Mom was ‘”passed out” while naked kids wandered into street June 17, 2013

A 23-year-old woman was arrested after two of her children, 3-year-old and a 2-year-old, were found naked in the street while she was “passed out” in the house.

According to a Niceville Police Department report, Christina Marie Cook was “passed out” due to being drunk when the children wandered into 21st Street without any clothes. A neighbor found the kids and watched them until officers arrived.

When they went inside they found Cook with a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old, both of whom were naked, awake and crying. They also found feces and a “large amount of urine” in the bedroom.

Cook’s roommate said she’d been drinking heavily the past three weeks and he mostly took care of the kids.

She was charged with felony child neglect and has a June 25 court date.