FL 'Santa Claus' kills dogs with rifle • FL man hurls sandwich at Wawa worker • FL toddler ejected from car
A Florida man described as looking like Santa Claus is accused of shooting and killing a dog, a Florida man was arrested for allegedly chucking a sandwich at a Wawa employee because it was uncooked, a toddler was thrown from a car after a driver ran a red light, and a Florida man burglarized a home after the homeowner let him in for a beer: Here's FOX 35's Week in Review.
Florida 'Santa Claus' kills dog with rifle after 911 calls about 'aggressive' behavior go unnoticed: affidavit
Photo: St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office
A Florida man who, according to a witness, bears a resemblance to "Santa Claus," was arrested after he allegedly shot and killed a dog with a rifle, per an arrest affidavit from the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office.
Joseph Seale, 61, was arrested and charged with discharging a firearm into public or residential property, use or display of a firearm during a felony and three counts of felony animal cruelty after the incident that unfolded in Fort Pierce on Dec. 12, according to arrest records.
Deputies arrived to the 3200 block of Avenue D in Fort Pierce that afternoon in reference to a dog being shot, according to the affidavit obtained by FOX 35. The caller described the alleged shooter as an "older white male who looks like ‘Santa Claus (sic),'" adding that he came through the woods from Metzger Road and shot the dog with a rifle.
A neighbor told deputies that the alleged shooter, identified as Seale, lives at a nearby house and heard three to four gunshots coming from the area where the dog was shot and killed, the affidavit said. The neighbor also said he reportedly heard Seale say "he was going to take care of business."
When deputies began looking into Seale, they found 911 call history from a man named "Joe" who "threatened to shoot and kill the dogs," the affidavit said. Deputies made contact with Seale, placed him into handcuffs and read him his Miranda Rights.
Seale agreed to speak with deputies, and told them that he called 911 several times about the "aggressive dogs" at the nearby abandoned house, but nothing was ever done about it.
Florida man chucks spicy Nashville Hot chicken at Wawa employee because it was 'uncooked': deputies
Photo: Pinellas County Sheriff's Office
A late-night food craving for one Florida man landed him behind bars after he allegedly hurled a piece of chicken coated in Nashville Hot seasoning at an employee after he was unsatisfied with how it was cooked, deputies said.
Daniel Palomino III was arrested Sunday and charged with simple battery after the incident that unfolded at a Wawa in St. Petersburg at around 1:20 a.m., according to an arrest affidavit from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
The 32-year-old man ordered food, but when he got it, he was reportedly "upset" because "he believed that it was not cooked completely," the affidavit said. That's when he confronted an employee about the "uncooked food" and allegedly threw the piece of chicken at them. The chicken was coated with a Nashville Hot seasoning that got in the victim's eye, deputies said.
'Pay attention': Toddler thrown from car after driver runs red light, causing crash in Ocala, police say
A 3-year-old girl was thrown from her mother's car after another driver crashed into their car after running a red light in Ocala Tuesday night, according to police.
She was taken to Shands Hospital in Gainesville where she is reportedly in stable condition.
The Ocala Police Department said the two-vehicle crash happened shortly after 8:30 p.m. at the intersection of U.S. 441 and NW 35th St.
A 35-year-old woman was driving a red Acura ILX northbound on U.S. 441 when she ran the traffic signal and t-boned a gray Toyota Scion being driven by the child's 24-year-old mother, police said.
The impact of the collision caused the child to be ejected. Though there was a car seat in the Scion, the young girl was not restrained in the seat, officers said.
Florida man burglarizes house after homeowner lets him in for a beer, deputies say
Photo: Marion County Sheriff's Office
A Florida man has found himself behind bars after he allegedly burglarized a man's home after he was let inside for a beer, according to deputies.
Bruce Hudson, 38, was arrested Thursday and charged with burglary with assault or battery, criminal mischief, aggravated assault with the intent to commit a felony and larceny grand theft after the incident that unfolded at a home in Umatilla last week, according to an arrest affidavit from the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies responded to the home on 248th Terrace on Wednesday in reference to a possible burglary. The homeowner said an unknown man was walking in front of his house and asked him if he could have something to drink because he was thirsty, according to the affidavit. The victim invited the man into his home to grab him some water, but the man asked for a beer instead.
When the homeowner went back into the kitchen to get the beer, Hudson allegedly went into the man's bedroom and started going through his things, the affidavit said.
The homeowner told Hudson to stop, to which he replied with a swift fist to the nose, according to the affidavit. The homeowner briefly went outside to alert his neighbors and ask for help, and that's when Hudson allegedly grabbed a mallet-style hammer and ripped a hole into the wall. He also shattered a glass end table, the affidavit said.
Hudson allegedly threatened the homeowner with the hammer when he was confronted, but ultimately ran out of the back door with a bag and several other items, the affidavit said. Among the items Hudson allegedly snatched were the homeowner's immigration papers, passport, laptop, iPad, three watches and a gold ring.
Deputies found the bag in the front yard. The rest of the items – and Hudson – were found at a neighbor and friend's house, who contacted the sheriff's office. Deputies then caught up with Hudson, who placed the blame on the homeowner for starting the fight, according to the affidavit. He also denied taking anything from his house.
In a separate encounter with deputies, after they had found the homeowner's stolen items, Hudson changed his statement and said he was set up by his friend "Frankie," the affidavit said.