Florida Man: Best of 2015

The suspected perpetrator of odd crimes, boneheaded stunts and acts so bizarre they boggle the mind, Florida Man is a legend whose fame is known far and wide. His notoriety is so great, in fact, there’s even a movie dedicated in his honor and a Twitter account established in his name.

True to form, Florida Man was busy in 2015, very busy. Here’s a look back at some of the many ways Florida Man managed to make national and international headlines over the past year. To be fair, there are also a few Florida Woman mentions and remembrance of a Florida Couple in action.

Watch: Armed Robber Smacks into Closed Elevator Doors

A quick in-and-out armed robbery of an elderly woman on an elevator didn’t turn out quite as the perpetrator planned courtesy of doors that closed faster than the accused bad guy worked.

11-Foot Gator Eats Burglar

A 22-year-old man reportedly out to burglarize a few homes in Brevard County found out the hard way that crime doesn’t pay.

Florida Man Dances on Cop Car, Goes to Jail

A 44-year-old Cape Coral man remained behind bars Thursday weeks after he was caught on camera dancing on top of a Lee County Sheriff’s deputy’s marked SUV.

Man Wore French Maid Costume to Meet Prostitute, Deputies Say

A 68-year-old Lakeland man donned a French maid costume and chastity belt under street clothing and rode a bicycle to meet up with a prostitute. Once there, he asked to be “dominated.”

That’s according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, whose deputies gladly obliged but not in the way the man likely anticipated. The man’s call girl as it turned out was an undercover detective who charged him with solicitation of prostitution following their brief encounter.

Man Calls 911 About Slow Deputy

When a 29-year-old Immokalee man was pulled over for running a stop sign Monday, he probably didn’t figure the exchange would wind up with a trip to jail.

Man Wearing ‘Dope’ Shirt Arrested on Drug Charges

When Sarasota Police officers watched a car run a stop sign early Sunday morning, they probably expected a routine encounter. That’s not what they got.

Man Tried to Ransom Stolen Car Back to Owner, Cops Say

A Florida man faces grand theft auto charges after police say he swiped an old Toyota and then tried to sell it back to its owner about two weeks later.

3rd DUI Arrested for Man in Motorized Wheelchair

While most people charged with DUI are found intoxicated behind the wheel of a car or truck, it seems hitting the road drunk while operating a motorized wheelchair can produce the same result.

Man Blamed Dog for Drunk Driving, Deputies Say

A Palmetto man’s attempt to blame his dog for erratic driving after a lengthy pursuit by Manatee County Sheriff’s deputies didn’t go over so well for him Wednesday evening.

Gun Toting ‘Pirate’ Arrested in Florida Keys

Tampa Bay’s Jose Gaspar might be Florida’s “most notorious pirate,” but he’s getting a little competition out of South Florida.

Florida Woman

Not to be left out, Florida Woman also made her share of headlines in 2015. Here are just a few of the times she had people talking:

Periscope App Led Cops to Accused Drunk Driver

Driving under the influence is a bad idea. Live streaming the alleged action as it unfolds is even less wise.

Police: Woman Texted ‘Driving Drunk Woo’ Before Fatal Crash

A jilted girlfriend out on the town following a breakup texted her boyfriend minutes before a fatal crash that would lead to the death of one of her friends.

3,700 Bladed Weapons Found in ‘Booby Trapped’ Home

When Hernando County deputies had to deploy bean bag rounds twice, call in negotiators and use a Taser to bring a Brooksville woman into custody Tuesday evening, they probably knew nothing about the case would be easy.

Chances are, however, they didn’t anticipate finding more than 3,000 bladed weapons jammed into a woman’s home.

Mom Brought Heroin to Daycare, Cops Say

A 30-year-old St. Petersburg mother is accused of dropping her toddlers off at daycare and then partaking in a little heroin outside.

And, sometimes, Florida Man and Florida Woman get together to make news:

Sex on the Beach Couple Found Guilty

It only took a jury 15 minutes of deliberation to find a Bradenton couple accused of having sex on a beach back in July guilty on two counts each of lewd and lascivious behavior.

Screenshot from “Florida Man,” the movie on Vimeo