Vendor Throws Hot Dog At Officer, Faces Charges: St. Pete Police

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — A downtown St. Petersburg food vendor threw a hot dog at a police officer who asked him to shut down sales early Saturday morning after a street closure permit expired, authorities said.

Jason Stoll, 47, of New Port Richey was arrested around 12:10 a.m. and charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer without violence.

He was selling hot dogs in the 200 block of Central Avenue Friday night when a street closure permit for the block ended at midnight, requiring him to stop selling food, according to his arrest affidavit.

Despite officers warning him that he was violating a city ordinance by continuing to sell hot dogs, Stoll ignored them and kept taking orders in the street.

“The defendant was asked to put the hot dog down as he continued his attempt to sell it,” the affidavit read. He “became extremely upset and intentionally threw the hot dog” at a police sergeant, hitting him with it.

When Stoll was arrested, he “braced, tensed and pulled away from officers,” according to the affidavit. “He ignored our lawful commands and continued to brace, tense and pull until he was successfully placed under arrest, which required several officers to do so.”