Florida man rides manatee, dares police to arrest him, gets arrested


It is illegal to harass manatees, but that didn't stop James Roy Massengale Jr., 47, from jumping in an Islamorada, Florida, creek in an attempt to make some aquatic friends. When some passing witnesses saw the scene, they informed Massengale it is illegal to harass manatees; Massengale, The Independent reports, clarified his intentions: "I'm riding it!"
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation officials arrived to find the man "reaching for, touching, and lying over top of manatees in the creek." Again informed that what he was doing was illegal, Massengale reportedly began chanting "take me to jail" over and over again.
Unsurprisingly, officers took him to jail.
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Massengale's adventure stuck him with a $25,000 bond, mainly for being uncooperative.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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