September 5 – Florida Man Brings a Little Scrooge to the Holiday Season

An unnamed man went to the Cape Coral Festival of Lights, but had no plans of sharing any holiday cheer. Instead, he chose to carry a sign that claimed there is no Santa Claus. He also shouted to parents that they needed to quit lying to their children.

Parents were most unhappy with his choices. While his comments and opinions are covered under the protection of free speech, one does wonder about his contribution to a message of “truth” in terms of communication between parents and children.

The holidays can be a tough time for folks. The man may be struggling with difficult emotions, brought on by isolation, and may have chosen to spread the misery around a bit. It’s an indication of the challenges of life in a free society that his message was protected.

However, it does leave many parents feeling frustrated about his decision to use this venue to share his message. If he had the time to make up a sign and attend the event, he also had the time to make a different choice. His energy and efforts could have been spent on a more positive message. He could have used his resources for the benefit of a family struggling to afford some holiday cheer.

The man was not approached by police. Simply sharing an inappropriate message in front of children was not a crime. Police suggest that, had the man used a megaphone and tried to incite a riot or start a brawl, he could have been in legal trouble. Sadly, demonstrating your choice to be a Grinch by carrying a sign and shouting is not a criminal act.

As possible, it’s important for those who have enough to share a little holiday cheer with those in need. Many find that giving offers more joy than receiving. If helping others is not possible, it’s important to not steal holiday joy from children.

See Also:

• Florida Man Stories – September 4
• Florida Man Chronicle – September 3
• Florida Man Report – September 2

September 5 – Florida Woman Wrecks Car Driving Drunk on Way to Buy More Wine

Alcohol has never been a good tool to help people make better behavioral choices, or to drive more accurately. Lisa Lehman create a lot of trouble for herself by heading to the store for more wine while drunk.

Lehman was arrested after hitting and driving away from another car in the parking lot of a Publix store in Cape Coral, Florida. She faces charges of driving under the influence and hit and run. The owner of the damaged vehicle found the damage after an early morning shopping trip.

As the owner of the damaged car was making her report to police, Lehman returned. It was then that Lehman admitted to hitting the car and leaving the scene. Officers observed that she was having balance problems. Her breath also smelled of alcohol.

EMS was called and Lehman was checked out by paramedics. Lehman then failed a field sobriety test with police. Her vehicle had an empty Chardonnay bottle rolling around and a full bottle of Moscato, recently purchased from Publix.

Drinking to the point of being unable to drive is a common, unfortunate choice. Had she planned ahead, Lehman could have saved herself a lot of hassle and pain. Because she drove away from the accident, she could face a fine of up to $500. Jail time is also possible.

Fines for a first DUI in Florida can be as much as $2,000 but usually tops out at $1,000. It’s unknown if this is Lehman’s first DUI. Drivers should be aware that if someone is hurt in either a hit and run or the DUI, fines and jail time will go up.