Posted on 11/24/2012 4:12:03 PM PST by nickcarraway
Ana Gloria Garcia Gutierrez, 53, was arrested on a misdemeanor warrant Saturday on the charge of violating Florida’s Manatee Sanctuary Act
A St. Petersburg woman has been charged with violating Florida law by riding a manatee, authorities said.
Ana Gloria Garcia Gutierrez, 53, was arrested on a misdemeanor warrant Saturday on the charge of violating Florida’s Manatee Sanctuary Act. Pinellas County sheriff's deputies say she was photographed riding the manatee at Fort De Soto Park in September.
On Oct. 2, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri held a press conference asking for the public's help in identifying the woman. Gutierrez called deputies and allegedly admitted touching the endangered sea mammal. She told them she was new to the area and didn't know it was illegal to touch a manatee. The manatee was not hurt.
That same month, authorities told Gutierrez that charges would be forwarded to prosecutors, officials said. Officials at the time said the crime may not have been an arrestable offense, because a deputy was not present when it occurred.
Still, the case was referred to the Pasco-Pinellas State Attorney's Office, which conducted a review and issued the misdemeanor arrest warrant, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
The manatee law states it is unlawful “for any person at any time, by any means, or in any manner intentionally or negligently to annoy, molest, harass, or disturb or attempt to molest, harass, or disturb any Manatee."
The maximum penalty is a $500 fine and six months in jail. Gutierrez was released on $1,500 bail
Oh, the Hugh womanatee!
GUILTY!
Manatees wear bathing suits?
She violated a manatee? Oh, the horror!
That is just made for jokes
old news, this happened a few months ago.
I think she got off fairly lightly after apologizing and admitting to stupidity.
She didn’t hurt the manatee.
Oh for pete’s sake. I am so tired of the guardians of the earth!
So what? Probably the most excitement that manatee has had all year.
If the manatee cannot survive, well baby...that’s evolution.
Every time I hear the phrase, “Riding the Manatee” I think of that sex-crazed love poodle, Algore.
F’ her, and the manatee she rode in on!
Amazing, the lengths those Pinellas County treehugging a__holes will go when they are bored.
Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!
Hey, what else can we expect all these public payrollers to do, the sheriff and the good deputies and the public prosecutor and the judge and ...and....
after all, they’ve successfully eliminated all crime in Florida for us, haven’t they?
For humans, yes.
But let's hear from the aggrieved party (the manatee).
There’s a limerick in this somewhere
But the heck with the fine print...she looks like a nice person.;-)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.