Posted on 08/07/2025 5:59:49 AM PDT by Red Badger
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. -- A 42-year-old Fort Walton Beach man was arrested on July 29 for burglary at Florida Power & Light on September 8, 2024.
The Fort Walton Beach Police Department responded to a reported burglary on Hollywood Boulevard NW around 4:35 a.m.
Officers say an employee reported a power outage affecting approximately 5,600 clients since 1:30 a.m.
The outage resulted in multiple hours of overtime for FPL employees working to restore service.
During the investigation, officers recovered a cold can of alcohol at the scene, which was submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for forensic analysis. The DNA results identified Michael Hall as a suspect.
Detectives interviewed Hall, and the combination of DNA evidence and the interview led to his arrest.
Hall faces charges for tampering with critical infrastructure under Florida State Statute 812.141 (2)(b).
He is currently being held in Okaloosa County jail with a $2000 bond.
Florida Man: Hold muh beer Ping!..............
Not sure this quite qua,ifies for Florida man story. If it were true Florida man story, the perp woulda freaked over the power going out, and called 911 for help, and asked for cops to bring a pizza with them because he was hungry.
The cold can of beer though certainly ly elevates it to almost Florida man legend though. Now, if he had ridden a lawn mower through the building while robbing the place....
A burglary resulted in a power outage?.....I’m not making the connection 🤷
That is a rough looking 42.
Alcohol will do that to ya!......................
Yeah, you’re probably a serious alky if you have to have a beer with you while stealing copper from a substation. Yikes!
Also,
>The DNA results identified Michael Hall as a suspect.
This guy had already had run-ins with the law if his DNA was on file.
Yes.................
While I haven’t spent much time in FWB, I’ve spent a fair amount of time next door in Walton County. No, FWB is not in Walton County, oddly. But Destin, Miramar, and the 30A area are, which is where I’ve been some.
Based on my limited interactions talking with sheriff’s deputies at events we go to, and the general feel of the place, this is NOT a good area to be a low life. The deputies are on top of things, have the support of the community, etc. This is NOT a Dem urban area, but the FL Panhandle, a strong Trump area.
This guy is headed for some time.
Destin is in Okaloosa County. Maybe you’re thinking San Destin?.................
Yes, and you’re clearly more up on the local political boundaries than I.
Mea culpa, but my point stands anywhere in the area.
My supposition is stealing copper from a substation. Or aluminum.
“FWB is not in Walton County”
Fort Walton Beach:
Doesn’t have a ‘fort’
Not in Walton County.
Doesn’t have a beach.
Why?
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Doesn’t have a ‘fort’
Why?
Town was originally named “Camp Walton” after a Confederate army facility that was established in 1861.
Back in the 1950’s & 60’s Fort Lauderdale was the big tourist hotspot for Spring Breakers, “Where the Boys Are” and other beach oriented movies were the hits with young people of the time.
So the ‘City Fathers’ decided to get in on some of that action and changed the name to “Fort Walton Beach” with the hopes of garnering some tourist dough for themselves.
*************************************************
Not in Walton County.
Why?
It used to be, but is now in Okaloosa County. Why?
Okaloosa County was created by an act passed on September 7, 1915,[3] formed from the eastern ranges of Santa Rosa County and the western ranges of Walton County.
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Doesn’t have a beach.
Why?
The ‘beach’ here is in unincorporated area and is county property, not city. Everything else is US Air Force Property.
“My supposition is stealing copper from a substation. Or aluminum”
I figured something like that but it would’ve been nice if the article actually stated it as fact......a damned shame what passes as journalism nowadays.
All correct, sir!
Your beach is the sand off of Okaloosa Island. One of the finest sands in the state, and easy to get to from the Midwest.
Right now with the Brooks Bridge replacement construction going on, traffic is an absolute mess.
It will be beautiful and efficient when it’s completed, but not for at least another three years.
And when this bridge is completed, the DESTIN Bridge will be time to replace!...................
Fort Walton and Destin are special to me.
Before the death of my dad when I was almost nine, we regularly vacationed in Fort Walton Beach. We always stayed at the Dunes Motel.
My dad loved to fish in Destin and, at nights, we would eat at the Blue Room restaurant.
The last time I visited the Fort Walton area was in 1982. I was eleven and my (then) Stepfather took us for a vacation. It was there that my Stepsister and I discovered MTV and forgot about going to the beach.
I always looked forward to crossing the Brooks Bridge and seeing the “Welcome to Okaloosa Island” sign. We enjoyed shopping at the mall in Mary Esther; I can’t remember the mall’s name.
Now, we vacation in Gulf Shores and have for decades.
"Can of alcohol"???
Bullstuff.
The correct term is probably "beer", but we shouldn't have to guess.
I hate reporters and public affairs creatures.
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