[DeSoto County] – Florida Man should have thought twice before making his “Booty Patrol” Truck look like a law enforcement vehicle. Just last week we already had another Florida Man in a Buccaneers Jersey arrested for impersonating police and pulling over cars. Just yesterday was another story of a Tampa Man cited for a second time for impersonating a Florida Highway Patrol Car. Florida Man must be thinking if you can’t beat them…then join them.
What’s different about this case is the fact that Florida Man painted the words “Booty Patrol” on the sides and back of the truck. This story is more reminiscent of the Florida Man arrested for the “I EAT ASS” bumper sticker he refused to remove. We’ll circle back to that story later.
This story actually started with a Facebook Post from the DeSoto County Sheriff asking for help to identify a vehicle impersonating a law enforcement vehicle. The post was then updated just a day later stating the vehicle and driver were found. A citation for violating FSS 316.2397 was issued to the owner.
The Facebook Reaction to the "Booty Patrol" Truck Citation
The reaction to the post on Facebook was mostly negative. Some were against the citation and the use of tax funds to hunt down the Booty Patrolman.
One respondent sarcastically wrote “What a great way of using county funds”.
Another one replied to that person ” 
can’t even get the teenagers in school to stop selling them and you worried about a truck driving around town with booty patrol. Got yourself a harden criminal there better watch out he might break out the fuzzy handcuffs on ya”.
Another questioned the legality of the citation. “In my opinion, that Fl statute is vague and subjective. He should appeal that citation and hopefully get it dismissed.”
Another one found it as both a waste of money and energy. “I’m sorry, I always support law enforcement. But this is not law enforcement this is control and a waist of tax dollars. Meanwhile check out the violent crime in the county, they won’t to busy harassing people. Just stupid, next it will be motorcycles that have neon lights.”
Most likely there will be updates on this story in the future.
So What Happened to the "I EAT ASS" Florida Man that was Arrested?
Just a day after the arrest, all charges were dropped against “I EAT ASS” Bumper Sticker Florida Man.
The Assistant State Attorney General stated he believed it would be a violation of his First Amendment rights. “Having evaluated the evidence through the prism of Supreme Court precedent it is determined the Defendant has a valid defense to be raised under the First Amendment of our United States Constitution. Given such, a jury would not convict under these facts.”
There was some talk of Florida Man suing the arresting officers, but the case took another turn. A federal judge ruled that the expression might violate Florida’s obscenity law which would be unprotected by the First Amendment.
Almost two and a half years later the the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida awarded qualified immunity to to the arresting officer, which completely killed any lawsuit Florida Man had.
I will definitely be interesting to see if anything comes from this case. Florida Man may be crazy, but he still has the protection of the Constitution like every other American.
