This Week on Weird and Wacky Wednesdays: Some People Are Just Jerks
Welcome to this week’s edition of Weird and Wacky Wednesdays, where we spotlight individuals whose jerkish actions have landed them in legal hot water. This week, we focus on cases that exemplify sheer audacity and disregard for others.
Florida Man Impersonates Officer for Free Fast Food
In October 2012, Joseph Pineda, a 33-year-old from St. Petersburg, Florida, attempted to obtain free food from a McDonald’s drive-thru by impersonating a police officer. Pineda claimed he had just completed a law enforcement operation, displayed fake badges, and stated he had forgotten his wallet. Suspicious employees contacted authorities. Upon arrival, deputies discovered two counterfeit police badges and a handgun in Pineda’s vehicle. He was arrested and charged with impersonating a police officer and improper exhibition of a firearm.
Chimney Sweeps Accused of Planting Dead Birds for Profit
Between July 2017 and April 2019, Martin Price and his son Luke, operating as chimney sweeps in the UK, allegedly engaged in fraudulent activities by planting dead birds and nests in customers’ chimneys to charge for their removal. They also purportedly sold unnecessary chimney cowls and left work incomplete. Both men faced charges of conspiracy to defraud and appeared in court in December 2021.
Georgia Man’s Home Taken Over by Squatters
In March 2024, Paul Callins of DeKalb County, Georgia, returned home after caring for his ill wife to find that squatters had moved into his residence. The intruders had changed the locks and presented a fraudulent lease when confronted. Local laws complicated the eviction process, requiring Callins to file an “Affidavit of Intruder,” leading to a prolonged legal battle to reclaim his property. In the end he succeeded to have them evicted but only after years of protracted legal steps. When he finally got into his home, as you can imagine it was a disgusting mess.
These cases remind us that some people are jerks. And of course, being a jerk can lead to serious legal consequences.
See you next week!
