POLK COUNTY, Fla.- A Bartow man’s attempt to celebrate Halloween with a free pizza and a new identity landed him in jail after a bizarre encounter with a Polk County Sheriff’s deputy.
31-year-old Mark Worthington decided to spice up his Halloween morning with a visit to a RaceTrac convenience store in Eagle Lake. However, his festive spirit quickly soured when he refused to leave the store despite repeated requests from an employee.
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When a deputy arrived on the scene, Worthington apparently decided it was time to make a quick exit, but not before grabbing a pizza without paying.
Worthington’s attempt to flee was quickly thwarted by the deputy, but the bizarre behavior didn’t stop there. Worthington tried to pass himself off as “Ezekiel,” claiming his birthday was “Halloween.” Unfortunately for him, the deputy wasn’t buying it and quickly discovered his true identity.
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Worthington later admitted to consuming marijuana and “molly” prior to the incident, which might explain his unusual antics.
After a quick trip to the hospital for a check-up, he was transported to the Polk County Jail, where he faces charges of resisting arrest, retail theft, possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, and providing false identification to law enforcement.
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