Woman busted for riding a manatee in Florida, violating state law

Ana Gloria Garcia Gutierrez told police she wasn't aware of state laws regarding manatees. She turned herself in after the sheriff's office released her photos.

Police busted a Florida woman for an unusual crime — riding a manatee like a body board.

Ana Gloria Garcia Gutierrez turned herself in Tuesday after local police released photos of her catching a ride on a manatee, an endangered species, over the weekend in Tierra Verde, Fla.

"To her credit, she called us up and let us know she was the one in the pictures," Sgt. David DiSano of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office told the Daily News.

Gutierrez was charged with a 2nd degree misdemeanor under the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act, which states it is unlawful for anyone to "intentionally or negligently annoy, molest, harass, or disturb [any manatee]."

Police questioned Gutierrez at her home, but she was not arrested.

"She said she was new to the area and wasn't familiar with laws regarding manatees or wildlife," DiSano said.

The manatee isn't believed to be injured, he added.

(Published by NY Daily News - October 3, 2012)