ARRRGH! Bed-Wetting Tourist Gets Pirate Arrested For Firing Flintlock Pistols In Florida

By Bob Owens

Jamie Speiring, an entertainer who plays the role of a pirate professionally, was arrested for disturbing the peace Monday night after a pants-wetting busybody called 911 after Speiring fired a couple of powder charges.

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies responding to “shots fired” reports on the old Seven Mile Bridge in Marathon Monday night found a man in full pirate costume packing operational black-powder pistols in holsters on each hip.

Jamie Spiering, 58, was also allegedly armed with a sword and two knives. Spiering, who said he is an entertainer, told deputies he was on the bridge with friends for sunset. He said there were no projectiles in the pistols, and that he had fired them toward the water.

But witnesses told a different story, said Deputy Becky Herrin, the Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman. They said Spiering fired one shot in the direction of cars traveling on the functioning Seven Mile Bridge, which runs parallel to the old bridge, now only used by pedestrians.

You’ll note that the pirate wasn’t arrested on weapons charges (open carry is illegal in Florida, but replica flintlocks aren’t classified as firearms), but that the complainant says that Speiring fired a shot “in the direction of” …read more

Source:: Bearing Arms