Man faked drowning, tosses jellyfish

Police in Florida said they arrested a man accused of pretending to drown and throwing jellyfish at teenagers on the beach.

Pinellas County sheriff’s deputies said Keith Edward Marriott, 41, of Madeira Beach, Fla., had been drinking since 9 a.m. Monday and was causing concern for his safety in the afternoon by repeatedly submerging himself and floating to the surface, the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times reported Thursday.

The sheriff’s report said Marriott was loud and disruptive before he started throwing the jellyfish at teenagers.

Pinellas County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Marianne Pasha said Marriott was arrested and brought to jail, where he was described as quite intoxicated and somewhat uncooperative. She said he was treated at the Pinellas County Jail medical care division for a wound unrelated to his arrest.

Marriott, who deputies said had a pocketknife in his shorts, was charged with disorderly intoxication and carrying a concealed weapon. He was being held in lieu of $250 bail.