Another Florida man is under arrest after being too welcoming and inviting toward the police. Bunnell, Florida resident Arthur Carracino just really wanted a pair of Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies to check out his home-grown cannabis plant and smoke a bowl with him. In a body-camera video captured in the wee hours of the morning, Carracino attempts to get the on-duty officer to join him for a puff. And almost reluctantly, that officer ended up arresting Carracino for growing cannabis, which is against the law in Florida.
“You Gotta Smoke a Bowl with Me Please”
There’s a very lonely, almost plaintive tone in the way Florida man Arthur Carracino invites a police officer to smoke a bowl with him. “You gotta smoke a bowl with me please,” emphasis on the “please.”
Sometimes, you just want to be social. Sometimes, you just want someone to pass the bowl to. Even if they’re a cop—if you’re a Florida man. “I know, you’re on duty,” Carracino said to the incredulous officer, as he nevertheless heads off into the darkness to get his pipe.
The rural town of Bunnell sits on the east coast of Florida, about midway between St. Augustine and Daytona Beach. There’s not too much for Flagler County police to do. Residents like Carracino seem like they could use some company, as well.
So when officers pulled up alongside Carracino’s residence responding to a completely different incident, this Florida man decided to do the neighborly thing. According to the deputy’s report, Carracino was smoking weed when they arrived.
Florida Man Requests Starbucks During Late-Night Arrest
The ensuing body-cam footage is heartwarming and ridiculous. It’s the middle of the night, and the chirping crickets almost drown out the voices. But there’s Carracino, scantily clad in a blue speedo and an unbuttoned button-up shirt, rocking a large silver pendant that reflects the beam of an officer’s flashlight.
Since Carracino is smoking a joint, the deputy asks him for his medical cannabis card. Medical use is legal for authorized patients with qualifying conditions in Florida. Carracino responds that “Oh. Yeah. Yeah I do. I’m working on it.”
There’s some laughter at the contradictory response, at which point Carracino just says, “Come on guys, let’s talk.”
But the officers are more interested in the two-foot tall cannabis plant—just one—in Carracino’s yard. “Is that your plant?” they ask. Carricino proudly answers in the affirmative, and the officers ask if he uses Miracle-Gro or just water.
That’s when Florida man officers some sage growing advice. “I thought it was gonna be easy going out to California and learning how to grow pot. The indica strain, the sativa strain and oh boy, you’re looking right at the smallest crystals.”
Just before falling entirely into revery on his plant, the Florida man invites one of the officers to smoke a bowl with him.
The body-cam cuts out for a moment, and picks up with Carracino in the back of the squad car. Police ask him if he knows what’s going on. Carracino says of course, “it’s two o’clock in the [expletive] morning.” The officers point out that its actually a quarter of three in the morning. And it doesn’t look like Carracino is going to be getting much sleep. So he asks for a pick-me-up.
“Okay, I need a cup of Starbucks. Anywhere local we can get one,” Carracino asks, perhaps hoping the deputies would return kindness with kindness.
Unfortunately, the officers say no to this request as well. But they do tell Carracino that he’s under arrest. “For?” Carracino asks. “For growing marijuana,” the officer replies.
“Oh yeah,” Carracino says.
