"I'm riding it!" the homeless man told bystanders who ordered him away from the manatee.
A homeless man in Florida got hauled off to jail after he molested a manatee, according to authorities.
James Roy Massengale, 47, was taken into custody last week after wildlife officers responded to reports of a man in a creek touching the endangered species and their two calves, which is illegal.
Read: 300 Manatees Huddle in Warm Florida Spring, Forcing It to Close
A witness told Massengale that touching the manatees was against the law, but the man yelled back, “I’m riding it!” officials said.
FWC Officer Bobby Dube reported seeing Massengale touching and “lying over top manatees in the creek,” according to a commission spokesperson.
Read: Watch This Guy's Excited Reaction After Spotting Rare Manatee Twins
The man became “verbally combative,” the officer reported, and continuously chanted “take me to jail.”
A sheriff’s deputy obliged him, authorities said.
Massengale remains in the Monroe County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bond after refusing to cooperate with Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission officers and Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies, according to both agencies.
It was not clear whether he has entered a plea.
Watch: Manatees Who Survived in Golf Course Pond for Weeks Are Released Back to Wild
