Florida Man Steals Tourist Train on His Birthday

In an unusual incident on July 4th, a Florida man decided to celebrate his 57th birthday in quite an unconventional way—by stealing a tourist train in Key West while reportedly under the influence of methamphetamine.

According to police reports, they received a tip just before 11:30 AM that a man had taken control of a Conch tourist train. Witnesses at the Conch Tour Train Depot stated that Jonathan Patrick Winslow jumped into the trolley and drove off, after briefly picking up “two random passengers.”

Interestingly, Winslow had left his KIA parked at the depot with rock music blasting from the speakers. It’s worth noting that he previously worked in the tourism sector and claimed he just wanted to join the party. But according to workers at the depot, there was no way he was authorized to operate the train.

The police managed to track the stolen train, which was reported moving through downtown Key West using GPS. They intercepted it before any serious incidents could occur. Reports from the scene indicated that Winslow appeared excited, even giving a quick speech to the passengers aboard.

When confronted by police, Winslow purportedly described the event as simply “borrowing” the train. However, authorities reiterated that it was still theft. The arrest report mentioned that while being searched, officers found meth pipes in his pocket. Winslow countered, claiming, “This is a weed pipe,” but investigators were unconvinced.

Ultimately, he faced charges including robbery, grand larceny, and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $60,000, and he was taken to the Key West Jail Facility.

It’s hard to say whether he thought this wild ride would make his birthday memorable—but it sure went off the rails!