Florida drivers are used to dealing with aggressive behavior on the roads.
Road rage incidents have surged across the Sunshine State with alarming frequency.
But deputies just caught a Florida man red-handed after his bizarre neighborhood rampage terrorized families for months.
Deputies Solve Five-Month Mystery With Bucket of Evidence
Felix Uresti's crime spree finally came to an end on January 13 when Hillsborough County deputies watched him step out of his white 2022 Toyota Tundra and dump roofing nails across Miller Road in Valrico.
The 51-year-old thought he was alone.
He wasn't.
Deputies had been tracking his pickup truck after an anonymous tipster provided video of Uresti scattering nails at the intersection of Bucknell and Miller Roads on January 9.
Investigators moved in immediately after catching Uresti in the act pulling nails from his shirt pocket and tossing them onto the roadway.
A search of his truck revealed a large bucket filled with the same type of roofing nails deputies had been recovering from neighborhood streets since September.
The evidence was overwhelming.
https://twitter.com/ICEthosecommies/status/2012096910862229915?s=20
Frustrated Driver Turned Valrico Roads Into Demolition Derby
The investigation began September 11, 2025, when someone reported hundreds of nails scattered across South Miller Road and Lithia Center Lane.
Over the next five months, 27 additional incidents were reported in the same area.
Drivers weren't just inconvenienced — they were getting hammered with repair bills.
"I had three nails the first day. A week later, another one or two — and it was about a nail a week minimum," victim Lauren Cherup told WFLA.
Multiple residents sent photos to news stations showing nails embedded in their tires.
Several vehicles sustained damage totaling over $1,000 — turning what could have been simple vandalism into felony criminal mischief.
Man's Bizarre Excuse Reveals Paranoid Mindset
After his arrest, Uresti told deputies someone was following him and he was frustrated with law enforcement.
So his solution was to endanger families, children, and first responders by weaponizing construction materials?
That's not frustration — that's deranged.
Sheriff Chad Chronister didn't mince words about the five-month sabotage campaign.
"Throwing nails into the roadway is a deliberate and malicious act that puts innocent people in danger and carries serious consequences," Chronister said. "This was a senseless decision that endangered working families, children, and first responders when seconds matter most."
Uresti now faces six counts of criminal mischief totaling $1,000 or more, one count of throwing a deadly missile at or into a vehicle, and violations of Florida litter law.
The "deadly missile" charge alone shows how seriously the justice system treats this kind of reckless endangerment — because a nail through a tire at highway speeds can cause a catastrophic crash that kills innocent people.
Uresti's paranoid rantings about being followed won't cut it as a defense when he's staring down multiple felony charges.
Anyone who suffered nail damage in the Miller Road area should contact Hillsborough County detectives at (813) 247-8200.
Sources:
- Dwyer & Michaels, "Police Arrest Angry Old Florida Man Who Threw 100's of Nails in the Road," 97X, January 19, 2026.
- Mike Bedigan, "Florida man accused of throwing hundreds of nails into roads almost 30 times," The Independent, January 16, 2026.
- Sierra Rains, "Valrico drivers plagued for months by man throwing nails on road; deputies catch him in the act," WFLA, January 15, 2026.
- Jim DeLa, "Valrico man charged with throwing nails on roadways," WWSB, January 15, 2026.
- 10 Tampa Bay News, "Man accused of scattering nails on roads in Hillsborough County for past 5 months," WTSP, January 16, 2026.
