'Reprehensible' drunken brawl at Florida lake leads to crackdown by sheriff's office

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A Florida sheriff is blasting “reprehensible” behaviour at a local lake that ended with eight people arrested.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd announced the arrests during a Tuesday news conference that noted stunned families trying to enjoy their summer are instead witnessing everything from drunken brawls to public sex at Lake Winterset, the Miami Herald reported.

The chaotic video, which was widely shared on social media, shows a massive fight between a group of boaters that left two people unconscious.

Judd said that this kind of behaviour is nothing new at the lake, and since repeated warnings and numerous “no trespassing” signs haven’t helped, the sheriff said law enforcement is going to clamp down heavily on future infractions.

“If you want to go knuckle-busting and create permanent brain injuries or the ability to have a permanent brain injury… you have to do it on your own property without creating a disturbance to your neighbours,” Judd told media on Tuesday.

“It’s over folks… the conduct is reprehensible,” Judd continued.

“And obviously you don’t believe us when we try to warn you so you have unleashed the teeth of the dog and now we’re going to start biting you, just like we bit these guys here.”

The eight arrested were in their late teens or early 20s, except for one 40-year-old, who Grady noted is “way old enough to know better,” and an unidentified 17-year-old.

They all face charges of rioting, affray, trespassing and disorderly conduct, according to the sheriff’s office.

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While the sheriff’s office said they are “happy nobody was seriously injured or killed, Judd issued yet another warning.

“If you have three brain cells you can read a ‘no trespassing’ sign. When it says ‘by order of the sheriff,’ that isn’t a suggestion.”

Despite clear signs on properties, Judd said that boaters are constantly violating trespassing laws in the area.

He tied trespassing to the brawl location, describing how offenders have found a loophole and stand in the water adjacent to private property, then climb onto land to fight, party or commit indecent acts.

“You put one toe on that land this weekend, you’re going to jail. You stand in the water and put your finger up on that dry land and you’re going to go to jail,” he warned.

“Go home and get your bond money together right now … Carry it in your pocket. It’ll help you get out of jail quicker.”