Curtis O’Hallaran-Price was held overnight by Brandon PD after he was mistaken for the legendary Skunk Ape, a type of sasquatch native to Florida.

O’Hallaran-Price, who owns a gluten-free soap crafting co-op in St. Petersburg’s warehouse district, was visiting his husband’s family in Brandon when a nervous neighbor spotted him in the woods behind her home and called the police.

“I was going to show my mother-in-law how to make wild berry cobbler, so I went outside to see what I could find,” said O’Hallaran-Price. “I was picking a blackberry bush when the cops showed up.”

Brandon police remain unconvinced of O’Hallaran-Price’s claim that he’s a soap-making entrepreneur.

“I tell ya’, there’s no way that boy makes or uses soap,” said Deputy Fred Sikes. “You only need to get within five feet of him to know that. Once we knew he was lying about the soap thing, we figured he was probably lying about not being a Skunk Ape, too.”

O’Hallaran-Price was released after his legal counsel informed the arresting officers that even if his client was a type of sasquatch, being a mythological beast is not in violation of any Florida statute.

“It was really upsetting, man,” said O’Hallaran-Price. “Not just because they called me a Skunk Ape and locked me up, but because I was looking forward to making cobbler with my mother-in-law. I really want her to like me, ya’ know?”

O’Hallaran-Price’s mother-in-law could not be reached for comment.

Photo courtesy of  https://www.flickr.com/photos/25697729@N08