LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. — You'd better watch out, you'd better not fight, and definitely don't underestimate Santa Claus' might.

That's the lesson learned by one young man after he provoked a tussle with a mystery Santa three days before Christmas and got a good beating in return.

Jonathan Danzey, 20, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor intoxication and criminal mischief after he picked a fight with Santa at a Burger King restaurant, 100 miles south of St. Petersburg.

Witnesses say Danzey, described as a tall skinny white male, approached Santa, who was sitting in his convertible, and became aggressive when Santa told him he had no gifts for him, according to sheriff's deputies.

Danzey then allegedly punched Father Christmas and tried to pull him out of his car. But Santa, who was accompanied by two women at the time, grabbed Danzey by the shirt and knocked him to the ground. Police arrived a short while later to find Danzey on the ground with a ripped shirt and large lump on his face. As for St. Nick, he was nowhere to be found.

Danzey conceded that Santa was stronger than he expected, but blamed his poor performance in the fight on his insobriety.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. — A case of nerves, poor penmanship and verbal skills ruined a robber's plans for a successful bank heist.

At about 3 p.m. on Dec. 31, a man walked into Bank United and handed the teller a note. Unfortunately, the teller couldn't read the note, prompting the man to verbalize his demands.

The man's speech, however, also was incomprehensible. Speaking in what authorities said was an amalgam of English and Spanish, the man soon became flustered as other patrons started to take notice. Moments later, the ensuing commotion caused the man to quickly exit the bank without any money.

But he didn't stop there.

Ten minutes later, authorities said, the same man walked into the South Trust Bank across the street from the first bank and handed the teller a similar note demanding money. This time he made sure his handwriting was clear. The teller handed over an undisclosed amount of money and the robber fled. No witnesses saw a weapon on the man, police said.

No arrests have been made, according to Andrew Casper, public information officer for the Hallandale Beach police department. The suspect was described as a Hispanic male in his early 40s, about 5-feet-8 and weighing about 150 pounds.

TERRE HAUTE, Ind.— Kidnapped and held in captivity for three days, Fuzzy the Shih Tzu is back in safe hands, after police thwarted a ransom plot and apprehended the alleged dognapper.

Dawn Bailey, 28, was arrested while talking on a pay phone with the dog's owner, Edgar Mechling. Authorities say Bailey threatened to kill Fuzzy if Mechling didn't pay $1,000. The demand came three days after Mechling paid Bailey $700 for the dog's safe return.

Mechling, 67, did not want to contact the police because he was afraid Fuzzy would be killed, but a friend of his called them and the ransom call was traced.

Authorities say Bailey was aware of Mechling's finances and his love for Fuzzy through people who cleaned Mechling's house.

Bailey declined to comment on the allegations during a hearing in Vigo Superior Court.

Bailey is currently being held on $50,000 bail on charges of theft and intimidation. She is also charged with auto-theft because she was driving a stolen Cadillac at the time of her arrest.

Authorities would not comment on Bailey's criminal history, but say that she has frequent run-ins with the law. "She's what we call a frequent flyer," said Terre Haute police dispatcher Tracey Bailey.

WAILUKA, Hawaii — In one of several recent surf territory disputes, a 54-year-old surfer was charged with second-degree assault for allegedly slamming into a kite surfer two weeks ago.

Dana Barnhard pleaded not guilty and was ordered to stay at least 100 feet away from Kahuna Beach Park, pending his March 18 trial date. Witnesses say Barhard, a retiree from Maui, deliberately navigated his surfboard into the man's legs, causing nine stitches.

"Instead of coming to his aid, Barnhard wanted to pick a fight," said prosecutor Melinda Mendes.

Wind surfers use a surfboard with an attached sail, while kite surfers use a board pulled by a kite that sometimes lifts them out of the water. The heightened volume of surfers in the Hawaiian waves has caused increasing number of clashes, commonly called "wave rage," and injuries.

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A Broward County circuit judge could face sanctions by the state Supreme Court after allegations surfaced that he used a device in court that makes a toilet-flushing sound to show a defense lawyer what he thought of the case.

A state judicial review panel says Broward County Judge Sheldon Schapiro has repeatedly violated ethical standards by belittling and tongue-lashing lawyers in his courtroom and swearing at witnesses.

Schapiro, 65, denies the 11 allegations against him and says the toilet-flushing machine he once used while presiding over a rape case was meant as a "humorous comment."

According to the complaint from the Judicial Qualifications Commission, Schapiro once asked a lawyer, "Are you stupid?" and another, "Why do I always have to treat you like a school child?" The commission investigates complaints against Florida judges and then recommends sanctions to the state Supreme Court.

Among the other alleged incidents cited: Schapiro ordered a prosecutor to court even though she thought she had pneumonia; told a female prosecutor that she needed to act more like a man; and responded to a murder victim's mother who wanted to speak by saying, "What do I need to hear from the mother of a dead kid for? All she will tell me is to keep the guy in custody and never let him out."

The judge's lawyer, David Bogenschutz, called the allegations unusual and says the charges question the judge's personality, not his competence.

John Beranek, an attorney for the commission, told Court TV that the matter is still under investigation and that no further hearings have been scheduled.