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Florida deputy dresses as Grinch, gives onions to speeding drivers

By AP staff
Published  December 16, 2022 9:46am EST
Florida
Associated Press

Florida Keys deputy dresses as Grinch, gives onions to speeding drivers

Down in the Florida Keys, a deputy dressed up as the Grinch is giving drivers going slightly over the speed limit a choice: a traffic ticket, or an onion.

MARATHON, Fla. - Several motorists who were speeding through an elementary school zone on the Florida Keys Overseas Highway received an odorous onion as a reminder to slow down from a county sheriff’s deputy dressed as the Grinch.

Col. Lou Caputo, a 37-year veteran of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office who conjured up the concept more than 20 years ago, was back on the streets Tuesday.

In this photo provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau, Monroe County Sheriff's Office Colonel Lou Caputo, left, costumed as the Grinch, and Deputy Andrew Leird, right, wave at a school bus rolling on the Florida Keys Overseas Highway Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, in Marathon, Fla. When drivers are pulled over for slightly speeding through a school zone, Caputo offers them the choice between an onion or a traffic citation. It's a holiday tradition in the Keys that Caputo began 20 years ago to educate drivers that Keys schools remain in session through Dec. 16.

In this photo provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau, Monroe County Sheriff's Office Colonel Lou Caputo, left, costumed as the Grinch, and Deputy Andrew Leird, right, wave at a school bus rolling on the Florida Keys Overseas Highway Tuesday, Dec. 1

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Drivers who travel about 5 mph or less above the school zone’s speed limit can choose between traffic citations and an onion presented by the Grinch. Those speeding beyond that likely receive a costly ticket.

"It’s about education, awareness that our school zones are still operating even though it’s the holiday season," Caputo said. "We want people to slow down."

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In this photo provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau, a Maryland motorist, left, accepts an onion instead of a traffic citation from Monroe County Sheriff's Office Colonel Lou Caputo, right, costumed as the Grinch, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, in Marathon, Fla. For drivers slightly speeding through a school zone on the Florida Keys Overseas Highway Tuesday, Caputo offered them the choice between an onion or a traffic citation. It's a holiday tradition in the Keys that Caputo began 20 years ago to educate drivers that Keys schools remain in session through Dec. 16.

In this photo provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau, a Maryland motorist, left, accepts an onion instead of a traffic citation from Monroe County Sheriff's Office Colonel Lou Caputo, right, costumed as the Grinch, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, in Marath

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Caputo said he portrays the fictional character created by children’s author Dr. Seuss to give motorists a "gift" but also to call attention in a nice way to the need to obey speed limits in school zones.

"It catches them off guard," Caputo said.

In this photo provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau, Monroe County Sheriff's Office Colonel Lou Caputo, right, costumed as the Grinch, watches Sgt. Greg Korzan, left, as he uses a laser speed detector to check speeds of motorists traveling through a school zone on the Florida Keys Overseas Highway Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, in Marathon, Fla. For drivers slightly speeding through the area, Caputo offers them the choice between an onion or a traffic citation.

In this photo provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau, Monroe County Sheriff's Office Colonel Lou Caputo, right, costumed as the Grinch, watches Sgt. Greg Korzan, left, as he uses a laser speed detector to check speeds of motorists traveling through

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"But when I give them a clear choice of a citation or the onion, they will take the onion. And I’ve had them eat the onion right in front of me."

Keys schools remain in session through Dec. 16.