Police: 911 caller made up potato attack

LARGO, Fla., Nov. 12 (UPI) -- Police in Florida said they arrested a man who called 911 and falsely reported a man was "smashing potatoes" over a woman's head.

Largo police said Robert Turley, 51, called 911 three times Tuesday night, first saying a man armed with a knife was chasing a woman and then about 45 minutes later claiming the man was "smashing potatoes" over the woman's head, the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times reported Thursday.

The man called a third time to claim the man was punching the woman in the face.

Police found Turley, who was allegedly intoxicated, hiding in his neighbor's yard, and he admitted to making up the story because he was angry with his roommates, a man and a woman, the report said.

He was charged with false report of a crime and taken to the Pinellas County Jail in lieu of $250 bail.

Turley has been arrested 12 times since 1991 and has served jail time for crimes including possession of drug paraphernalia, the newspaper said.