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VALRICO, Fla. - A Valrico man is facing charges after deputies say he threw hundreds of nails onto a neighborhood roadway nearly 30 times since last September.
The backstory:
On September 11, 2025, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office received a call that hundreds of nails were scattered on South Miller Road and Lithia Center Lane.
Additional incidents were reported 27 times over the next five months.
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Deputies said they learned that the driver of a white pickup truck was throwing nails onto the roadway at the intersection of Bucknell Road and Miller Road, causing damage to several vehicles.
Dig deeper:
On January 13, 2026, deputies said they saw Felix Uresti, 51, get out of a white 2022 Toyota Tundra and place nails onto the roadway along Miller Road.
He was later taken into custody and while searching his vehicle, deputies discovered the same roofing nails used in previous locations in a large bucket of nails in the back seat.
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Uresti was charged with six counts of criminal mischief of $1,000 or more, throwing a deadly missile at within or into a vehicle and violation of Florida litter law.
"Throwing nails into the roadway is a deliberate and malicious act that puts innocent people in danger and carries serious consequences," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "This was a senseless decision that endangered working families, children, and first responders when seconds matter most."
What you can do:
If you believe you were impacted by nail damage in the area of Miller Road, you are asked to contact detectives at (813) 247-8200.
The Source: This article was written with information found in a press release from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.