Fowl Play at MacDill - Man Chases Chicken onto Air Force Base, Earns $1 Bond

In a state renowned for its unique contributions to the national news cycle, a February 2017 incident set a new gold standard for poultry related pandemonium. A local man, in a moment of single-minded pursuit, breached the security of a federal military installation. His quarry? Not state secrets or advanced aircraft, but a road crossing menace: a chicken.

The saga began when Anthony Medina drove a Ford F-150 truck past a security checkpoint at MacDill Air Force Base, home to U.S. Central Command. When the base security forces finally intercepted him, his explanation for the unauthorized entry was as simple as it was baffling: he was chasing a chicken he wanted to catch. While the feathered fugitive’s motives remain a mystery, Medina’s created a serious situation. Trespassing on a federal military base is a federal crime. Complicating matters significantly was the fact that the truck he was using for his poultry-powered mission had been reported stolen.

This led to a truly memorable day in the federal court. While Medina faced a serious state charge for grand theft auto, it was the trespassing charge that captured the court’s imagination. U.S. Magistrate Judge Anthony Porcelli reviewed the details of the case, from the high-speed chase, the secure military installation, the chicken… and delivered a ruling for the ages. Acknowledging the absurdity of the circumstances, Judge Porcelli remarked that the case was "one of the more unusual" he had presided over, then setting the bond for the federal trespassing charge at a mere $1.

The victory was short-lived, however. The bond for the stolen truck was a more conventional $2,000, ensuring Mr. Medina would not be leaving custody for the price of a gumball. The incident left many questions unanswered. Where did the chicken come from? Where did it go? Did it possess some form of advanced counter-surveillance training? The fate of the elusive bird remains unknown, but its brief, chaotic flight into federal property secured its place in Florida folklore forever.

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