'Half-headed' Florida man arrested on arson, attempted murder charges

Carlos Rodriguez, 31, accused of setting fire to mattress at duplex

MIAMI – A Miami man with a deformed skull, who became known as the "half-headed man," was arrested Monday on arson and first-degree attempted murder charges.

Miami police said Carlos Rodriguez, 31, set his mattress on fire at a duplex on Northwest 61st Avenue.

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Police said an officer found the man sitting in the backyard. His statement to police was redacted.

According to an arrest affidavit, the fire was deliberately set, "posing an immediate threat to the lives and safety of the occupants."

The report said two people live in the duplex.

Rodriguez became an Internet sensation in 2012 after he explained in a YouTube video how he lost a portion of his skull.

"I was driving and I hit a pole and I flew out the front window and landed on my head," Rodriguez said in the video.

Rodriguez said he was high on drugs at the time of the crash.

"Drinking and driving or drugness and driving, no good kids," Rodriguez said. "No good."

WARNING: Explicit language in YouTube video below

A Miami-Dade County judge ruled that Rodriguez stay away from matches and fire.

Rodriguez was released to Mercy Hospital for a mental evaluation. His bond was set at $30,000.


About the Author:

Peter Burke returned for a second stint of duty at Local 10 News in February 2014.

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