Post insane / odd / unique news releases here

[LWM]

Woman charged with DUI names drugs test would show (June 24th, 2010 @ 1:27pm)

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (AP) - Police said a woman being charged with DUI voluntarily uttered that blood being drawn for testing would show positive for "only" a few drugs. Sullivan County jailers said 35-year-old Bobbie K. Cato posted bond after an amount was set Thursday morning in court. She was due in court Friday where an attorney would be assigned.

The Kingsport Times-News quoted a police report that stated Cato was arrested Wednesday afternoon when her car blocked a convenience store entrance as she lay across the passenger seat with her legs hanging out of the vehicle.

Although she denied drinking or using drugs at the scene, the report stated she said at a hospital the only drugs that would show up on the blood screen about to be done were Xanax, Lortab and Phenergan.

[LWM]

Wash. county plans blood drive to fight mosquitoes (June 24th, 2010 @ 1:28pm)

WEST RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) - A county in Washington state is promoting mosquito control awareness by doing some blood sucking of its own.

The Benton County Mosquito Control District is hosting a blood drive Friday at its West Richland office as part of National Mosquito Control Awareness Week, which runs June 20-26. The district says the blood will go to the Red Cross, not the insects.

The district hopes that the blood drive will get under the skin of some residents by making them aware of the hazards posed by the little blood sucking insects and teaching residents to eliminate standing water around homes where the suckers may breed.

[LWM]

Lottery mistake wins Ohio store clerk $250,000 (June 25th, 2010 @ 3:47pm)

NEW LEXINGTON, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio store clerk's mistake when printing a Mega Millions lottery ticket has won her $250,000.

Naomi Mauller forgot to add an extra game to a customer's lottery ticket Tuesday night so she printed a new ticket and bought the flubbed ticket for $2.

Both her ticket and the new ticket were winners, bringing in a quarter million dollars for each ticketholder.

Mauller said she will to use the money to buy a car and pay off some debt. She met the other winner at the convenience store in New Lexington on Friday to celebrate. His name was not available.

[LWM]

Man accused of trying to sell baby beaten in jail (June 26th, 2010 @ 1:44pm)

SALINAS, Calif. (AP) - Jail officials in California say a father accused of trying to sell his baby for $25 outside a Walmart is recovering after other inmates beat him.

Thirty-eight-year-old Patrick Fousek and 20-year-old Samantha Tomasini, of Salinas, pleaded not guilty to child endangerment and drug charges Friday.

Fousek appeared in court with a bruised eye and stitches. Sheriff's Cmdr. Mike Richards said the man was attacked Thursday at the Monterey County Jail. He also suffered two cracked ribs and is now being held away from the general population.

Fousek is accused of approaching two women Wednesday and asking if they'd like to purchase his 6-month-old.

He and Tomasini were arrested a few hours later at their home, and Child Protective Services took the baby.

[LWM]

Motorcyclist collides with bear on NJ highway (June 26th, 2010 @ 6:01pm)

FREDON, N.J. (AP) - A motorcyclist escaped serious injury Saturday when he collided with a black bear that unexpectedly ran across a northwestern New Jersey highway. Sgt. Julian Castellanos, a state police spokesman, said the man was northbound on Route 94 in the Sussex County community of Fredon when the accident occurred around 9:30 a.m.

The motorcyclist- whose name was not released- was taken to Newton Memorial Hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries and later released.

Castellanos said the bear also survived and walked into the woods.

[LWM]

Raccoon blamed for 5-hour downtown Memphis outage (June 26th, 2010 @ 6:01pm)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - A raccoon described as acrobatic and mean-spirited knocked out power to a section of downtown Memphis that included two hospitals and the newspaper for more than five hours.

Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division president Jerry Collins told The Commercial Appeal said the raccoon climbed more than 30 feet, over barriers intended to keep animals out, and short-circuited a switch on a substation.

Overall, about 8,000 customers were without city power late Thursday and early Friday.

Emergency generators restored power to the Regional Medical Center at Memphis and Le Bonheur Children's Hospital within seconds, but the outage delayed production of Friday's newspaper at The Commercial Appeal and disrupted other businesses.

[LWM]

Off-duty cop thwarts chain-wielding robber at KFC (June 27th, 2010 @ 6:53pm)

SAN DIEGO (AP) - A would-be robber wielding a chain at a San Diego Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant didn't count on one of the customers being an armed, off-duty, plainclothes police sergeant. Witnesses said the man barged in Saturday afternoon, smashed his heavy chain on the counter and ordered all the employees into the kitchen.

But before he could open the cash register, the sergeant pointed his gun at the man and ordered him to the ground.

Witnesses said the suspect demanded to see the officer's badge, and the sergeant complied.

The suspect was arrested for attempted armed robbery.

[LWM]

Lion decides to play through at Mont. golf course (June 27th, 2010 @ 6:53pm)

BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) - Golfers at a western Montana golf course faced a hazard with real teeth- and claws- when a mountain lion decided to play through. Golfers said they spotted the elusive predator while teeing off at Valley View Golf Club Friday morning in Bozeman.

Bozeman animal control officer Kathy Middleton said the lion was first sighted near Aspen Pointe senior living center before other callers later saw it at the golf course.

Joe Knarr with Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks said the agency has been receiving calls about lions all through the south of town. He said mountain lions sightings are common in the area, though there have been more reports this year than previous years.

Middleton said the lion spotted Friday most likely was just passing through.

[LWM]

Tenn. police: Home intruder sleeps on couch (June 27th, 2010 @ 6:53pm)

DYERSBURG, Tenn. (AP) - Police arrested a man who fell asleep after breaking into a home. The Dyersburg State Gazette reported that residents returned home and found the 22-year-old man asleep on the couch.

Terry McCreight, an investigators for the Dyer County Sheriff's Department, said officers determined that the man once lived in the residence but had been asked to move.

Police said he broke a window and kicked in the door of the home while nobody was there on Thursday. Deputies arrived and took him into custody on without incident.

He was charged with vandalism and aggravated burglary.

[LWM]

Cops: Drunk pair push stroller with kids, bayonet (June 27th, 2010 @ 6:53pm)

YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) - Authorities said a drunken man and woman were arrested after they were found pushing a baby stroller holding two young boys, open containers of alcohol and a bayonet inside. Police said in a statement that the 30-year-old woman and 52-year-old man were arrested after police were called about 1:30 a.m. Friday when the woman tried to take a bike off a porch.

The statement said security guards had been watching the pair and initially detained the woman. Police said officers found the woman's one- and four-year-old sons in the stroller along with alcohol and the "double-edged bayonet."

AnnArbor.com reported the children were turned over to a relative. Charges were pending.