Curses, Foiled Again
Police who accused Alexander Katz, 19, of stealing a car in Logan, Utah, said he and his girlfriend had to abandon the vehicle and call a cab because he didn’t know how to drive a stick shift. The car’s owner spotted the vehicle being driven off and called police, who found Katz and his girlfriend waiting outside a nearby convenience store for their cab.
Police Chief Gary Jensen said that although Katz couldn’t drive a stick shift, his girlfriend could and was giving him directions while they tried making their getaway. “I’m not 100 percent certain why she doesn’t just get around and get in the driver’s seat so they can take the car and use it,” Jensen said. (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
Second-Amendment Follies
Colonial Williamsburg will increase hands-on activities at the living history museum by opening firing ranges for 18th-century black-powder muskets. “We think that giving (guests) the opportunity to handle the device, feel the weight of it, the noise, the smell, the recoil, it will provide a fun, enjoyable and of course, educational experience,” officials said, noting the range will feature six to eight lanes where shooters can load and fire the muskets. The Williamsburg City Council approved the proposal last August. (Norfolk’s WTKR-TV)
Rescue Follies
When Rob Dorzek, 29, called 911 to report he and three friends had been boating on Ontario’s Lake Wanapitei after dark and crashed into a small island, the dispatcher delayed alerting rescuers for an hour while she tried to figure out their location, despite being sent a map that pinpointed it using GPS. During this time, the dispatcher instructed Dorzek to start a signal fire. Dorzek told her he couldn’t because he was holding his girlfriend to keep her from slipping into the water.
After the dispatcher insisted the fire was the only way to direct rescuers, Dorzek used a boat cushion to start one. It quickly spread to the underbrush and then to the boat hull, which ignited, killing one of the four. A rescue boat was finally launched after the crew, which didn’t know of the 911 call, spotted the fire and arrived in eight minutes. Another man and Dorzek’s girlfriend died from injuries. An internal report by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care commended the dispatcher who handled the call. (The Toronto Star)
