Freaky Friday news: Man didn’t mind nail in brain
Unusual news nuggets from around the globe:
ORLAND PARK, Ill. — A suburban Chicago man thought the errant nail that discharged from the gun he was working with had whizzed by his head. Instead, it was lodged in his brain. Family members say Dante Autullo spent more than a day with the 3½-inch nail in his head before having it removed Thursday. The 32-year-old was tinkering in the garage of his Orland Park home Tuesday when then the nail gun went off. He saw a small wound but couldn’t find the nail and didn’t think much of it. He went to work the next day but later went to the hospital with nausea and one monster of a headache. That’s when an X-ray uncovered the nail. Autullo is recovering after a four-hour surgery to have the nail removed.
Urinating cat, not fire, caused smoke in home
NEW CASTLE, Pa. — One western Pennsylvania fire department learned that there’s not necessarily fire wherever there’s smoke. New Castle’s assistant fire chief Jim Donston said firefighters were called when an electrical outlet on a floor was smoking, only to find that happened because the family’s cat urinated into the outlet. The assistant chief says a Columbia Gas worker was at the house checking for a possible leak when he noticed the smoking outlet and called the fire department. Donston says firefighters “found the receptacle wet from cat urine” and shut off the electrical supply to that circuit.
Goat missing from Nativity found safe
FERGUS FALLS, Minn. — A goat that escaped a Minnesota Nativity scene is safe after 25 days on the loose. Curly was found Wednesday afternoon on a farm southwest of Fergus Falls. Tony Loomer came out to feed the horses and goats on his farm and noticed the extra goat. Curly appeared hungry, wet and cold and had lost weight. Curly’s owner took the goat home inside his car. The 3-year-old Angora goat was supposed to be part of a live Nativity scene but escaped while she was being unloaded for a Christmas Eve service at Bethlehem Lutheran Church.
Police: Robbery suspect used infection threat
SHARON, Pa. — Police say a man tried to rob a western Pennsylvania gambling parlor by threatening to spread a staph infection. Online court records don’t list an attorney for 41-year-old Fred Parker, of Coolspring Township. Police say he walked into Lucky’s Internet Cafe on Monday night and began touching the walls and gambling machines, claiming he has MRSA — a serious staph infection that resists antibiotics. Sharon police Chief Mike Menster says Parker then threatened to infect the cashier if he didn’t give Parker money. “It’s our first case of robbery by threat of an infectious disease,” the chief said.
Out of room, man gives up 94 hamsters
LAWRENCE, Mass. — A Massachusetts man has turned over 94 hamsters to a local animal shelter, telling officials he was running out of room in his apartment. The director of the shelter says the rodents were well cared for and will make nice pets. Shelter director Mike Keiley said the hamsters’ owner, whom he didn’t identify, stopped by this month and said he had a lot of hamsters to surrender. A Lawrence animal control officer says the man was “overwhelmed” when officials came to get the hamsters, and initially wanted to keep a few. But she says he changed his mind. Officials say the man started keeping the hamsters about five years ago.
Oregon farmer’s stolen rabbits returned
PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland police say more than a dozen rabbits reported stolen the night before a rabbit-cooking class have been returned by bunny advocates who had been caring for them. Members of the volunteer group Rabbit Advocates say they’re trying to buy the bunnies so they can live as pets. Police say 18 rabbits belonging to farmer Levi Cole disappeared on Jan. 7. Cole says the theft occurred the night before he taught a class on raising, slaughtering and cooking rabbits. Cole is an instructor for the Portland Meat Collective. He believes the theft was politically motivated. Police have no suspects.
Fugitive’s suit against hostages dismissed
TOPEKA, Kan. — A judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a Colorado man who held a Kansas couple hostage then sued them for breach of contract for turning him in. Jesse Dimmick of Denver contended he had a legally binding oral contract with Jared and Lindsay Rowley that they’d hide him from police in return for money. Dimmick was a fugitive facing a murder charge when he burst into the Rowleys’ home in September 2009 and confronted them at knifepoint. The Rowleys escaped when he fell asleep. Dimmick was later convicted of kidnapping and other charges and the Rowleys sued him for more than $75,000 in damages. Dimmick counter-sued, seeking $160,000 for hospital bills and $75,000 for pain and suffering.
Principal warned over high-tech anti-cheating idea
SALZBURG, Austria – An Austrian high school principal narrowly escaped legal action after going after potential exam cheaters with a high-tech — but illegal — idea. Gerhard Klampfer reportedly bought and mounted a jamming device strong enough to prevent graduating classes from doing Internet research on their smartphones during final exams last summer. State broadcaster ORF said on its website that the move was effective enough to arouse the attention of a phone service provider. The company alerted authorities in charge of monitoring radio traffic after noticing lack of service. They then notified legal officials who threatened Klampfer with a misdemeanor. Under Austrian law only police, the military and others in charge of security can jam signals. Klampfer says he didn’t know he was breaking the law. He was let off with a warning, instead of a fine.
Utah man gets lost class ring back 45 years later
SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah man who lost his class ring six months after he bought it is getting the keepsake back 45 years later, thanks to some Facebook detective work. Brent Aguirre said his mother was disappointed when the 1966 Bonneville High School graduate lost the ring, which is gold toned with a deep blue stone. “It’s a beautiful ring,” he said. “I remember mom and dad forked out pretty good money for it.” He assumed the ring was at the bottom of Pineview Reservoir, not far from the Great Salt Lake, and wrote it off when he left to fight in Vietnam. The military service turned into an Air Force career that led him through nine different moves across the world and finally back to his hometown of Ogden. It wasn’t until the fall that Aguirre received a Facebook message from a couple in nearby Sandy, saying they had found a ring with his name inscribed in cursive script.
Air Jordan shoe collection heisted from home
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte, N.C., man says 30 pairs of Nike Air Jordan sneakers still in their boxes that he’s been collecting since middle school have been heisted. Bryant Toala, 22, told police that someone broke into a home and took the shoes that he says could be worth more than $10,000. The burglars came in through a bedroom window and made off with the boxes that Toala says were hidden. He says a collection of baseball hats that matched the shoes was also taken. Police have no suspects.