Rescuers save most of alligator victim

In Florida, you smoke some crack, throw off your clothes and fall asleep by the water - a nice night right? Wrong - an alligator drags you off, and it's all rescuers can do to save your naked self.

Hat tip to reader Betty D.!

DUI ignition-interlock called useless

In traffic safety, some truths are counter-intuitive. Driver education for teens, for example, is useless, and has been known to be useless since the 1970s, when federal authorities found out and ended funding for high school programs.

Not only did studies find that accident rates among young drivers were generally no different with or without driver education, but in some cases it was worse than useless, by giving young male drivers overconfidence.

Now prominent DUI defense attorney Lawrence Taylor has an opinion piece in Business Week magazine saying ignition-interlock devices to prevent drunk driving are useless. He cites a 2002 California DOT study that, although critical, doesn't sound conclusive to me. That study and follow-ups all seem to recommend leaving the IID legislation in place until the outcome of a long-term evaluation.

California may be the state to watch as MADD and its partner groups pursue a dramatic widening of the use of ignition interlock.

MADD cites a passel of studies saying IID devices are effective.

Hat tip to an anonymous e-mailer!

Parolee sought in KCK quadruple killing

Parole absconder Lorenzo Lloyd, 32, is being sought by KCK police as a "person of interest" in the quadruple homicide at 39th & Victory Drive Oct. 14. From his expression, I would say you shouldn't walk up and ask him about it; rather, call the TIPS Hotline 816.474.8477.

He's 5’11”, weighing about 175 pounds, black hair and brown eyes.

News release

Meth award to Kansas City police

A man from the White House ONDCP today presented an award to Kansas City police for their efforts in Midwest HIDTA. It's all about methamphetamine, and today is Methamphetamine Awareness Day.

Random website opposing the War on Drugs.

Feds: Home-builder 'can't stop being bad'

Already-indicted Johnson County homebuilder F. Jeffrey Miller began a new scam even while he was being watched by a court monitor, ginning up documents on the sale of his 45-foot Sea Ray boat, "Bling Bling", a new indictment alleges.

Death, destruction, chess drug tests

An Indiana woman whose dogs killed her 87-year-old mom was sentenced to four years in prison for covering up the crime; her husband was, too.

A California minister is charged with killing an 85-year-old multimillionaire parishioner by crashing his pickup truck - twice - with the parishioner in it.

In Tampa, FL, authorities say a man killed three cats he considered nuisances. They found a propane torch and an animal cage with scorch marks.

Hat tip to reader blondie2hot7!

Arkansas music store shoplifter tries to walk out with guitar in pants.

Big trouble for a North Carolina pastor who waved a gun around during a sermon -- turns out he's got a drug conviction from 1990, and felons can't own guns.

And now, drug-testing at international chess competitions.

Hat tip to reader DB!

Flatbed from AZ yields 150 lbs cocaine

Arizona trucker Guadalupe Rios-Pinela, 46, will spend at least the next 10 years in prison after a Kansas state trooper found garbage bags with 150 pounds of cocaine under the tarp of his flatbed.

Guadalupe lost many points in the drug-traffic lottery as he motored north on I-35 from Arizona:

• His truck had a high DOT number, indicating the company was recently created
• He was coming from Arizona to Chicago, a common drug-trafficking route
• His cargo bill was handwritten and vague
• He couldn't explain why a passenger was with him and only knew the passenger's first name

150 pounds isn't very much, as industrial-scale drug-trafficking goes. Perhaps that's why the shippers were so sloppy?

Worker fired for off-work smoking sues

Last year the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (2005 net sales: $2.3 billion) announced it would try to cut employee health-care costs by refusing to employ persons who smoke, either on or off the job. Now an employee fired after a test showed nicotine in his urine - he was smoking while away from work - has sued.

Hat tip to reader blondie2hot7!

I get spammed all the time by this professor who thinks you should be punished for being fat, too

Firefighter fed dog food loses $2.7m award

Interesting update on the case of the black firefighter in LA who won, then lost, a $2.7 million judgment after nine white colleagues put dog food in his spaghetti  as a prank:

• The black firefighter called himself "Big Dog"
• Photos prove he had engaged in other pranks with firefighters before

The 15 member city council, which originally  issued the award, refused to override the mayor's veto of it 9-6.  An override would have required 10 votes.

Hat tip to reader Shifty!

Homicide victim in double shooting ID'ed

From Kansas City police:

• The young man who was killed at 8:50 pm Tuesday at 4205 East 24th, has been identified as Taurean L. Stevens, black/male, 10/9/1992, of Kansas City. Stevens was with a 23-year-old male in front of a store when he was shot. He was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. The other male was shot as well, but his injuries are considered non-life threatening.
• TIPS Hotline 816.474.8477.