Those Bizarre, Unbelievable True News Stories

Having been a newsperson for years, it’s hard to shock me easily. Sometimes, however, there are some funny news stories to be shared that can put a smile on your face and here are a few I hope you can enjoy.

Several years ago, while covering court one day in Troup County, a man charged with many burglaries was called up to face the judge. While the conversation below might not be the exact words that were said in court that day, I assure you this really happened and how I remember it during that day while covering court.

“Mr. (whatever his name was) you are charged with 18 counts of burglary. How do you plea?” the judge asked.

“Guilty to 10 of them,” the man replied.

“Mr. (whatever) you do realize that with this many counts if you enter a guilty plea to 10 of the 18 you are still going to get a good bit of time in confinement?” the judge asked.

“I understand Your Honor but it’s the principle of the thing. I only did 10 of them,” the man said.

“This is what I like,” the judge said, “an honest crook. Well, Mr. (whatever), if you didn’t do the other eight, can you tell me who did?”

Imagine the surprise in the courtroom when the man turned around, pointed to another man sitting in the courtroom and said, “He did, Your Honor. My brother did the rest of them.”

Just goes to show there is no honor among thieves.

Imagine being stuck in a Porta-Potty for eight hours after tying to retrieve a soda.

It really happened, according to ABC News. Here is the story as reported by Julia Varnier:

New details are shedding light on the bizarre rescue of a man who became trapped inside the holding tank of a portable toilet in Kansas City.

The unusual incident happened July 14 while crews with Patriot Portable Restrooms were collecting units after an event tied to the FIFA World Cup, according to company partner Chip Counterman.

Counterman said one of the company’s drivers checked each portable restroom before loading them, knocking on every door to make sure no one remained inside. One unit was locked, and the occupant was told he had about 10 minutes to finish before crews returned.

When the driver came back, the man still refused to leave.

A Kansas City police officer riding by on a motorcycle was flagged down to help. After the officer asked the man to come out, the response raised even more questions.

“The man replied that he could not reach the door and couldn’t get out of the toilet,” Counterman said.

When responders looked inside the restroom, they initially couldn’t see anyone.

Then, according to Counterman, “all of a sudden a head popped out of the toilet.

“The man had climbed into the waste holding tank beneath the toilet seat.

Kansas City firefighters responded and attempted to talk the man through getting out on his own. During the rescue, the man told responders he had climbed into the tank to retrieve a Mountain Dew bottle he had dropped there the night before. Counterman said the man had been inside the tank for roughly eight hours.

Firefighters ultimately cut apart the portable toilet to free him.

After the man climbed out, firefighters rinsed him off using water from one of their trucks before the incident came to an end.

Counterman thanked the Kansas City Fire Department and Police Department for helping safely resolve what he described as a “horrible situation.”

Authorities have not publicly identified the man or said whether he suffered any injuries.

A Mountain Dew, really. What a cheap skate. I would have bought him a Mountain Dew to keep him out of the Porta Potty.

And finally a story that appeared in Newsweek a couple of years ago:

A Michigan woman is suing a man for $10,000 because he allegedly stood her up on a date. The suit was filed in 2020 but was transferred to a circuit court following a tense virtual hearing, according to the news story. The woman claims the man deliberately hurt her feelings and caused emotional trauma.

Man, that brings a new meaning to, “She ain’t a cheap date.” I’ll bet the man is glad he didn’t go out with her. Can you imagine the bill for that date?

I did research to find out about the final finding by the court. She did not get a favorable ruling. Wonder what gender the judge was?