Citizen's arrest
Road rage was averted recently in Ohio with a simple vigilante street performance.
When Donald Sebastian of Middleburg Heights was cut off by another motorist, he didn't yell or whip out a gun. He simply pulled over the other driver, claimed he was a U.S. marshal and called local police for backup.
Sebastian isn't a marshal, though. He applied in the past, but was turned down due to his 29 arrests since 1975, including some state and federal gun convictions.
So when Sebastian's backup arrived, they arrested him for impersonating a federal agent. A search of his home revealed this wasn't a first offense either. Police found marshal shirts, jackets and even business cards. Sebastian told authorities that the ruse was his way of "giving back to the community."
Payback, Catholic-style
A 25-year-old man in South Philadelphia learned the hard way that it's a bad idea to mess with Catholic schoolgirls.
Rudy Susanto had a known history of exposing himself to teenage students on the street outside the St. Maria Goretti School, so when he tried again last month, a group of girls was ready to confront him. Susanto tried to run away but more than 20 girls chased him down the block.
Eventually two neighborhood men caught the flasher, but that wasn't enough for the students. While the men held Susanto down, the girls began kicking and punching him. Eventually police arrived and had to take Susanto to the hospital. He faces 14 criminal charges.
Friendly neighborhood Spider-dad
Police in London were feeling quite irritated in November, and it wasn't their spidey sense tingling.
It was because they were forced to shut down one of London's main road arteries for six days while Spider-man was barricaded in the cab of a crane overlooking the Tower Bridge.
This wasn't another movie sequel, though. David Chick was protesting child access rights for separated fathers. He chose to do it in the costume because Spider-man is his two-year-old daughter's favorite comic book character.
The roads were closed in case the man decided to drop anything from the crane, including himself. The result was massive gridlock that cost London businesses an estimated 10 million pounds for every working day the roads were closed.
After six days, Chick finally climbed down. Though the stunt generated much attention for his cause, Chick's eight-month separation from his own daughter will most likely continue now that he's under arrest. But really, it's the thought that counts.
Career counseling
Many career consultants will tell you the keys to landing a good job are networking and interview skills. A teen in Germany, however, finds it's easier to skip all that and just take over the job he wants, much to the chagrin of the Berlin rail authorities.
In 2000, the teen commandeered a public bus, complete with passengers, and drove for 50 miles before police were able to stop him. But he wasn't exactly joyriding. He tried to stick to the route and actually picked up new riders.
This fall he was back, taking over a Berlin metro train full of passengers. Posing as a replacement driver, he was able to get the real driver to turn over the train in the middle of evening rush hour.
But once again, his new career was derailed by the arrival of police. Not one to give up easily, the teen tried to delay the inevitable with a gun but just ended up being apprehended with bullet holes in his leg and abdomen. There's no word yet as to whether he was on the job long enough to receive medical benefits.
Expanded parking at the DMV
A 68-year-old Daytona Beach, Fla., woman's drivers' license renewal hit a snag last month after she crashed her car into the Department of Motor Vehicles office attempting to park.
Mrs. Butterfield claimed the car accelerated by itself, but a police officer did a quick examination of the vehicle and found nothing wrong. As a result, Mrs. Butterfield not only had to take a new written test but a behind-the-wheel test as well. She passed both and was given a new license.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has reportedly contacted Mrs. Butterfield and suggested that she renew her handgun license by mail when it's due.
