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A Shot of 87 Octane and a Smoke
NC man mistakes gas for drink, caus
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don't smoke after drinking gas
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Darwin Awards
2012 Slush Pile

This item was recently submitted by a reader.
Should I include it in the archive?
Vote to tell me what *you* think!

Arsonist Flames Out

2012 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

http://fox4kc.com/2012/02/06/we-know-his-name-but-may-never-know-why/

PLATTE CITY, Mo. — Platte City Police say they’ve identified the man who accidentally killed himself while setting a dozen cars on fire. Curtis Durbin, 20, died on February 3. Police say they have no idea why Durbin set the fires. Fourteen cars were broken into and about 12 cars were set on fire. FOX 4 was told the victim died because the last car he broke into was broken and automatically locked from the inside. He didn’t know that the car only unlocked by rolling the window down and opening it from the outside. At 5:25 a.m. Friday morning Platte City Police responded to the first car fire in the 1800 block of Wilkerson Dr. Then, approximately one and a half hours later, they were called out to a car fire at another location in the 2100 block of Catie Lane. There they found Durbin, dead inside a white pickup truck that had also been set on fire. “I just thank the Lord that it was raining that morning, and it didn’t go any farther than the vehicles instead of jumping onto the houses,” said victim Dave Connell. Dave Connell’s 2012 GMC Sierra still looks brand new on the outside. When he hits the truck remote you can hear it die. When you see the inside you know why. “I can’t see out the windows and I know I can’t breathe in there,” Connell said. His car was randomly targeted by Durbin. “I feel for the young man’s family,” Connell said. “We don’t know all the bits and pieces but I feel for his family. I mean my truck can be replaced. I feel for the people that didn’t have the insurance “ Some of those victims had no comprehensive insurance, so they’re in a bad spot now. Suzanne Forrest is one of the victims who only had liability insurance. That means her car is truly a complete, melted loss. “My seat is burned and there are shards everywhere,” said Forrest. She says Curtis Durbin lived a few doors away with his parents. No one answered when FOX 4 went to see if anyone could shed any light on his motive. Forrest says she feels more pity than anger. “I don’t think anybody should die for bad choices but again I’m out of a car,” Forrest said. “It’s unfortunate he had to die though.” Dave Connell says he is also sad for the victim’s family. “I think it’s sad when anyone approximately 20-years-old loses their life in what to me is senseless,” Connell said.

Submitted on 02/06/2012

Submitted by: Kent Ahrens
Reference: WDAF-TV 4 Kansas City 6/6/2012

Copyright © 2012 DarwinAwards.com

>> Moderator Scores <<

Candi said:
Definitely Toss: Lacks Excellence
Sorry, Kent, but this just doesn't say 'Darwin' to me. The other moderators may differ. Thanks anyway, and submit again!


Bruce said:
Definitely Toss: No Self-Selection
I'm with Candi on this one. Granted what he was doing was extremely stupid, but it sounds like his death was caused by an unknown mechanical failure (the inability to open the door from the inside). Now if he had known about the problem with the door that would be another situation entirely. Thanks, Kent.


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