The Love Bug 
2003 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance
I found this on a site of autoerotic fatalities, which I know are not usually Darwin Awards materials, but frankly, I think this one is weird enough to break out of the box. In fact, I wouldn't have understood it as an autoerotic fatality if it hadn't been written up as one.
Elaborate scenarios lead to unanticipated complications
Date: 1973
Age: 40
Gender: M
Cause of death: Compression/asphyxiation
Airplane pilot drove his Volkswagen to a secluded, roughly circular, flat clearing, He removed his clothes and put on a self-manufactured harness, which connected him via a ten-foot length of chain to the car's rear bumper. He tied a belt to the steering wheel and strapped it down so that the wheel was completely counter-clockwise. He started the engine and placed it in first gear, so that the car circled the clearing slowly with him being led walking behind. He had performed this ritual previously. On this final occasion, however, when he approached the car to end the scene, the chain began winding around the left rear axle; he was pulled in toward the left wheel area, and died of compression against the car.
Source: J.C. Rupp, "The Love Bug," Journal of Forensic Sciences, vol. 18, 1973. pp. 259-262.
Submitted on 04/09/2002
Submitted by:
Pat Powers
Reference:
Jrnl of Forensic Sci. 1973
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