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Darwin Awards
2007 Slush Pile

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

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2007 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. — A 41-year-old man drowned Wednesday after getting stuck in a storm sewer trying to retrieve a cell phone, police said.

The man weighed more that 300 pounds and was wedged with his head and shoulders underwater in a vertical storm drain in front of his home, said police Lt. Tim Eirich.

The man's identity was not released pending notification of relatives.

Neighbor Chris Van Erem said he saw the man kneeling over the sewer before he fell in. Police said the man pulled the iron gate off trying to get the cell phone.

Then, a child from the neighborhood ran toward Van Erem frantically. Van Erem said he then saw the man's feet sticking up out of the grate.

"I ran over and tried to pull him on out," Van Erem said. "Absolutely helpless was the feeling. I couldn't budge him."

Van Erem had the child call 911 as he continued to try to free the man.

"I could see his head and his shoulders were completely under the water," he said. "His legs weren't moving. He was completely unresponsive."

Van Erem said it ultimately took six firefighters to pull the man from the sewer. Sheboygan County Coroner David Leffin ruled the man's death as an accidental drowning.

The man's cell phone was later found at the bottom of the sewer, police said.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Submitted on 06/06/2007

Submitted by: Mike Quinn
Reference: Foxnews,com June 6, 2007

Copyright © 2007 DarwinAwards.com

Great? 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Awful?
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>> Moderator Scores <<

James said:
Definitely Keep: For Darwin's Eyes
Yet more additional information (from the fellow who attempted to rescue our intrepid leviathan)! Thanks, Mike!


Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: For Darwin's Eyes
Wow, 6 firefighters to pull the guy out. He must have really gotten himself wedged in there. Thanks for sending this in, Mike!


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