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Darwin Awards
2007 Slush Pile

This item was recently submitted by a reader.
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The Copper Caper

2007 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

I live near Hamilton, my Dad's from Hamilton, I wish I could say that Hamilton was populated by the brightest and best....but it isn't. Now that population has been, blessedly, decreased by one more.

Brandon Reed, age 22 was removed from live power lines about 9 am this morning (according to my husband's eyewitness account as he drove by the site). These powerlines he had dangled from since electrocuting himself at around 3:am Monday the 16th of July, 2007, after attempting to steal copper wires. Copper theft is a big problem in these parts, with most wire being stolen from construction sites preparing for electrical work.

I can't recall anyone having the brilliant idea, at least around here, to steal it while power surged through it on a power pole...he must have thought he'd struck upon a brilliant idea, after all power poles go on for MILES with that stuff!

Anyway, the 911 call comes in that a passerby saw a big flash of light, a BANG, and a scream and stopped to help. Turns out the 911 caller was his accomplice, Josh Snyder, age 24 who had dropped Brandon off to harvest the copper, and was coming back to pick him up when he witnessed the results of their plan.

Brandon was in the news in Feb. for attempting to impersonate a policeman so he could search people's medicine cabinets for prescription drugs, namely OxyContin.

Hamilton...raising its collective IQ, one dead body at a time.

Submitted on 07/16/2007

Submitted by: Jeanine Gravitt
Reference: http://www.wlwt.com/news/13686746/detail.html

Copyright © 2007 DarwinAwards.com

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James said:
Definitely Keep: For Darwin's Eyes
I REALLY like your write-up, Jeanine, and even though this sort of incident is WAY too common, I'd like to pass it on to Darwin!


Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: For Darwin's Eyes
Wow, that last unrelated bit about this mook impersonating a policeman to try to steal drugs from peoples medicine cabinets sure makes him stand out. Even though electrocution while attempting copper theft is way too common that certainly makes this one stand out.


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