Small Bits of News You Didn’t Know you Needed

Man accused of making his license plate 'disappear'
New York authorities didn't see this one coming. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey says the driver of a tractor-trailer rigged the front license plate of his vehicle so that it would "disappear" as he drove through a toll plaza, allowing him to avoid paying the $40 fee.
The Port Authority said driver Orlando Payano ran a cable from the license plate to the dashboard cigarette lighter inside the cab of the vehicle.
Pulling on the lighter flipped the plate under the truck. Cameras are used to capture images of license plates to identify fare beaters.
Police charged Payano with toll evasion and license plate destruction.
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Man doesn't take rejection well and turns to a wild rampage
A Pasadena, Calif. man has been charged with trying to run down three women who spurned his advances at Newport Beach.
Prosecutors said Wednesday that Bryan Curiel faces life in prison if convicted of several felony charges, including attempted murder.
Farrah Emami, spokeswoman for the Orange County district attorney, says the women rejected Curiel's advances inside a doughnut shop Sunday and told him to leave them alone.
When they had left the shop, Curiel allegedly drove at least 50 mph toward the women and three of their friends before crashing into several concrete benches. One woman's foot was run over as she tried to jump out of the way.
Curiel is being held on $1 million bail until his arraignment Sept. 19.
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Man Hit by Roller Coaster at California Theme Park
A 20-year-old man was listed in critical condition after he was struck by a roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain Saturday in Valencia.
The man lost his hat on a ride and climbed two security fences to retrieve it, park officials said. That's when he was struck by the Ninja roller coaster and knocked unconscious.
He remained hospitalized Wednesday. No other details were provided about his injuries.
The roller coaster, which reaches speeds of 55 mph, was shut down until state inspectors determine whether the accident was related to the ride.
The man's name has not been released.
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Son Spots Dad on TV, 5 Years After Family ‘Cremated’ Him
Five years after a British man and his family cremated and held a wake for his dad, John Renehan spotted his father on television, alive.
Renehan’s father, John Delaney, disappeared in 2000. When police found a decomposed body in April 2003, wearing similar clothes and with similar wounds to Delaney, they declared it was him.
A coroner confirmed the police findings and Renehan paid for a cremation and wake. He is now demanding an apology from police for the trauma he suffered believing his dad was dead.
Turns out 71-year-old Delaney had been in a care facility since 2000, after suffering a head injury and memory loss. Unable to give any clues as to his identity, Delaney was given the name David Harrison and placed in a home.
In April Delaney was featured on a TV show about missing persons.
By coincidence, Renehan was watching and recognized his dad. DNA tests confirmed the link and the pair had an emotional reunion two weeks ago.
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Woman With Suspended License Has Son, 13, Drive
A Gettysburg woman told police she couldn't drive because of a suspended license — so she was a passenger as her 13-year-old drove.
The boy was pulled over Tuesday night when police said he was driving 64 mph in a 40 mph zone in Cumberland Township, Adams County.
Police say the woman faces numerous charges. Her son also faces charges.
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Heroin addicted elephant clean after rehab
A former heroin addicted elephant has emerged from rehab clean after a three-year detox program
The four-year-old bull elephant appears to have put his years of drug abuse behind him thanks to time spent on China's tropical island province of Hainan.
A year of methadone injections at five times the human dosage helped wean the elephant off heroin.
Gradually, the dosage was reduced until he was completely weaned off the drug.
Referred to as 'Big Brother' or 'Xiguang' in Chinese media reports, the elephant was captured in 2005 in southwest China by illegal traders who fed him heroin-laced bananas.
The traders used the spiked bananas for several months to control him before they were arrested by police.
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