From a persnickety Vladimir Putin to unexpected iguanas, and a mind-boggling tourist exploits to motor vehicle mishaps, our weird and wacky world continued to amuse and mystify last week.
WELL, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE
An American tourist had to be rescued on Mount Vesuvius near Naples after he apparently slipped into the Italian volcano’s crater while trying to recover his fallen cellphone. Four volcano guides responded immediately, lowering a rope 15 metres into the crater to pull him out and render first aid for abrasions on his legs, arm and back. The tourist and family members were charged by police because they went off the authorized path to get closer to the crater on Saturday afternoon, apparently to take a selfie. Mount Vesuvius, which erupted in AD 79 and devastated the nearby town of Pompeii, is a popular spot for hiking.
I CAN HOLD IT
A Florida woman interrupted an uninvited guest in her bathroom recently. Michelle Reynolds said she went to use the bathroom and “opened the door and did a quick turnaround because I saw this thing in there and quickly shut the door!” The thing? An iguana. The reptile was unable to find its way out the commode, so Reynolds had to enlist Harold Rondon of Iguana Lifestyles, a wildlife removal service, to rescue the little fella. Rondon said he has removed several iguanas from South Florida properties this year already. “This is the second one this week already,” he said. No word on how it got there.
POT CALLS THE KETTLE BLACK
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently shot back at Western leaders who mocked his athletic exploits, saying they would look “disgusting” if they tried to emulate his bare-torso appearances. As they sat down for talks, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson jested that G7 leaders could take their clothes off to “show that we’re tougher than Putin” amid Russia-West tensions over Moscow’s military action in Ukraine. Justin Trudeau joked that Western leaders could try to match Putin’s naked torso pictures with a “bare-chested horseback riding display,” one of his widely publicized athletic adventures.
CUTTING TO THE CHASE
Florida deputies used a taser to stop a man who tried to avoid arrest by fleeing on a riding lawn mower. The Okaloosa County sheriff’s office said it was trying to serve arrest warrants on the 40-year-old man and found him on the mower in a backyard. They shouted at him to stop and get on the ground when he tried to escape on the mower. Deputies chased him on foot before using the taser. When he was finally caught deputies found him with a revolver, a handcuff key, and a pipe with methamphetamine residue. He is facing multiple charges. And in other news, the lawn still needs cutting.
DON’T DRINK AND FLY
An intoxicated pilot was arrested after landing a small aircraft on Interstate 70 southeast of Kansas City, Missouri, after radioing that he had run out of fuel. The plane had a “minor collision” with a guardrail but otherwise didn’t hit anything, police said. The landing closed westbound lanes of the highway for more than 2 1/2 hours.
IF YOU CAN’T SAY ANYTHING NICE…
Police in an old Arizona mining town that gets 1 million tourists annually are warning residents to stop yelling at visitors or they could face harassment charges. Jerome, population about 450, is a hub for artists and tourists take in its scenic views and visit stores and bars along the winding mountain road that passes through it. While many use legal parking passes while visiting, some locals take issue, yelling or leaving nasty notes on cars. In defense of the visitors, police have warned resident that “Yelling at, or leaving notes could, in some cases, constitute harassment under Arizona Revised Statutes.” Residents who think people may have violated parking regulations are instead asked to contact police.