by Dale Dreher
New York Times, February 16, 1997
184. Water Hazard.
Two men drowned at Toronto area golf courses in two separate incidents during July 1996. Both men were commercial divers involved in salvaging golf balls from water hazards. Retrieved golf balls sell for about $1 each.
Toronto Star, July 26, 1996
185. Wing Nuts.
On April 11, 1996, Lloyd Dubroff of Pescadero, California, died as his light plane was taking off into bad weather in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Dubroff's 7 year old daughter, Jessica, was at the controls. Also in the plane was Jessica's flight instructor, Joe Reid. The trio were trying to break the record for youngest pilot to fly across the United States. Only bad weather interfered with the mother's plans to have Jessica’s 9 year old brother, Joshua, perform a fly-over during Jessica's backyard funeral service.
New York Times, April 16, 1996
186. Rocketchute for Sale.
Scott Overacker, 39, was the 5th person to die trying to beat Niagara Falls. The California stuntman’s plan was to go over the falls on a jet-ski then activate his rocket/parachute which would lift him up and allow a controlled descent to safety. Overacker’s parachute, however, did not open and he fell 180 feet to his death. Police describe the fall, “like hitting cement.” Several people in the weekend crowd caught the failed stunt on video.
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, October 2, 1995
187. Record Carelessness.
Steve Eidekin, 20, died flying a kite. The California college student was trying to break the world’s record for the largest kite when he launched his 14,000 square-foot kite. Unfortunately, Eidekin’s leg got tangled in the line and he was taken aloft. A college spokesperson explained, “It was a freak accident. He got free ... but he could not hold on.” Eidekin was pronounced dead on arrival at a Long Beach hospital.
Miami Herald, September 25, 1983
188. Grand Entrance/Exit.
Freshman football player, Brian Spruill, 17, died rushing to a team meeting at Bethany College, West Virginia. Spruil mistook a window for an open door and ran through it. A piece of the plate glass window tore through his chest and stabbed him in the heart. Spruil died of his injuries the following day.
Associated Press, October 9, 1984
189. Human Lobster.
The body of an unidentified California diver was discovered by a fisherman entangled in the line from one of his lobster traps. The man apparently got separated from his diving buddy with less than 15 minutes of air in his tank and somehow got ensnared in the line between the trap and its bright styrofoam marker.
Los Angeles Times, October 11, 1987
190. Gonzo Self Destructo.
Bow hunter, Leroy Kassman, 43, killed himself deer hunting. Kassman, alone at the time, apparently was climbing up an incline holding one of his 3 remaining arrows when he slipped and fell, stabbing himself in the chest. Kassman bled to death before his brother and friend found him the following day.
St. Louis Post Dispatch, October 27, 1994
191. Mountain Falling.
Two British mountain climbers fell 3,000 feet to their deaths when they stopped to have their photo taken on Europe's tallest mountain, the Aiguille Bionassy, on the Italian French border. Mark Haseler and Clare Kempster were tied together with a third climber who untied himself to take the picture. The two climbers, in their 30's, fell when Kempster slipped trying to retrieve her backpack that was sliding down the mountain. A British climbing expert commented, "It is quite a straightforward climb for experienced mountaineers; but like any mountain, it is a very serious place to be."
Independent, July 24, 1997
192. Bench Wacker.
Michael Wacker, 14, was killed by a bench. Wacker and two friends were watching a local baseball game in Syracuse when they decided to rock the bench they were sitting on. The bench toppled onto Wacker causing fatal head injuries.
Wichita Eagle, June 19, 1993
193. Deadly Dismount.
Robert Balbirer, 48, was killed after leaving a Baltimore Orioles baseball game. The elevator in an area parking garage became stuck between floors. Balbirer and the other passengers did not heed the instructions of the police dispatcher to stay put until help arrived. The doors were pried open and a number of passengers jumped safely to the floor below. Balbirer lost his balance upon landing and fell backwards down the elevator shaft, landing in the basement 2 floors below.
Baltimore Morning Sun, September 8, 1995
194. Hall of Shame.
Brooklyn baseball player, Micael Marano, 12, is the only person on record having been killed by a pitching machine. Marano suffered a fatal heart attack when he was hit by the final pitch of his practice session. Marano apparently twisted too far while trying to hit an inside pitch, exposing his chest to the fast moving baseball.
Phoenix Gazette, June 30, 1994
Death Takes A Holiday
195. Say Grated Cheese!
Timothy Rowe, 24, of Madison, Wisconsin, died having his photograph taken. Rowe was standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon for a souvenir snapshot when he slipped and fell to his death.
New York Times, November 11, 1993
196. Expensive View.
A US Navy dental technician died trying to maximize her view of the Atlantic Ocean. Susan Swanson, 25, was leaning over the balcony of her sixth floor hotel room when she fell 60 feet to the parking lot below.
Miami Herald, February 20, 1990
197. Ship of Fool(s).
Vacationing engineer, Timothy Dyer, 25, died when he could not find the cruise ship's pool. After several drinks, Dyer climbed a pole and attempted to dive into the pool. He crashed into the deck just 2 feet shy of his target.
Miami Herald, February 20, 1984
198. Deadly Demonstration.
James Bagby, 21, showed his friends what could happen to them if they weren’t careful around the waterfall near his family’s favorite vacation spot. According to the Sheriff’s Department, Bagby slipped and plunged 100 feet to his death after warning his friends to be careful because they were about to cross “a bad spot.”
Charlotte Observer, August 3, 1987
199. Buy the Postcard Instead.
A 70 year old tourist, Ingrid Mason, fell 300 feet to her death. The elderly woman was trying to climb the Huana Picchu peak overlooking the Inca Ruins of Machu Picchu near Cuzco,Peru.
Reuters, April 4, 1997
200. Uphigh, Downunder.
The spring of 1989 was a deadly season for Australia’s booming balloon industry with four accidents causing 17 deaths. Three people were electrocuted when their balloons came into contact with power lines. A fourth died from her injuries when she jumped out of the same balloon and fell 100 feet. Thirteen others plummeted 3,000 feet after two balloons collided. As a result of the accidents, the government ordered a review of safety standards in the industry, which had grown from 3 to 163 balloons in just four years.
Reuters, October 15, 1989
201. Death is Cheap.
Daniel Gutierres, 37, gave his life trying to save 5 bucks. Gutierres was visiting friends in St. Paul, Minnesota, when he dove from a paddleboat to retrieve a $5 bill. Gutierres was with his 13 year old friend when the boy's money blew out of the boat. Although Gutierres was not wearing his life jacket and could not swim, he went after the money anyway. When Gutierres got into trouble the boy threw the Gutierres both life jackets. Gutierres was unable to grab either and went under before rescue personnel arrived. The boy retrieved the $5 bill as it floated by during the search for Gutierres' body.
St. Paul Pioneer Press, July 17, 1997
202. Flipping Fatality.
Chad Hughes, 18, was looking forward to graduation and a scholarship to Arizona State University when he died showing off to friends in a Mexican bar. Hughes performed a series of back flips across the room before he fell on his head, severing his spinal cord and cracking his skull. Hughes died from a heart attack while being treated for his injuries. Hughes’
mother said that she always told Chad not to do those back flips but her son was a, "party, party, fun type kid. He had a great life, and he died having the fun he always did.”
Arizona Republic, May 30, 1991
203. Grave Mistake.
Twenty one year old, Raymond Jones, buried himself alive playing at the beach on Hatteras Island, North Carolina. The computer-engineering student was sitting at the bottom of the 9 foot hole that he had dug when the hole collapsed. Jones body was recovered about one hour later through the frantic efforts of bystanders who used their hands, shovels and a backhoe. "Ever since he was little he always dug holes – just never that deep," said Jones' mother.
Washington Post, August 9, 1997
204. Pier Pressure.
Merette Whelan, 17, of Cork, Ireland, was enjoying her first summer as a high school graduate when she fell to her death. Late one night, Whelan was sitting on a pier and asked a friend for a hand up when her foot got caught in a mooring ring and she fell backwards off the pier, pulling the friend with her. Whelan fell into rocks 14 feet below while the other girl escaped serious injury because she fell into deeper water.
Irish Times, August 19, 1996
Deadly Pets
205. Beware of Dog.
Mark Russell, 24, drowned trying to rescue his dog after it fell through thin ice on an Ontario lake in late January. Russell's stepfather then drowned trying to save Russell. The dog swam safely to shore.
Toronto Star, January 23, 1996
206. Once Bit, Twice Die.
Joe Peters, 23, had his throat ripped out by his roommate's two bull terriers. Peters was still recovering from the last time the dogs attacked him. A month earlier, he was hospitalized for 12 days with a punctured lung and bites to his arms and legs. On the night of his death, Peters had recovered enough to resume his past time of drinking then taunting and kicking the dogs.
Toronto Star, August 16, 1995
207. Sssam Wantsss A Sssnack!
In Commerce City, Colorado, a 15 year old boy was found strangled to death. The culprit was found nearby – his older brother's 11½-foot Burmese python. The family was shocked because the cold blooded carnivorous reptile had never been "aggressive" before.
New York Times, July 22, 1993
208. Maxed Out.
William Roach, 58, replaced his Rottweiler with a more ferocious dog after it allowed a robbery of Roach's home in Manchester, England. Unfortunately, the new Alsatian, Max, was just a little too ferocious. Max attacked and killed Roach because he moved the dog's food bowl. Roach had been warned about Max's attachment to his bowl by the dog's previous owner. Roach bled to death after the dog tore an artery in his leg during the attack.
Independent, June 19, 1991
209. Historic Encounter.
Richard Oley, 65, was butted to death by a ram while out for a walk in the country. The bookstore owner died from massive injuries to his upper body. The coroner ruled the death a misadventure explaining, "It has not been known in the history of agriculture for such an event to take place. It was therefore an unique and, hopefully, isolated event."
Independent, February 7, 1991
210. Kennel Crush.
Although they had been declined a license to operate an animal shelter, Melany Campos and her younger sister continued to care for stray and unwanted dogs at their 2 acre farm. Campos' love affair with animals turned tragic when the 60 year old slightly built woman was crushed by four 40 pound bags of dog food. Campos' sister, a doctor, unsuccessfully tried to resuscitate Campos who had been under the bags for several hours. The local coroner speculated that Campos suffocated under the weight. The sister tried to make sense of the accident, "My sister knew that she wasn't supposed to touch the bags because they were stacked so high; but maybe she was trying to reach something . . . I am still unsure."
Los Angeles Times, August 24, 1996
Selected Bibliography
The World Health Report 1995.
World Health Organization. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1995.
Accident Facts 1996 Edition.
National Safety Council. Washington: National Safety Council, 1996.
They Went That-A-Way.
Malcolm Forbes with Jeff Bloch. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1988.
Dead Before Their Time.
Diana Karanikas Harvey and Jackson Harvey. New York: MetroBooks, 1996.
Dead Men Do Tell Tales.
William R. Maples and Michael Browning. New York: Doubleday, 1994.
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