News-Weird News

MILWAUKEE A Milwaukee Army reservist's military identification earned him some street cred Tuesday, when he says four men who mugged him at gunpoint returned his belongings and thanked him for his service after finding the ID.

RICHMOND, Va. A Richmond man will have to live more than a month in one of his neglected rental houses as punishment for failing to maintain his properties. Oliver Lawrence was sentenced Monday to 30 days in jail, followed by 40 days in home incarceration at a small, single-story house owned by his company, Bayou Properties. He also was fined more than $177,000.

TYLER, Texas Police said an East Texas man has outsmarted himself in trying to get a quicker response from officers to an alleged assault. Tyler police said 38-year-old Mark Anthony Johnson called 911 on Monday night and reported that he'd just committed a homicide and was armed with a weapon.

MANATEE, Fla. A man was charged with domestic battery and illegal dumping after authorities said he pushed his girlfriend's car into a river. The Manatee County Sheriff's Office reported that a 36-year-old man and his live-in girlfriend were arguing in her car Sunday night when he kicked her out and drove off. Witnesses reported seeing the man a short time later at a nearby boat ramp, pushing the car toward the water.

TAMPA, Fla. The driver and the child in her lap survived when a pickup truck slammed into a 1,500-gallon aquarium at Tampa International Airport. The tropical fish were not so lucky. Airport officials said 36-year-old Yamile Campuzano-Martine lost control of her truck and drove into the saltwater tank outside the American Airlines baggage claim Monday night. Airport spokeswoman Brenda Geoghagan said the driver had an unrestrained 6-year-old boy in her lap.

CHICAGO Chicago police said a West Side man who allegedly tried to walk out of a store with three expensive bottles of champagne under his jacket now has 63 arrests under his belt. Officers said the 70-year-old man was initially charged with misdemeanor retail theft, but the charge was upgraded to a felony Monday after authorities look over his extensive police record, which included 62 prior arrests.

DULUTH, Minn. Prosecutors charged the co-owner of a Hermantown construction company with allegedly assaulting a construction worker with a backhoe. The criminal complaint said a 48-year-old man told investigators he wanted to "nudge" the victim, but didn't want to hurt him. He also said it was a stupid thing to do.

POMONA, Calif. Authorities said four men were arrested after being found sleeping in a garage stacked with stolen property. Pomona police Lt. Alex Rilloraza said officers discovered the suspects Friday while investigating the robbery of electronics from a nearby home. He said some of the stolen goods were in the suspects' pockets.

MANNINGTON, W.Va. It's not quite Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds," but former Mannington Mayor Frank White says he's had enough of the winged creatures for a long time. White said his neighbor, City Councilman Jeff Michael, has been providing a regular smorgasbord for birds, with seed, bread and even French fries.

EUGENE, Ore. A Eugene man fighting a home intruder to defend his mother and young children was bitten by a police dog after officers mistook him for the prowler they had been chasing through the neighborhood. Tim Crossan told The Register-Guard he broke his hand on the intruder's face during the fight, just before police burst in and sent the dog after him.

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. Police in several Connecticut towns said they're dealing with a sticky situation - chewing gum thefts. According to authorities, the number of people caught stealing chewing gum has noticeably increased recently. They believe the chewy contraband is ending up on the black market, where it's harder to trace than some other stolen goods.

LAS VEGAS Joey Chestnut maintained his dominance in the sport of competitive eating - and expanded his palate - by winning the first-ever Martorano's Masters Meatball Eating Championship in Las Vegas. Chestnut on Sunday gobbled 50 meatballs in 10 minutes at the Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino. The 6.25 pounds was a new world record and earned him the first-place prize of $1,500.

SAO PAULO Brazil's case of the pink mini-dress that has gone viral on the Internet has left many scratching their heads - how could it be that an outfit, no matter how short, would cause such an uproar in a tropical nation where skimpy clothing and tiny bikinis barely raise an eyebrow?

BERKELEY, Calif. It was the roll of a lifetime.

PALM BAY, Fla. Police in Florida say a graffiti artist who apparently ran out of paint midway through a spray-painted creation left a note to potential critics to explain the unfinished work.