Watercooler Stories

Professor unwittingly gives son alcohol

ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 29 (UPI) -- A Michigan professor says he temporarily lost custody of his son after lemonade he bought for him at a ballpark turned out to contain alcohol.

Christopher Ratte of Ann Arbor, a tenured professor of classical archaeology at the University of Michigan, said he doesn't watch much television, so he did not recognize that the Mike's Hard Lemonade he purchased for his 7-year-old son during a Detroit Tigers game at Comerica Park contained alcohol, the Detroit Free Press reported.

"I'd never drunk it, never purchased it, never heard of it," Ratte said. "And it's certainly not what I expected when I ordered a lemonade for my 7-year-old."

A security guard who noticed the bottle in the child's clutches referred the matter to police, who interviewed Ratte while his son was being examined at Children's Hospital. Less than 90 minutes after Ratte was confronted by the security guard, doctors determined the boy had no alcohol in his blood. However, Ratte said the police officer told him her supervisor was requiring her to contact Child Protective Services.

The professor said it was two days before his wife was able to take the boy home from foster care and nearly a week before he was allowed by the court to move back him with his wife and son.

Ratte said he and his wife have filed a formal complaint with the CPS ombudsman's office.

Newlyweds jailed after post-wedding fight

PITTSBURGH, April 29 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania couple face criminal charges after their wedding night bliss turned into a hotel brawl, police said.

Dr. David M. Wielechowski, 32, a dentist, and his new wife, Christa, 25, each face charges of simple assault, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct after a mass fight broke out Saturday in the Holiday Inn in Ross Township, Pa., the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

It is reported the bride faces an additional charge of public intoxication. The newlyweds reportedly were arrested and spent the night in the Allegheny County Jail.

The couple allegedly began arguing, prompting the groom to use "a karate-style kick with his leg to kick his bride, knocking her to the floor."

Authorities said the couple then teamed up to fight off hotel patrons who came to rescue the bride when they heard her cries and joined the melee.

The Wielechowskis were released Sunday and are to appear at a May 7 preliminary hearing in Allegheny County, the Post-Gazette reported.

Man: Woman attacked over porn mistake

ALBUQUERQUE, April 29 (UPI) -- An Albuquerque man said his girlfriend attempted to stab him because she thought he had acted in a pornographic movie.

The man said he was watching the movie with his girlfriend, identified as Amanda Moya, 20, when she accused him of being an actor from the film and began chasing him with a knife, KOB-TV, Albuquerque, reported.

"She almost shanked me and everything. She put the ... knife right under my throat," the victim told a 911 operator.

The man reportedly fled the house on foot, wearing only a pair of shorts and ran to a business parking lot, where he encountered a deputy headed for the scene of the incident, KOB reported.

Moya was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and aggravated battery. Deputies said she was also charged with child abuse because she left her 8-month-old baby boy home alone while she chased the victim.

The alleged victim told KOB-TV Moya has previous battery charges against her. He alleged she previously stabbed him in the face and bit his chest.

"She's not even supposed to be around me," he said.

Man asks God for cheaper gas

OAKLAND, Calif., April 29 (UPI) -- A man of faith from the District of Columbia area is going over the heads of government and industry leaders by asking God for cheaper gas.

Rocky Twyman, a public relations consultant and church choir director from the Washington suburbs, said he held his first gas station pray-in Wednesday in Washington. He followed that up with an event in San Francisco Friday and had a third prayer session scheduled Monday in Oakland, Calif., the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Twyman said the prayers he leads do not ask God for any specific event to lower the price at the pump. He said he believes prayers of this manner should be kept simple.

"God, deliver us from these high gas prices," Twyman said. "That's all they have to say."

Consumer advocates said that while they may doubt Twyman's methods will yield results, they applaud his effort.

"Given the complete inertia and silence of this White House on a crisis that has people feeling just hopeless, prayer is probably as good as anything," said Judy Dugan, research director with the non-profit group Consumer Watchdog. "Frankly, I wish them luck."