Man may have infected thousands with HIV
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Michigan police say they've arrested a man who told them he had sex with as many people as he could over the past three years to infect them with HIV.
Authorities in Grand Rapids say David Smith, 51, was arrested after he turned himself in to police and talked about infecting sexual partners with the human immunodeficiency virus, WOOD-TV, Grand Rapids, reported Wednesday.
Smith told police there are "thousands" of victims.
Police said they are currently aware of the identity of only one of the victims and have charged Smith with just one count so far.
The alleged victim, who asked not to be identified, called Smith "a predator" and "a sociopath."
"He hits drifters," she told WOOD-TV. "He hits people who are young. He hits young women, and from what I understand, he hits men too. Those are his targets."
"I was diagnosed (with HIV) October 18, 2008," she said.
The Kent County Health Department is concerned about the number of possible victims, a spokeswoman said.
"We want to make sure that anyone who may have injected drugs with [Smith], who may have had sex with him, does come forward and get tested," Communications Manager Lisa LaPlante said. "We want to make sure that they're not spreading the virus to anyone else."
Smoldering embers started Christmas fire
STAMFORD, Conn., Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Smoldering fireplace embers appear to have sparked the Christmas Day fire in Connecticut that killed three girls and their grandparents, investigators said.
Stamford Chief Fire Marshal Barry Callahan said the ashes were placed in a mudroom or outdoor garbage enclosure and ignited early Christmas morning, the Stamford Advocate reported Wednesday.
Michael Borcina, the contractor renovating the stately Victorian, cleaned out the fireplace as he and homeowner Madonna Badger went to bed shortly after 3 a.m., investigators said. The house was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived at the 3,350 square-foot home less than 2 hours later.
Callahan said the investigation into the fire that killed Badger's three daughters -- Lily, Sarah and Grace -- and parents Lomer and Pauline Johnson is ongoing.
The state medical examiner said autopsies show the three girls and their grandmother died of smoke inhalation and their grandfather died from blunt head and neck trauma that occurred when he fell as he tried to rescue the children.
Engine fails on United Express flight
SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt., Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Engine failure forced the emergency landing of a United Express flight that had just departed from Burlington International Airport, Vermont officials said.
The CRJ-700 aircraft, operated by the regional carrier Mesa Airlines, departed for Chicago around 6 a.m. EDT Wednesday but turned about minutes later after an engine failed, the Burlington (Vt.) Free Press reported.
"They had an issue with the number one engine," Patrick Sharrow, an operations specialist at the airport told the newspaper. "The number one engine was shut down. Shortly after the engine was shut down, they had an indication of possible smoke in the cargo hold."
The plane, which holds about 70 passengers, landed safely and there were no reports of injuries, the Free Press said.
Rival clergy brawl in Bethlehem church
BETHLEHEM, West Bank, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Dozens of priests and monks went at it with fists and broomsticks Wednesday in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity in the West Bank, police said.
The brief brouhaha broke out while about 100 Greek Orthodox and Armenian clergy were taking part in the annual Christmas cleanup at the 6th century holy site, The Daily Telegraph reported. Palestinian police were called in to restore order, the British newspaper said.
"No one was arrested because all those involved were men of God," Bethlehem police Lt. Col. Khaled al-Tamimi said.
The church, which is jointly administered by the Latin, Orthodox and Armenian churches, is spruced up every year between the Latin Christmas and early January, when the Orthodox sects celebrate Christmas.
