| Recap Reports from 2003 - 2007 |
| ------- Woman fakes death to avoid traffic court --------
SWANSEA, Wales - A Welsh woman has drawn a suspended jail sentence for faking her own death in order to avoid going to court for a speeding ticket. Glenda Askew, 47, of Swansea, was clocked driving 11 miles over the city speed limit in March 2006 and received a notice from police, The BBC reports. Askew ignored the letter, but when a summons to court arrived, she decided she had better take action. Prosecutor Bryn Hurford says Askew filled out the summons in the name of her daughter, Tracey Roberts, stating that her mother would not be able to come to court because she had died in a car accident. Judge Michael Burr said he saw little purpose in jailing her and instead sentenced Askew to 12 months of supervision. -------- Sword fight breaks out after break in ---------- BEAUFORT, S.C. - The Sheriff's Office of Beaufort County, S.C., said a man who broke into his ex-girlfriend's home was foiled by her roommate who sword-fought the invader. Deputies said Elvis Javier Polanco brandished a 3-foot sword when he broke into the home of his ex-girlfriend last week, only to find that her roommate, Louis Delgado Hernandez, was an avid sword collector and skilled in the use of the weapons, the Hilton Head (S.C.) Island Packet reports. Hernandez was able to disarm Polanco, cutting the alleged invader's arm in the process. Polanco was treated at the Hilton Head Regional Medical Center before being taken to the Beaufort County Detention Center. Polanco was charged with second-degree burglary and high-and-aggravated assault and battery. Deputies said Hernandez will not face charges. A second man accused of assisting Polanco with breaking into the house is still being sought. --------- Convict claims to be a werewolf ---------- FOND DU LAC, Wis. - A Wisconsin man claiming to be a werewolf has been charged with trespassing, criminal damage to property and possession of marijuana. Robert Marsh, 39, was also charged with disorderly conduct after allegedly breaking through the deadbolt on the door of the home of the woman he was staying with and grabbing her arm, the Fond du Lac (Wis.) Times reported. Marsh was released from prison only days before the alleged incident. The woman had reportedly allowed Marsh to stay with her because he was homeless, said the police report. Marsh had reportedly not slept during the time he stayed there but was allegedly often drinking and incoherent, the Times reported. He also reportedly stated that he was a werewolf, had powers and was involved in a witch religion, the woman said in the report. If convicted Marsh could be sentenced to eight years in prison and fined more than $21,000. ---------- Check from God gets man in trouble ----------- HOBART, Ind. - An Indiana man is facing up to seven years in prison after police say he tried to cash a $50,000 check from God. Kevin Russell, 21, allegedly tried to cash a check signed "King Savior, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Servant," police told the Northwest Indiana Times. He's been charged with attempted check fraud, intimidation and resisting law enforcement, the newspaper said. Police arrested Russell at the Chase Bank branch in Hobart. Police told the Northwest Indiana Times the suspect had several other checks with him, all signed the same way but made out in different amounts. One check was for $100,000. "I've heard about God giving out eternal life but this is the first time I've heard of him giving out cash," Hobart Police Detective Jeff White told the newspaper. |