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News of the Weird

Staff
Tuesday July 16, 2002

Jump was so much fun that
skydiver lost his teeth
 

 

ADDISON, Vt. — Carl Root wishes he’d kept his mouth shut. 

Root, 34, let out a war whoop and lost his false teeth at 9,000 feet during his maiden skydiving jump as a cameraman documenting his tumble to earth. 

“It’s a very expensive learning lesson,” said Root, who vows never to jump with his dentures again. 

By the time he landed, Root had narrowed the search for his wayward teeth to Addison County’s 770 square miles. But he wasn’t sure where to begin. 

“Chances of them ever being found are pretty slim,” he said. 

He called his dentist and ordered a new set. He got his new upper teeth Thursday after going without for nearly a week. 

Root said he was determined not to let a minor mishap like losing his $1,200 teeth spoil his day. He said he’s hooked on skydiving and plans to jump again in October. 

In the meantime, Root and his friends have run the videotape scores of times, and they never fail to get a good laugh at the sight of Root’s dentures tumbling from his mouth and setting off for the wild blue yonder. 

“If you slow it down,” said Root, “you can really see those teeth going.” 

 

You may no longer kiss the
bride if you are in jail
 

 

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — A new bride who wed her jailed groom behind bars is accused of passing methamphetamine during the kiss that sealed their vows. 

Vivian Frazier, 32, is charged with transferring 2 grams of meth in a balloon to her new spouse, Jeremy Guinther, as they puckered up July 5 at the Vigo County Jail. 

A guard became suspicious after noticing that Guinther had a slight bulge in his cheek after the kiss, according to a police report. 

When ordered to open his mouth, the 26-year-old Guinther swallowed, police said. He later admitted to ingesting meth, the report said. 

The drug was later recovered during a hospital stay, police said. 

Frazier, who was arrested Thursday, was charged Friday with trafficking with an inmate. 

Frazier denied the accusation. “Why would someone give something that could kill them on their wedding day? It’s supposed to be a happy time,” she said. 

The alleged meth incident has led to a new rule at the jail: no kissing in weddings behind bars. 

“I’ve checked with the ministry. There’s no requirements for kissing,” Sheriff Bill Harris said. 

 

Telephone-toting transient
helps police nab burglar
 

 

LINCOLN, Neb. — A transient with a cellular telephone helped police catch some suspected cigarette thieves in the act. 

“I can’t recall another transient with a cell phone helping us solve a crime in circumstances like this,” Police Chief Tom Casady said. “It just goes to show you how much our culture has changed.” 

The arrests came less than a day after police said someone had committed smash-and-grab cigarette thefts at seven stores. 

The break came — literally — early Friday morning when the sound of shattered glass attracted the attention of the transient, whose name was not released.