Boy, 8, Drives His 4-Year-Old Sister to McDonald’s After Watching YouTube Instructional Videos
An 8-year-old Ohio boy drove the family van to McDonald’s, with his 4-year-old sister riding shotgun, because they really wanted some cheeseburgers, police said.
The child maintained the speed limit and executed a perfect left turn into the drive-thru lane, where he came to a stop at the window and placed his order.
“It was remarkable,” East Palestine Police Officer Jacob Koehler told InsideEdition.com Wednesday. “He got him and his sister to McDonald’s without hitting anything or running any red lights.”
The boy took money from his piggy bank to finance the fast-food adventure, and lifted the vehicle’s keys after his father went to bed early and his mother nodded off on the couch.
Police received two calls from pedestrians about a little boy driving a big van, Koehler said. The officer arrived at the McDonald’s at about 8 p.m. Sunday, just as the boy pulled up to the drive-thru window.
“He said he and his sister looked up how to drive on YouTube,” Koehler said. “They waited until mom fell asleep and grabbed her keys.”
They drove a mile to Mickey D’s, stopping at four intersections along the way. They’d already had dinner, but the boy told police “me and my sister really wanted a cheeseburger,” Koehler recounted.
The boy was able to reach the pedals by standing up while driving. “This was a one-ton work van. This thing was huge,” the officer said.
A customer at the restaurant recognized the children and called their grandparents. Police called the parents.
They all hurried to the restaurant.
How did they react?
“I’m not sure there are any words to accurately describe their reactions,” Koehler said.
Employees thought it was a prank when the kids pulled up. “They thought the parents were in the back and it was a joke,” the officer said.
The little boy certainly didn’t think it was funny when the cops showed up. He burst into tears when he grasped how badly he had messed up, Koehler said.
“He started crying when he realized he’d done something wrong,” Koehler said.
But he didn’t get into any trouble with the law, as no charges were filed over the incident.
“I was expecting to get call after call about mailboxes being knocked over, stupid stuff like that,” Koehler said. “But he didn’t hit a single thing.”
via: https://www.yahoo.com/news/boy-8-drives-4-old-192400950.html
Butcher accused in noose incident blames fired employee
A famed West Village butcher accused of handing a noose to a black delivery man claims he didn’t make the racist gesture — and now blames a fired employee.
Joe Ottomanelli, of Ottomanelli & Sons Meat Market on Bleecker Street, sent the longtime employee packing this week, his lawyer, Ron Kuby, told the Post Tuesday.
“Joe Ottomanelli on Monday terminated the employee who had given a makeshift noose to a delivery person,” Kuby said. “Ottomanelli stores have zero tolerance for racism. It’s unfortunate that this ugly and stupid act occurred.”
The incident occurred April 4 at the market on Bleeker Street, where Victor Sheppard had been making deliveries for months.
Sheppard, 36, insisted that the 60-year-old white butcher handed him the noose, fashioned out of yellow rope.
“Here’s your present,” Sheppard said the business owner told him. “You can use it when you’re stressed and need to end it all.”
During a prior delivery, Ottomanelli allegedly cracked to Sheppard, “If this was years ago, you’d be on the back of the bus.”
Sheppard reported the incident to the local police precinct, and the NYPD’s hate crimes task force initiated an investigation.
Meanwhile, Sheppard shared his feelings about the exchange at the National Action Network’s Harlem headquarters Saturday.
“Yeah, other co-workers were there. They just laughed along with it. It’s a laughing situation over there,” Sheppard said. “They just laughed at me,…after they gave me the noose they was just laughing at me and I felt threatened.”
But Kuby said “the problem has been rectified” now that the employee has been fired.
Kuby wouldn’t share the name of the employee. Nor could he say with certainty who made the “joke” about the noose.
“My investigation has not gotten to the point of determining every word that everybody spoke,” he said. “The point is the guy got fired.”
The NYPD Hate Crimes Unit is still investigating, a police source said.
via: http://nypost.com/2017/04/11/butcher-accused-in-noose-incident-blames-fired-employee/
Pennsylvania Toddler Hospitalized After Eating From Bag of Meth
Parents of a Pennsylvania toddler are facing child endangerment charges after state police say the girl ate from a bag of meth.
State police said the 22-month-old girl had to be flown to the hospital after swallowing the drugs at a home near Schuylkill Haven Sunday morning, WNEP reported.
Investigators said charges are pending against the girl’s parents, John Kemmerer, 26, and Leanne Popp, 24, both of Auburn.
There was no immediate word on the child’s condition.
Former Equinox Employee Opens Fire in Florida Gym, Killing 2 of His Former Coworkers
A gunman opened fire inside an Equinox fitness club at the Village of Merrick Park in Coral Gables, Florida, around 1 p.m. on Saturday – leaving two people dead, the luxury gym has confirmed.
Police said the shooter is dead, The Miami Herald reported – and it is believed that he committed suicide after firing his gun.
Equinox member Shed Boren told The Herald the incident involved a disgruntled trainer: “I had just left Equinox,’’ he said. “I heard from my trainer that it was a trainer that had been let go. The general manager and one of the trainers were shot.’’
Equinox confirmed in an email early Sunday morning that the two victims – General Manager Janine Ackerman, 35, and Fitness Manager Marios Hortis, 42 – died from their injuries. They also confirmed that the shooter was a former employee.
“Janine was 35 years old and had been a member of our Equinox family for nearly two years,” several members of Equinox’s executive team said in their statement. “She was promoted to General Manager of our club in Coral Gables last August. She was a kind and caring soul, a person we all loved and will deeply miss. Her memory will never be forgotten.
“Marios Hortis, 42 years old, was with Equinox for more than six years. He was mortally wounded when the shooter entered the club, and died as a result of his injuries. His generous spirit and warm demeanor made him an always welcome presence in our world, one that will be sorely missed.”
There was panic in the gym when shots were fired, a witness told NBC-10.
The upscale mall -which includes stores like Neiman-Marcus, Nordstrom, Jimmy Choo and Crate & Barrel – was placed on lockdown, sending many at its outdoor dining areas scrambling to get under tables, NBC-10 reported.
Security issued a 15-minute audio alert advising “emergency, evacuate or seek shelter,” according to Instagram video posted of the scene.
The Coral Gables Police Department and Miami-Dade Police Department surrounded the mall – securing the crime scene by 1:45 p.m. Those injured were taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center via helicopter, NBC-10 reported, which landed at the nearby Coral Gables Senior High School’s sports field.
The mall appears to be one frequented by CNN commentator Ana Navarro, who tweeted about the incident.
“Wow. My local mall,” she wrote. “Hope Miami peeps safe. Reminder, life’s fleeting.”
Equinox CEO Harvey Spevak released a statement to employees Saturday, writing, “On behalf of the Executive Team, I am writing with the sad news that an employee-involved shooting took place at our Coral Gables club earlier today. Two current employees and one former employee were involved in the incident.
“We are not yet releasing the names of the victims, as we cannot confirm that their families have been notified. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident is ongoing and we are awaiting further details from the authorities,” the statement continued. “Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone impacted by this terrible tragedy. We wanted to alert you, our Equinox family, directly. We are here to answer any and all questions that we can.”
via: https://www.yahoo.com/celebrity/gunman-dead-opening-fire-luxury-211922641.html
BRONX COUNSELOR ACCUSED OF RAPING YOUNG GIRLS IN HIS CARE
A former counselor is now behind bars, indicted on charges he raped and sexually abused three teenagers in his care.
Willie Bowman was a counselor at the Henry Ittleson Center in the Bronx, where District Attorney Darcel Clark said the 30-year-old used his position to prey on young girls.
The victims range in age from 12 to 14, and investigators said the acts happened from October 2014 to July 2015.
Bowman was previously terminated from his position at Henry Ittleson, a children’s day treatment center run by the Jewish Board of Family and Children Services.
Officials with the organization released the following statement:
“When The Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services uncovered allegations of Willie Bowman’s inappropriate behavior, we immediately removed and suspended him and reported the incident to The Justice Center. We have cooperated fully with the Justice Center and law enforcement. Mr. Bowman was subsequently fired. At the Jewish Board, we expect our employees to adhere to the highest professional standards. We will not tolerate anything less. The safety and protection of those in our care is our highest priority.”
Bowman is charged 16 counts of rape, nine counts of sex abuse, three counts of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of course of sexual conduct against a child.
Bail was set at $75,000, and the case was adjourned to July 18.
via: http://abc7ny.com/news/bronx-counselor-accused-of-raping-young-girls-in-his-care/1846951/
Janet Jackson splits with billionaire husband
She’s having a marriage malfunction!
Just months after giving birth to her first child at age 50, Janet Jackson has split with billionaire husband Wissam Al Mana.
While one source said the split is amicable and the couple will co-parent their son, others said trouble had been brewing for months.
“She thought he had become too controlling during the pregnancy and she had already allowed him to dictate her appearance and even the way she performed at concerts,” the source who works closely with the couple said.
Other demands that the “Rhythm Nation” singer gave in to included toning down her 2014 concert tour — wearing clothing that covered her body, instead of the skin-revealing outfits fans had grown to love.
She also declined to do music videos that featured any bumping and grinding, trademarks of her work, the source said.
Jackson also resented the reclusiveness of her husband, who rarely met with her friends or family, the source said.
Still, the couple hoped a baby would help.
They welcomed their son, Eissa Al Mana, on January 3 after nearly five years of marriage. After much deliberation over whether to have a lavish wedding, Jackson gave in to Al Mana’s demands for a simple and private ceremony, sources said.
But Jackson was doing all the compromising — with little give from the younger Al Mana, 41.
The last straw for the thrice married “Control” singer was her husband’s reluctance to show concern for Katherine Jackson’s elder abuse claims against her nephew Trent.Jackson even quietly made London her home after Al Mana insisted the family live under strict Muslim custom, which included prohibiting the new mom from being seen in public while nursing the baby.
Katherine recently returned to Los Angeles after a two month stay in London with Janet.
“That’s when Janet made her decision that there was no turning back,” the source said. “She was worried about her mother — and Wissam showed little to no concern.”
Jackson is believed to be worth $250 million while Al Mana is a billionaire Qatari businessman. The source was not aware of any prenuptial agreement and declined to say whether Jackson would seek spousal or child support.
via: http://pagesix.com/2017/04/08/janet-jackson-splits-with-billionaire-husband/
Toddler passed out on sidewalk at midnight apparently overdosed, police say
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (FOX 11/ AP) – Police who responded to a report of an Ohio toddler apparently passing out on a sidewalk from a suspected drug overdose in the middle of the night say she was treated at a hospital, and her parents are charged with child endangering.
Portsmouth police say a frantic person approached an officer Wednesday, shortly after midnight, seeking help for the 18-month-old girl, who was unconscious and having trouble breathing. Police say the girl’s father and another person drove her to a hospital before the officer arrived at the scene in the Ohio River city, about 90 miles east of Cincinnati.
olice found the girl’s 26-year-old mother unresponsive from a suspected heroin overdose inside their apartment nearby. She also received medical treatment.
Court records didn’t list attorneys for the parents.
According to local media, the parents– Brandy Estep and Jason Bolden– are charged with one count each of child endangering, a third degree felony that carried a maximum penalty of three years in prison.
via: http://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/us-world-news/247277429-story
Florida man denied $100,000 jackpot because friend hit button instead
FORT LAUDERDALE (FOX) – Imagine winning $100,000 on a slot machine, only to find you are not the actual winner because you let someone else press the button. It happened to one Florida man.
Maria Navarro took home the $100,000 jackpot – minus taxes – in January during a lucky night of playing video poker at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Fort Lauderdale. “I never hit such a big jackpot in my life,” she exclaimed.
But she had company that night. Jan Flato says he actually was the big winner. The then-friends gambled on Flato’s player’s card, but he was in for a surprise when it was time to collect the winnings.
“Upstairs, the eye in the sky says, ‘She touched the button, so technically, we have to pay her,’” he recalled. “I said, are you kidding me?”
“Jan all of the sudden, went ballistic,” Navarro recounted. “He started screaming in front of everybody.”
Flato admits he had Navarro hit the button for luck on his $50 bet. That turned out to be an unlucky move, at least for him.
A statement from Seminole Hard Rock said, in part, “the person who pushes a slot machine button or pulls the arm is the person who wins the jackpot.”
Flato says Navarro took the $100,000. “I said,” Marina, what are you doing?’ And she gets up and walks out.”
“That same night, he started sending me nasty text messages, threatening me,” Navarro said.
Navarro showed WSVN-TV the texts, which said, “having me as an enemy…not good” and “well se [sic] who made the big mistake. It won’t be me.”
The rest of the text messages were too vulgar for the station to air.
Navarro said she initially offered some of the winnings, but after the texts, she decided to pull her offer.
Flato says Navarro texted him, too, asking, “Still hate me?”
It’s a sure bet, based on what he told WSVN, that he is, indeed, still pretty upset.
via: http://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/us-world-news/247278364-story
Tomi Lahren files wrongful termination suit against Glenn Beck, The Blaze
Conservative political commentator Tomi Lahren is suing her former employer for wrongful termination, which she claims was a result of her pro-choice opinions.
Lahren was suspended and then fired by The Blaze last month, just days after expressing a pro-choice stance in an appearance on the television show The View.
“I can’t sit here and be a hypocrite and say I’m for limited government but I think the government should decide what women do with their bodies,” she said during the talk show’s March 17 episode.
The lawsuit, filed in Dallas County Friday, states that her remarks were “applauded” by a producer who traveled with her for the appearance on The View. It also states she received “congratulatory” messages from co-workers at The Blaze.
“No one told [Lahren] that her statements on The View were either improper or inappropriate; and, indeed, [Lahren’s] point of view is just that—her point of view and freedom of expression,” the suit reads.
It states that Lahren had expressed pro-choice beliefs before, and that those beliefs are “in no way inconsistent” with the obligations of her contract with The Blaze.
The network sent the following statement to WFAA when asked for comment:
“It is puzzling that an employee who remains under contract (and is still being paid) has sued us for being fired, especially when we continue to comply fully with the terms of our agreement with her.”
The Blaze still intended to pay Lahren after her dismissal from the network, “presumably hoping they could find an exit strategy to sanitize their unlawful conduct,” the suit states. Her contract was set to expire on Sept. 30.
Glenn Beck, who founded The Blaze, did not provide additional comment.
Beck claimed the firing wasn’t a result of Lahren’s pro-choice beliefs, but spoke out against her comments on his radio show, saying they reflected a “recent” change in her views. He also expressed his disapproval on Twitter.
The lawsuit calls the reaction by Beck and others at The Blaze a “public smear campaign” meant to “embarrass, humiliate, and undermine [Lahren’s] reach to her audience on social media and elsewhere.”
Employees at The Blaze placed yellow caution tape in the shape of an “X” on Lahren’s dressing room door at the company’s Irving offices.
“[Lahren’s] unilateral suspension and termination by [The Blaze] underscores the point that Beck and TBI have a political-opinion litmus test, which cannot be reconciled with the Employment Contract that specifically authorizes Plaintiff to express her own views without the threat of retaliation,” the lawsuit reads.
Amy Holmes, a former anchor for The Blaze who is also pro-choice, stood up for Beck on Twitter this week, saying he “never made politics an issue.”
Lahren was asked to remain silent on social media, where she has over 5 million collective followers, according to the lawsuit. As of the publishing of this story, the last post on her Facebook fan page was dated March 19. She has continued to post on Twitter and Instagram.
The lawsuit asks for a temporary restraining order against The Blaze, which would prevent the network from infringing on Lahren’s right to speak freely and from the network’s representatives interfering with any evidence in the case.
‘Your Mommy Can’t Save You’: Maryland Man Accused of Recording Sex Assaults on Children
A 31-year-old man faces multiple charges after he allegedly sexually abused at least three children and filmed the attacks.
An anonymous tip led investigators to the home of Kyle S. Thompson, an HVAC maintenance worker living in Burtonsville, Maryland, according to WUSA in Washington, D.C.
Thompson had allegedly shown people videos of him having sex with a 4-year-old and two other underage females, a source told Montgomery County police.
In one of the videos, a toddler yelled, “I want my mommy.” In reply, Thompson said, “Your mommy can’t save you,” according to police.
Additional videos show the 31-year-old performing various sex acts on the three children, authorities said. Some of the alleged abuse, which dates back to at least 2013, happened in the woods behind Thompson’s house.
While searching his home, investigators found child porn and videos on several computers, WUSA reports. One video allegedly shows Thompson assaulting a 3-year-old girl when a relative went to buy food.
“The allegations are, quite frankly, just horrific,” said Montgomery Assistant State’s Attorney Danielle Sartwell in court, according to the Washington Post.
Thompson is charged with two counts of sex abuse of a minor, two counts of first-degree sex offense and one count of third-degree sex offense in connection with the abuse.
Thompson, who denied everything upon his arrest, is in jail without bond. The FBI is also investigating and is expected to charge Thompson with federal child pornography crimes, according to WUSA.