Lead Stories
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A New York Times report on the first day’s rescue operations for TWA Flight 800 in July mentioned a man in an army uniform who showed up at the crash site command center and helped direct helicopter traffic. The man was there for about 12 hours before authorities realized they had no idea who he was. Though officials agreed that the man had done a fine job, he was escorted from the area. In October, the man, David Williams, pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized practice of a profession and was sentenced to six months in prison. Previously he had impersonated a physician–diagnosing Medicare patients for a private firm and teaching physician seminars; in both cases, employers were pleased with his work.
Compelling Explanations
The Romanian soccer federation fined the junior team Athletic Bucharest about $16,000 in October for grossly violating rules by walking out of a recent game before it was over. The players, who were losing 16-0 at the time, said they left only because fans were screaming that if they gave up two more goals in the final two minutes, the fans would charge onto the field and strip the players naked.
In April a 48-year-old woman from Mill Valley, California, survived a suicide plunge in her car off a seaside cliff in Sonoma County. Witnesses said she was traveling 45 miles per hour and fell 350 feet but emerged with only minor injuries, probably because she had neglected to unfasten her seatbelt before hitting the accelerator.
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): illustration/ Shawn Belshwender.
