A Pennsylvania man was jailed on charges of reckless endangerment and resisting arrest after police say he passed out drunk while cooking, causing a small fire that forced the evacuation of his public housing apartment building. Avery McCall was arrested about 3 a.m. Tuesday at his apartment in the Solomon Homes public housing complex in Johnstown. Firefighters had to use a pass key to enter the smoky apartment, where they found McCall on the couch as food burned on his stove. Nobody was hurt in the fire.

Two goldfish have survived 134 days since a devastating earthquake hit New Zealand without any pet food or electricity to power their tank filter. The goldfish, named Shaggy and Daphne after characters in the TV show "Scooby Doo," were in a 26-gallon tank in the reception area at Quantum Chartered Accountants in Christchurch when the earthquake struck, killing 181 people. Experts say bacteria may have kept the water clean enough to sustain life and the fish may have eaten algae growing in the tank. They may also have gleaned some nutrition from other sources - six fish were originally in the tank; two were found alive, one was found dead, and there was no trace of the other three.

A former Texas jail guard faces up to 20 years in prison for smuggling tacos packed with hacksaw blades to an inmate facing murder charges. Alfred Casas, 31, was found guilty in a Bexar County courtroom this week of two counts of bribery and one count of providing an implement for escape. Prosecutors said Casas smuggled the two loaded tacos into the jail in exchange for two bottles of Xanax provided by the girlfriend of the inmate, Jacob Keller. Casas said he thought the tacos were packed with chorizo and eggs, not blades, when he gave them to Keller in 2009. The hacksaw blade, along with a length of rope and an inmate jumpsuit dyed to resemble street clothes, was found in the inmate's cell during a surprise inspection.

What the Hell Theater - 7/28

A South African man awoke to find himself in a morgue fridge nearly a day after his family thought he had died. Officials said the unidentified man woke up Sunday afternoon, 21 hours after his family called an undertaker to pick him up and take him to the morgue after an asthma attack. But a day after the man was put in the locked refrigerated compartment, morgue workers heard someone yelling for help. They thought it was a ghost. The man was freed only after the police were called. The terrified man was taken to a nearby hospital and later discharged after doctors deemed him a little chilly but stable. His family was informed that he was alive during a family meeting to make funeral arrangements.

A Charlotte, North Carolina, family has come up big in the lottery - three times. Kimberly McCauley won $100,000 this month playing a new instant-scratch off game called "10X the Money." McCauley's mother, Amy, is from Fort Mill, South Carolina, and won more than $160,000 in the "Carolina Cash 5" in the North Carolina Education Lottery in 2007. But the family's big win came in 1991, when McCauley's mother won $15.5 million in the New York Lotto. Kimberly McCauley says she thought her mom had all the lottery luck, so she's overwhelmed with the $100,000 win.

What the Hell Theater - 7/26

A fire truck was stolen from the Greenwood Township Fire Department in northern Minnesota and the alleged thief was later arrested for driving while impaired. Firefighters had gone out on a call early Saturday and returned to their fire hall northwest of Tower to find one of their trucks missing. St. Louis County Sheriff's officials found the fire truck in the city of Cook. The 25-year-old driver was arrested on charges of theft of a motor vehicle and driving while impaired.

An unsteady forklift dropped a container full of fine Australian wine worth more than $1 million, smashing most of the bottles. The winemaker says he's "gut-wrenched, shocked and numb" after the loss of his flagship vino. Sparky Marquis of Mollydooker Wines lost a third of his Velvet Glove Shiraz production after the accident that destroyed all but one of the 462 cases bound for the United States. Each bottle of the Mollydooker wine sells for $200. Marquis said that when workers opened up the dropped container, "it was like a murder scene. There was red everywhere."

What the Hell Theater - 7/25

An Ohio city said its new "Mow to Own" program allows residents to mow vacant lots adjacent to their property with an aim to take ownership of them. Sandusky officials said the city is losing money maintaining more than 100 delinquent lots that are no longer generating tax revenue. Under the new Mow to Own program, homeowners can care for the abandoned, city-owned properties for up to two years and take over ownership once the value of that work equals the value of the land.

A man crashed his van into six cars at a New Hampshire car dealership because the dealer refused to take his "lemon" vehicle back. David Cross of Salisbury, Massachusetts, was charged with six felony counts of criminal mischief. He said his wife purchased the van Monday and soon discovered the vehicle had major problems including a broken odometer. The dealer refused to refund his money and told him he was "stuck with it." Cross said he took the van back to the dealership just before midnight Monday and drove it into six cars. "I hit the first $25,000 car I could see," Cross said. "I didn't hit a car under $20,000.  He was arrested and released on his own recognizance. The public is rallying around Cross. Fans have designed a T-shirt at cafepress.com in Cross' honor, suggesting the proceeds should go to a defense fund. A Facebook page has been started in support of Cross, as well as people from across the country offering to donate money to a defense fund.

What the Hell Theater - 7/22

Michael Rivers won an expensive moral victory. He spent two years and $450 to fight a $25 parking ticket. A judge in Springfield, Massachusetts, has dismissed the ticket Rivers received in October 2009. He was cited for parking too long at a meter. Rivers contended he had put plenty of change in the meter but the meter was broken. Rivers, who handled the case himself, said fighting the ticket was like doing your own dentistry.

Georgia residents called 911 for help Tuesday morning and landed up in jail. Deputies responded to a call on a home invasion and were greeted by tow men who said they could hear people in their back bedroom. A quick check of the residence found no intruders. The men then pointed outside and told deputies the "suspects" were climbing into a boat and getting away. That's when the officers realized the two men were hallucinating. "They were so high they called 911 on themselves," a police spokesman said. Investigators who later arrived discovered a meth lab at the residence.The two men were arrested, and charged with manufacturing methamphetamine.

What the Hell Theater - 7/21

A man in Jackson, Tennessee, told police an exploding Hot Pocket caused a motel room fire. But investigators say Christopher Stanly Fondren was cooking meth in the room, not microwaving a snack. Firefighters called police after finding evidence of a meth lab in a melted trash can. Police locked down several rooms to make sure there were no toxic chemicals left over from making the illegal drug. Officers arrested Fondren and are looking for a second suspect.

Idaho authorities say a mother and daughter were arrested for drunken driving within an hour of each other - the mother when she went to pick up her daughter's dog. Police stopped 28-year-old Alisha Gardner at 10:56 p.m. Saturday in Idaho Falls after spotting her car swerving and crossing the centerline. Her blood-alcohol level was twice the legal limit. Within an hour, 51-year-old Diana Gardner drove out to her daughter's car in order to retrieve a dog. When she arrived the same officer smelled alcohol on her and had her go through a test as well. Diana Gardner's blood-alcohol level came back at twice the legal limit as well, netting her a jail cell along with her daughter. No word on what happened to the dog.

What the Hell Theater - 7/20

A probation officer didn't have to look far to find a Kentucky man in violation of his probation. Prosecutors say Scott W. Roby posted pictures of himself drinking on his Facebook page - after he had invited his probation officer to be his friend on Facebook. Roby's probation has been revoked. He's been sentenced to two years in prison, in part for violating conditions that required him to stay alcohol-free. He had been convicted on drug charges.

A Washington business was victim of phone hackers, leaving it with a $90,000 bill. Reliance Mortgage owner Hank Lo's average phone bill comes to about $1,000 a month. But his most recent bill from his long-distance provider was for almost $90,000, full of international calls to North Korea and South Africa.  Hackers had targeted the mortgage company's switchboard, so when the international calls were placed, Lo would be billed for them. The phone company has offered to take about $47,000 off of the bill, leaving Reliance responsible for the remaining $41,000!

What the Hell Theater - 7/19

Someone in Anderson County, South Carolina, is missing a donkey. Angela Robinson says she took the animal in after it was following a neighborhood dog. She says the donkey is a delight, when it's not trying to nibble in neighbors' gardens. Animal control officers say the donkey is unusually friendly and appears to be in good shape. If the owner can't be found, the donkey will be sold at auction.

The races for mayor and three commission seats are wide open in the small North Carolina town of Tar Heel because no one bothered to run. No one has registered as a candidate for the fall elections in the Bladen County town. The ballots will be printed with blank spaces for voters to write in their choices. Current Mayor Ricky Martin says he's not surprised no one wants the jobs. Even in a town of 117 it's hard work with little compensation. And Martin says state budget cuts mean the next elected officials might have to raise taxes.

What the Hell Theater - 7/14

A Florida woman is suing her bank, claiming it's ruining her credit rating by refusing to recognize that she is not dead. Wrenella Pierre said she obtained two mortgages from JPMorgan Chase Bank after building her Oviedo home in 2007, and her family received a letter of condolence from the bank for her "death" in November. Pierre said the bank also notified credit-reporting agencies of her death. She said the bank failed to correct the mistake despite her repeated requests. "I don't know why the bank made this type of disastrous mistake," said William Pierce Howard, Pierre's attorney. "There is no possible way to have credit extended when you're deceased." Chase spokeswoman Nancy Norris said the bank is investigating how the error was made.

An Arizona sheriff known for his crime raids in the Phoenix area says he called off his plan to have jail chain gangs pick up trash outside Major League Baseball's All-Star Game. Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said he wanted the focus to be on the children and the national pastime instead of his chain gang. The sheriff had planned to have three chain gangs decked out in striped jail garb posted around Chase Field during last night's game. One was to be made up entirely of undocumented immigrants convicted of drunken driving. Arpaio regularly uses his chain gangs to draw publicity for his tough-on-crime message. The sheriff also placed chain gangs near the 2008 Super Bowl.

What the Hell Theater - 7/13

An 11-year-old boy in Brazil, is drawing attention with magnet-like qualities.  Forks, knives, scissors, cooking pans, cameras and other metal objects are drawn to the body of Paulo Amorim. The boy's father tells Globo that he decided to test his son after learning of a boy in Croatia with a similar ability. The youth says classmates call him "magnet boy."

What the Hell Theater - 7/12

Olympic National Park in Washington State is urging hikers not to urinate along backcountry trails to avoid attracting mountain goats who lick urine deposits for salt. The advice is part of a plan to avoid aggressive goats like the one that gored a Port Angeles, Washington, man to death in October. The popular park may also close trails where goats follow people or enter campsites. Backcountry campers are advised to urinate 200 feet away from trails to prevent the trails from turning into "long, linier salt licks."

What the Hell Theater - 7/11

Authorities in Lehigh Acres, Florida, said a fleeing suspect was chased down and apprehended by a deputy driving a borrowed golf cart. Deputy Richard Williamson responded to a report of domestic battery Tuesday and the suspect, Jeremiah Ellarius Haynes, fled on foot. Williamson chased the suspect to a nearby gated community, where a resident at the gate loaned the deputy a golf cart. Williamson caught up to Haynes and used his Taser to stun the man when he attempted to flee again. Haynes, who had led the deputy on a 1.8 mile chase, was taken to jail on charges of battery and resisting an officer without violence.

A Lecanto, Florida, woman said her collection of 619 flamingo-related items has earned her a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. Sherry Knight said she has been collecting flamingo paraphernalia for years and recently received the news that she is a Guinness World Record holder. Knight, who works for a Path Thrift Store associated with a rescue shelter, said she is hoping to use her fame from the record to draw attention to the issue of homelessness.

What the Hell Theater - 7/7

Police in West Hartford, Connecticut, said a motorist pulled over for not wearing his seat belt was arrested after drugs concealed in his butt fell out of his clothes. Dillon Livingston, 26, was pulled over while allegedly driving without his seat belt Thursday night and the bags of heroin and cocaine fell from his clothes while he was being questioned, police said. Livingston, who was charged with failure to wear a seat belt and illegal possession, was released on $2,500 bail. He'll be back in court on court July 14th.

A 79-year-old Texas woman who went back to school on the advice of her great-grandson has earned her GED certificate after three years of study and hard work. Tomasa Herrera of Fort Worth said the road to her high school equivalency certificate was full of obstacles during the past three years, including eye surgery, appendicitis, a broken leg and paralysis from the waist down. "Math was the hardest part for me; I failed it three times," she said. Herrera said she was inspired to get her degree while struggling to help her great-grandson with his homework.

What the Hell Theater - 7/6

A Michigan jail inmate says he's being subjected to cruel and unusual punishment because he can't have pornography in his cell. In a handwritten lawsuit, 21-year-old Kyle Richards claims his civil rights are being violated at the Macomb County Jail. Richards says denying his request for erotic material subjects him to a "poor standard of living" and "sexual and sensory deprivation." The Michigan Department of Corrections admits that prisons allow some pornographic material, though it's banned at their jail. The American Civil Liberties Union says prisons have a lot of leeway. Richards was charged with bank robbery after police followed a trail of snowy footprints and dropped money to his apartment from a bank robbery scene in January.

A woman has been arrested for to smuggle her husband out of jail in a suitcase. Quintana Roo Police in Mexico say the woman had been there for a conjugal visit, and when she was leaving, staff at the prison in Chetumal noticed that she was pulling a black bulky suitcase on wheels. When they asked to inspect the suitcase of 19-year-old Maria del Mar Arjona, they found her partner, Juan Ramirez Tijerina curled up inside. She was charged and arrested for the stunt.

What the Hell Theater - 7/5

The lawyer for a Kentucky drunk driving suspect accused of stealing a police cruiser during his arrest blamed his client's actions on the influence of alcohol. Heritage Creek police said Theodore Bickel was handcuffed and placed in the back of a police cruiser June 19th when he managed to remove his seat belt, move his cuffed hands to his front, make his way to the front seat of the car and speed off in the vehicle. Bickel, 25, crashed the car a few miles away and it flipped over a guardrail onto the roof. He fled the scene and was arrested the following day. Bickel's attorney said his client was "very sorry that this happened and apologizes for his conduct." He said Bickel even apologized to the officer while stealing the vehicle.

Members of a Texas high school's Quidditch club, dedicated to the sport from the "Harry Potter" novels, said they want official recognition. The Keller High School Quidditch club, which boasts 80 members and four teams, is lobbying the University Interscholastic League to have Quidditch designated as an official high school sport. Co-founder Kati Polaski said the game helps promote physical activity among those who might not otherwise be interested in sports.

What the Hell Theater - 7/1

A Boynton, Florida, man is nursing burns after his roommate and landlord doused him in alcohol and set him on fire. Jonathan Steinberg, 58, faces two counts of aggravated battery. Police say Steinberg and Ronald Rohde were arguing over rent money on Monday. Another roommate said that at one point Steinberg threw alcohol on Rohde's torso and lap. During a scuffle, Steinberg grabbed a screwdriver and cut Rohde's lower back. That's when Rohde realized his boxer shorts were on fire. He was treated for minor burns at a hospital. Steinberg was charged with aggravated battery.

Police say a New York man arrested for burglary was tracked through DNA left on a carton of orange juice he allegedly drank from and left at the scene of the crime. James Moorer, 20, was arrested and charged with burglary this week for allegedly breaking into a Chelsea apartment on Christmas Day 2009. He made off with a desktop computer, videos and cameras. Police arrested Moorer, who has several prior arrests, after matching his DNA to the national DNA database.