Lead Story
Best of Chicago voting is live now. Vote for your favorites »
Having unsuccessfully tried to borrow a boat from friends in the days after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Mark Morice found an 18-foot pleasure craft with the keys in it and used it to evacuate survivors from his flooded neighborhood and a nearby hospital, rescuing by his count more than 200 people. He then abandoned the boat, for other rescuers to use, he said; later he returned to the house where he’d found it to explain what had happened. This August the boat’s owner, John Lyons Jr., sued Morice for replacement costs plus damages, alleging that by commandeering the boat Morice had caused him “grief, mental anguish, embarrassment and suffering.”
Making Life Somewhat Better
Leading Economic Indicators
More accidents in which elderly drivers apparently stepped on the wrong pedal: Age 89, backed into rear wall of own garage, then sped across street and into neighbor’s porch; driver hospitalized (Dearborn, Michigan, July). Age 89, hit pedestrian while driving through festival grounds, seemingly panicked, and lurched into crowd; 27 injured (New London, Connecticut, July). Age 89, plowed through stalls at open-air market; ten injured, two seriously (Rochester, New York, August). Age 87, taking husband to eye doctor, drove through clinic’s brick facade and into waiting room; no injuries (Orlando, Florida, July). Age 86, drove through doors of McDonald’s; no injuries (Brookfield, Wisconsin, August). Age 85, drove into Starbucks outdoor seating area; ten injured, two critically (El Monte, California, July). Age 84, backed over 87-year-old man in lawn chair near driveway, then, seemingly confused by shouting bystanders, pulled forward and ran over him again, then backed over him again; man killed (Tamarac, Florida, July).
