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Yahoo
30-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fla. Woman Thwarts Bear Attack by Throwing a Bag of Cookies at the Animal
A Florida woman said she had been walking her dog in her neighborhood when a bear started coming "after her dog" She said she eventually escaped the bear by distracting it with cookies, while she grabbed her dog and ran away She said that the incident showed an important lesson of bringing some kind of item to scare the animals away if they get too close A Florida woman and her dog escaped a charging bear — all thanks to a bag of cookies. Fla. resident Kristen Savage had been walking her dog Ringo in the Sylvan Lake Reserve neighborhood near her home when a bear came after her dog, she told WESH-TV, WKMG-TV and Fox 35 Orlando. 'The bear snuck up behind me, went around my leg, and started biting at my dog,' Savage said, per WESH-TV. 'I was hanging [Ringo] like a piñata basically in the air, but every time I put my dog down on the ground, she would go after him again.' She said she had spun to try to keep her dog away, but ended up falling down and sustaining a few scrapes to her legs and hands. The black bear even put her dog in its mouth for a brief moment, according to her recollection of the incident. Related: How to Prevent Bear Attacks and What to Do If a Bear Approaches You, According to Experts "At one point, I thought, 'We aren't going to get out of this,' because there is no one here to help me," Savage explained, per the outlets. She told WESH-TV that she started 'waving' her hands and 'screaming' at the large bear to get her attention, which prompted the bear to 'back off' for a bit, but when she stopped the movements, the bear 'sprinted right at us again.' At that moment, she told the outlet that she decided to use her only other option — a bag of cookies that her mother had given her a few minutes earlier. She said she 'smacked the bear across the face' with the bag of cookies and 'threw them at her face.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "I threw the bag at her, and she stopped for a minute, and she sniffed the cookies,' Savage recalled to Fox 35 Orlando. 'As soon as she was distracted by the cookies, I ran!" She said those few seconds keeping the bear occupied was enough to help her and her dog Ringo get back safely into their house. She shared that her dog was not injured by the incident. Related: Moose Narrowly Avoids Grizzly Bear Attack in Thrilling Viral Video from Montana Campground Savage noted to the outlet that the bear was previously spotted in their neighborhood, and that she even has pictures of her nursing cubs in the backyard, per WESH-TV. According to Fox 35 Orlando, she said that while she didn't 'blame the bear' as she understood 'it was a mother protecting her cubs,' she would also try to be more cautious in the future. 'I think it's an important lesson to always have something on you that can scare them away, like an air horn or a spray,' Savage told WESH-TV. 'And just pay attention to your surroundings.' 'Bears are highly intelligent and adaptable, learning quickly to associate people with food,' The Florida Fish and Wildlife and Conservation Commission (FWC) said on its website. 'Black bears are normally too shy to risk contact with humans, but their powerful need to find food can overwhelm this fear.' The FWC recommended on its website that if people see a bear, they should try to scare it away 'by yelling, banging pots and pans, using an air horn or anything else that makes a lot of noise.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lawyers say execution of morbidly obese inmate could be botched
Lawyers for a Florida murderer on death row are trying to halt his scheduled execution, saying his weight and health conditions could lead to a botched lethal injection. In court documents, lawyers for Michael Tanzi, 48, say he is morbidly obese and suffers from sciatica, a condition that causes pain along the back's sciatic nerve. Tanzi's lawyers argued that Florida's lethal injection procedure might not work because of his weight, highlighting that a sedation drug might not fully take effect and leave him "paralyzed but aware" during the process. "The existing protocols for lethal injection do not contemplate the execution of someone with obesity and uncontrolled medical conditions, like Mr. Tanzi's, that are likely to complicate the lethal injection process," Tanzi's lawyers said in their brief. "Executing Mr. Tanzi using the existing protocols is likely to cause serious illness and needless suffering." The lawyers also noted that there might be difficulty placing the IV lines that carry the three-drug lethal injection cocktail, and said his sciatica and other health conditions might cause him to experience pain while lying on the table at Florida State Prison. The Florida attorney general's office said in a response that Tanzi's legal team has not shown that the state's lethal injection protocol would violate the ban on cruel and unusual punishment outlined in the U.S. Constitution. "Tanzi fails to offer any support for his groundless assertion that the massive dose of etomidate, that has been repeatedly and successfully used in Florida's lethal injection protocol, will not work for him," the state said. The court documents also noted that Tanzi waited until the week before his execution to raise the issue. Under Florida law, executions must be carried out via either lethal injection or the electric chair, according to CBS affiliate WKMG-TV. The state is also moving to allow executions by "a method not deemed unconstitutional," WKMG-TV reported — which could allow executions by firing squad or nitrogen gas, both methods that have been recently used in other states. Tanzi was convicted of kidnapping Janet Acosta in April 2000 and killing her. According to the Associated Press, Acosta was seated inside her parked van when Tanzi attacked her and threatened her with a razor blade. He then bound and gagged her and began to drive the van toward the Florida Keys. While on the drive, he sexually assaulted Acosta and used her bank card to withdraw money. Eventually, he strangled Acosta and left her body in the Keys, then continued driving south to visit friends. He was arrested after a missing persons report was filed and he was seen driving Acosta's vehicle. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant to execute Tanzi on March 10. His execution is set for April 8. It would be the third execution in Florida this year, according to the AP. James Dennis Ford was executed in February for murdering two people in 1997, and Edward James was executed in mid-March for murdering a woman and her granddaughter. Hegseth reacts to Atlantic releasing his Signal texts to Trump team detailing Yemen bombing Hegseth doubles down on Signal chat texts not being "war plans" Former National Security Adviser H. R. McMaster reacts to Trump administration leak
CBS News
28-03-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Lawyers argue that lethal injection of morbidly obese Florida inmate could result in botched execution
Lawyers for a Florida murderer on death row are trying to halt his scheduled execution, saying his weight and health conditions could lead to a botched lethal injection. In court documents , lawyers for Michael Tanzi, 48, say he is morbidly obese and suffers from sciatica, a condition that causes pain along the back's sciatic nerve. Tanzi's lawyers argued that Florida's lethal injection procedure might not work because of his weight, highlighting that a sedation drug might not fully take effect and leave him "paralyzed but aware" during the process. "The existing protocols for lethal injection do not contemplate the execution of someone with obesity and uncontrolled medical conditions, like Mr. Tanzi's, that are likely to complicate the lethal injection process," Tanzi's lawyers said in their brief. "Executing Mr. Tanzi using the existing protocols is likely to cause serious illness and needless suffering." The lawyers also noted that there might be difficulty placing the IV lines that carry the three-drug lethal injection cocktail, and said his sciatica and other health conditions might cause him to experience pain while lying on the table at Florida State Prison. The Florida attorney general's office said in a response that Tanzi's legal team has not shown that the state's lethal injection protocol would violate the ban on cruel and unusual punishment outlined in the U.S. Constitution. "Tanzi fails to offer any support for his groundless assertion that the massive dose of etomidate, that has been repeatedly and successfully used in Florida's lethal injection protocol, will not work for him," the state said. The court documents also noted that Tanzi waited until the week before his execution to raise the issue. Under Florida law, executions must be carried out via either lethal injection or the electric chair, according to CBS affiliate WKMG-TV . The state is also moving to allow executions by "a method not deemed unconstitutional," WKMG-TV reported — which could allow executions by firing squad or nitrogen gas , both methods that have been recently used in other states . Tanzi was convicted of kidnapping Janet Acosta in April 2000 and killing her. According to the Associated Press , Acosta was seated inside her parked van when Tanzi attacked her and threatened her with a razor blade. He then bound and gagged her and began to drive the van toward the Florida Keys. While on the drive, he sexually assaulted Acosta and used her bank card to withdraw money. Eventually, he strangled Acosta and left her body in the Keys, then continued driving south to visit friends. He was arrested after a missing persons report was filed and he was seen driving Acosta's vehicle. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant to execute Tanzi on March 10. His execution is set for April 8. It would be the third execution in Florida this year, according to the AP. James Dennis Ford was executed in February for murdering two people in 1997, and Edward James was executed in mid-March for murdering a woman and her granddaughter.
CBS News
20-03-2025
- CBS News
Tech claims Orlando thrill ride operator ignored safety concerns he raised before teen fell to his death
Orlando, Fla. — A maintenance technician alleged on Wednesday that he raised safety issues with the operators of a central Florida amusement ride before a 14-year-old boy fell to his death but his concerns were never addressed. Austin Campbell-Alexander said in the state whistleblower lawsuit that the Orlando Free Fall ride at Icon Park had sensors that were modified to accommodate people whose height or weight were outside safety limits. He also alleged that overheated cylinders prevented seats from securing properly and that the drop ride's metal structure had cracks in its joints. Campbell-Alexander also said he and his colleagues weren't given any training on ride maintenance or patron safety. "He brought these concerns to his manager and the owner of the ride, and basically they didn't do what they should have done," Greg Schmitz, one of his attorneys, said in a phone interview. Trevor Arnold, an attorney for the ride operators, said in an email that Campbell-Alexander's claims were in direct conflict with statements he provided after the accident. "Our clients promptly investigated the tragic accident that resulted in the death of Tyre Sampson. Upon discovering that Mr. Campbell-Alexander adjusted the sensors that resulted in the accident , he was suspended and relieved of any further involvement or access to any rides," Arnold said. "Upon learning of Mr. Campbell-Alexander's and other employees' conduct, we proactively notified investigating authorities." CBS Orlando affiliate WKMG-TV reports that Arnold was among attorneys who provided the station with a statement adding that, "Mr. Campbell-Alexander's claims are in direct conflict with statements he provided following the accident, which will no doubt be demonstrated in Court." Tyre Sampson fell 70 feet to his death on March 24, 2022. A football standout who was 6 foot, 2 inches tall and weighed 380 pounds, he was visiting Orlando on spring break from the St. Louis area. Tyre Sampson's mother says his death could've been prevented: "My personal opinion, it's murder" Sampson went with friends to the amusement park on International Drive in the heart of the region's tourism district, and they rode the Orlando Free Fall, which placed 30 riders in seats attached to a tower. Each passenger was secured with a shoulder harness before the ride lifted them up the tower and then dropped them 430 feet. Because of Sampson's size , the harness didn't lock properly and he was ejected from his seat when the ride braked, authorities said. Campbell-Alexander wasn't present during the accident, but he has suffered depression and anxiety since then, Schmitz said. He said that after Sampson's death, he was asked to backfill blank maintenance logs showing that tasks had been performed in the weeks before the accident. Campbell-Alexander refused and was put on paid administrative leave for a year and not permitted to return to the property, the lawsuit said. After Sampson's family reached a settlement with the ride's operators , Campbell-Alexander was fired. His attorneys said it was retaliation for the safety concerns he had flagged. Sampson's family also won a $310 million verdict against the attraction's Austrian builder last year. The lawsuit filed in state court in Orlando said Campbell-Alexander is seeking more than $50,000. Schmitz said it should include back pay, compensatory damages and punitive damages. "It was just very traumatic from his perspective, working there," Schmitz said. The ride has since been dismantled .
