By David Peel
Every death is tragic. Every soul is valuable. Peel Law Firm investigates deaths from accidents. But some reported deaths are just so bizarre that they foster a morbid interest that, I am afraid, is in all of us. Here are a few very unusual ways people have been flung into eternity: ROBOT KILLER: In 1979, Robert Williams, a Ford plant employee, was the first person killed by a robot when he was hit in the head by a heavy moving arm of the machine. DEATH BY FLYING LAWN MOWER: Also in 1979, a 20-year-old fan at a New York Jets football game at Shea Stadium, was enjoying a half-time show event featuring early drones when a 40-pound flying lawnmower accidentally struck him, ultimately causing his death. DEATH BY CACTUS: In 1982 a fellow was shooting an innocent 26 foot tall Saguaro Cactus with his shotgun, when a giant arm of the now disarmed heavy cactus fell on him, crushing him to death. FAMOUS LAWYER DEATH: It was back in when 1993 Garry Hoy, a 38-year-old lawyer in Toronto, Canada, famously fell to his death after he threw himself against a window on the 24th floor of the Toronto-Dominion Centre in an attempt to prove to a group of visitors that the glass was “unbreakable”, but he popped the glass out of the window frame, and fell to his death. FLYING FIRE HYRANTS: A 24-year-old Oakland, California, resident, was killed after being struck in the face by an airborne fire hydrant while walking. A passing car had struck the fire hydrant and the water pressure shot the hydrant into him. FLYING RAYS: If flying lawn mowers and fire hydrants aren’t deadly enough, a simple boat ride proved deadly for a lady visiting the Florida Keys, when a 75-pound spotted eagle ray leapt out of the water and struck her in the face, causing her to strike her head on the deck, and killing both her and the ray. DEATH BY BEEF: In Brazil, a cow climbed onto a low roof next to a hillside, and fell through the roof, killing a man in bed. His wife, lying next to him, was unharmed. DEATH BY SHOPPING CART: a 28 year old Swedish student, who is certainly old enough to know better, rode a shopping cart down a steep road reaching around 50 mph before fatally hitting an oncoming car. DEATH BY MANHOLE COVER: Tragically, a schoolteacher driving was struck and killed by a dislodged manhole cover, which crashed through the windshield of her car. DEATH BY INVENTION: It was in 2010 when Jimi Heselden, a British entrepreneur, liked the Segway personal transportation invention so much he bought the company, but in that same year he fell off a cliff while riding his own product. DEATH BY GARBAGE: A man was looking for his cellular phone, which he thought he had dropped into a bag of garbage in the trash compactor, when the compactor activated and killed him. DEATH BY BEAVER: A fisherman was killed by a beaver while attempting to grab the animal to have his picture taken with it. The camera-shy beaver instead clamped down on his leg, severing a large artery and causing him to bleed to death.
Peel seeks justice for those injured in car accidents, medical malpractice, and nursing homes. He often addresses churches, clubs and groups without charge. Peel may be reached through PeelLawFirm.com wherein other articles may be accessed.
