Another Strong Contender For The 2010 Darwin Award...
 

Man burned when human rocket experiment goes downhill

Mike Martindale / The Detroit News
Independence Township -- A 62-year-old township man was treated for burns and suspected eye damage after he tried to turn himself into a human rocket on a sledding hill this weekend, police said.

Oakland County Sheriff's deputies responded to the 6000 block of Town View about 7:30 p.m. Saturday in response to a man who had burns to more than 18 percent of his body. The victim -- who had a reputation of doing crazy things at parties, according to investigators -- had made an explosive backpack by filling a motor muffler with gas and gun powder. He placed aluminum on both ends of the muffler and lit it, trying to get a rocket launch effect.

According to an investigator's report, the victim had combined gunpowder, match heads and gasoline and filled the muffler with this combination. He donned a plastic garbage bag as a cap and a motorcycle helmet. He strapped the muffler/pipe device to his back. He asked another person to light a wick and then began to sled down a hill. At some point during the ride, the device exploded.

The victim, whose identity was not released, had been drinking prior to the accident and was treated at an area hospital for second-degree burns to the right side of his body.

Randy

a quart of Jack in your gut will make you do that...

Seemed like a pretty solid plan till this part...

See now, when someone comes in that did something that stupid he should be refused all treatment.

No way. I'd pull out all the stops to save this guy. His entertainment value is HUGE.

Yeah, but something like this takes a certain amount of premeditation. How much Jack have you got to have in you to hatch this gem of an idea, fabricate your little muffler rocket, and strap the thing onto your back? It's a delicate balance of being inebriated enough for long enough to do this, but not so drunk so as to actually pass out from intoxication and then wake up and realize it's actually a terrible idea. Or maybe the guy's pickled enough that even when sober he thought it's a great project.

Nah...he should be applauded......everybody would've pissed themselves laughing when it went ...BOOOOM!

and some say daVinci was a madman, that Elvis was the devil incarnate, that Tesla was from the future...I say this mans genius wasn't fully realized!

I say allow him more and more funding to pursue his dream of non-winged, rocket propelled downhill flight! Think of the contributions to society! Think of the engineering breakthroughs in his attempts! Think for the children for Gods sake!!!

I bet he used one of those cheap Chinese mufflers!

I miss living in Michigan. The local color is so much more.....insane.

I bet that dude is fun as all hell at a party!

Dude, hold my beer and watch this!

I'm with you dewolf. Sounded like a great idea. The guy's 62 years old. What is he saving himself for - senility? I'm almost 60 - ours is a time to live, to set speed records on motorcycles (World's Fastest Indian), and sled down hills faster than mankind has ever sledded before. The only problem was the quality of the muffler, and maybe the quality of the garbage bag on his head.

...or the brains in his head....