Weird Stories: $4,000 and Amish buggy

A Little Faith in Humanity

Perhaps it’s a sad critique of the world we live in when a story like the following is classified as “weird” -- but greed abounds in this modern age, so when an act of kindness rises above the usual dreck, it is weird news indeed. Eduardo Martinez of Honduras, who works near Broadway in New York, probably expected a more typical ending to his story: On March 2, as he rushed to get to work through jam-packed Times Square, Martinez dropped his wallet. Losing his IDs and personal effects would have been devastating enough, but Martinez also had $4,000 in cash inside his billfold. As he waded through the crowd of tourists and searched the ground, two police officers approached and informed him that the wallet had been picked up by a fellow commuter and turned over safe and sound -- with all $4,000 intact. Here’s to happy endings!

Two-Drink Minimum

The buggy-drifting skills of Ray Byler, 20, of Sigel, Pennsylvania, sound impressive; his alcohol tolerance, not so much. Byler was charged with a misdemeanor for driving under the influence and also was cited for careless and reckless driving. Police began following the Amish buggy he was driving and watched as Byler sped up at a turn and locked the brakes, sending sparks flying. According to Trib Live, when Byler pulled over to let the officers pass and they asked if he was OK, Byler’s response was slurred, and he smelled of alcohol. When asked if he’d been drinking, Byler told the officers he’d had “a couple of beers.” Byler was allowed to stand by his agitated horse’s side after the field sobriety test; police said he refused to take the blood draw test at the hospital.