Darwin Awards

The Darwin Awards Awards celebrate Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by commemorating the remains of those who improve our gene pool by removing themselves from it in really stupid "accidents."

PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE

Darwin Award Nominee, Unconfirmed

2001, California | A MAN whose parked car began to roll into a reservoir near Fresno leapt in front of it and tried to physically prevent it from seeking lower ground. But this was not a case of an irresistible force (the car) meeting an immovable object (the man). Instead of stopping, the car rolled over its owner, pinning him beneath the water and drowning him.

PHENOMENAL FAILURE

2001 Honorable Mention, Unconfirmed

February 2001, Michigan | A 28-YEAR-OLD demolition worker attempted to commit suicide by washing down nitroglycerine pills with vodka. Normally suicide is not worthy of an Honorable Mention, but this man's failure was exceptional. After swallowing the pills, he tried to explode the nitroglycerine by repeatedly ramming himself into a wall.

He was treated for bruises and released from the hospital... with counselling.

Reference: Detroit Times

PAROLE CALLING CARD

Honorable Mention, Unconfirmed

August 2001, South Africa | A CARELESS thief left behind the most incriminating of evidence -- his parole card -- in a pair of jeans he discarded after changing into stolen clothes. He made off with jewelery, cutlery, and electronics, but was quickly apprehended using the information provided by the parole card. Fingerprints found at the scene of the crime matched those on the card, and he was jailed for the botched home robbery.

Reference: South Africa Independent Online News