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Teen crashes into tree full of bees
AP onYahoo ^ | 8/3/06 | AP

Posted on 08/03/2006 12:01:20 PM PDT by NormsRevenge

OSSIAN, Ind. - A teenage driver crashed into a hollow tree and stirred up tens of thousands of angry honey bees, creating a swarm that sent her and nine others to the hospital.

"Those bees were mad," said Volunteer Fire Chief Kent Gilbert, who was stung at least 50 times while trying to pull the 16-year-old driver from the wreckage. "I've never seen bees, especially honeybees, attack like that."

Jacqueline Cossairt's SUV slammed into the tree Tuesday after she lost control on a gravel road about 10 miles south of Fort Wayne.

By the time rescuers arrived, a black cloud of buzzing insects had engulfed the car, forcing firefighters to wear full safety gear — complete with oxygen tanks and face masks — with temperatures in the 90s.

Safety workers doused the bees with water and foam while they tried to free Cossairt, who was taken to a nearby hospital with broken legs and multiple bee stings. She was remained at Lutheran Hospital on Thursday.

A neighbor, along with a paramedic and seven firefighters, were also hospitalized for bee stings and heat-related symptoms.

"You can't really train for that. You don't really know. You look for downed power lines. You don't look for a million bees," said Master Trooper Bob Brophy, commander of the Indiana State Police's Fort Wayne post.

Bee expert Stan Grove, a biology professor at Goshen College, said the insects are most active in warm weather when they furiously fan their wings to cool the temperature of the hive.

"They don't like to be jostled," Grove said.


TOPICS: Local News; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: bees; crashes; ouch; teen; tree

1 posted on 08/03/2006 12:01:21 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
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To: NormsRevenge

When she got out of the car she stepped into a bear trap, fell onto a hot stove, slipped on a banana peel and got her head stuck in a big jar of honey.


2 posted on 08/03/2006 12:04:12 PM PDT by Argus
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To: NormsRevenge

Ouch!


3 posted on 08/03/2006 12:04:38 PM PDT by NautiNurse (Hurricane season 2006 - Be prepared and have a plan)
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To: NormsRevenge
Image and video hosting by TinyPic
4 posted on 08/03/2006 12:04:39 PM PDT by Sax (You Done Tore Out My Heart And Stomped That Sucker Flat)
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To: Argus

Her nickname is "Lucky"


5 posted on 08/03/2006 12:11:07 PM PDT by JRios1968 (There's 3 kinds of people in this world...those who know math and those who don't.)
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To: Sax

I always heard that bees will not sting you on your belly button but wanted proof...


6 posted on 08/03/2006 12:15:32 PM PDT by AmericaUnited
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To: NormsRevenge

Already done, an Adrian Monk copy-cat crash.


7 posted on 08/03/2006 12:17:30 PM PDT by NonValueAdded (Tom Gallagher, the anti-Crist)
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To: NormsRevenge

No wonder this happened. An SUV was involved.


8 posted on 08/03/2006 12:22:10 PM PDT by jdm
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To: NormsRevenge
If the vehicle hadn't been an SUV, the bees would have shown some restraint. /sarc
9 posted on 08/03/2006 12:23:11 PM PDT by jdm
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To: NormsRevenge

10 posted on 08/03/2006 12:41:12 PM PDT by PBRSTREETGANG
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To: Sax

It goes without saying that she was on her cell phone at the time of the crash.


11 posted on 08/03/2006 12:56:50 PM PDT by battlegearboat
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To: NormsRevenge
Headline s/b... SUV Attacks Behive
12 posted on 08/03/2006 4:38:57 PM PDT by GoldCountryRedneck ("It's never too late to have a happy childhood" - unknown)
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