Official Killed After Tumbling from Car

Yahoo/Reuters ^ | December 10, 2004 | David Schwartz

[sully777]

PHOENIX (Reuters) - A top municipal official in Phoenix died in a bizarre incident that saw him crawl out of his fast-moving vehicle, stand atop its roof and extend his arms outward before tumbling off, authorities said on Thursday.

Kevin Keogh, a 28-year city employee...died at the scene after he plunged from the vehicle and struck the pavement and a tree...It was not immediately clear whether Keogh jumped or accidentally fell from the vehicle, which was traveling at about 50 miles per hour, police said.

"This is something you see in the movies, but this is not the movies," said Sgt. Doug Dirren, a Scottsdale police spokesman. "The whole thing is, quite frankly, very bizarre."

Police officers were called to the area by a motorist reporting that his Dodge Neon was rear-ended by a black Mercedes-Benz at a stop light, and that there was no driver inside. Officers found Keogh's body about two blocks away, and witnesses said they saw him standing on his car...Phoenix City Manager Frank Fairbanks said he learned from Keogh's wife that the longtime finance official was battling the fallout from a relapse of a tropical disease.

"His wife shared with me that the disease had come back in the last two months and was affecting many parts of his life," he told employees in an e-mail on Thursday.

Keogh received numerous awards throughout his career, including being honored as the nation's best municipal finance director and a top financial innovator by City and State magazine.

[sully777]

This is an odd and tragic story.

[Gerasimov]

and the 2004 Darwin award goes to....

[RicocheT]

It is hard to imagine he was in that car alone as the car stopped all by itself later at a stoplight. I'm thinking he had a driver when he crawed out. Maybe not, as who would go along with such a crazy stunt?

[freebilly]

the longtime finance official was battling the fallout from a relapse of a tropical disease.

He was up on the roof, maybe he had shingles....

[MissAmericanPie]

Tropical disease or a twist on a jump from a Wall Street window during the big crash?

[Issaquahking]

The Darwin award is reserved for only the stupid... if the guy had some kind of physical/mental health problem, there could be a lot more to it.

[timpad]

and the 2004 Darwin award goes to....

Don't know about that. This guy seems to have contracted a parasite in Mexico that, bizarrely, robbed him of all of his inhibitions at random times.

Of course, Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 has been known to do the same, and is more common.

[G Larry]

Drugs, the victimless crime....

[drt1]

Sounds like the only disease with these symptoms is bi-polar disorder with manic depressive tendencies.

[patton]

Actually, he had a tapeworm in his brain.

There have been a number of articles about it.

[Condor51]

Ah-ha! I knew I read something about this guys and "parasites"

Man who fell from car struggled with parasite
East Valley Tribune

A man who either fell or jumped off the roof of his moving Mercedes-Benz in Scottsdale has been identified as an acclaimed chief financial officer for Phoenix whose struggles with a parasite might have caused his behavior Wednesday.

[Mo1]

Phoenix City Manager Frank Fairbanks said he learned from Keogh's wife that the longtime finance official was battling the fallout from a relapse of a tropical disease.

What kind of "tropical disease" would make a person stand on top of his car while traveling 50 mph??

[Condor51]

Grrrrrrrrr

How'd my tag line get screwed up

[Dog Gone]

What kind of "tropical disease" would make a person stand on top of his car while traveling 50 mph??

Leonardo DiCapriosis?

[sully777]

Digression from this sad story but I noticed something in the article. The man was surfing a black Mercedes

A government employee driving a black Mercedes-Benz is one more reason for those dispossessed by "IT Slavework in India&China" to take heart. You can always find higher paying work in government!

[Socratic]

"He was up on the roof, maybe he had shingles...."

It does make one wonder (and laugh ,in spite of knowing better).

[semaj]

What kind of "tropical disease" would make a person stand on top of his car while traveling 50 mph??

Perhaps was trying to change a lightbulb?

[Tacis]

Maybe, he got some sacred peyote from a sacred Indian and was practising to be a sacred eagle?

[mombonn]

crawl out of his fast-moving vehicle, stand atop its roof and extend his arms outward

Sounds like he wanted to be "King of the World".

[sully777]

Actually, he had a tapeworm in his brain.

---

How do you get tapeworm in the brain? I thought they stay in the bowels.

No matter. I feel sorry for the guy and his family.