A new hunt for D.B. Cooper clues, video of a moose charging a hiker, and a teenager in Australia who forced a wallaby to smoke an e-cigarette are among the strange and unusual stories to cross our desk this week.
A classic American mystery made its way into the headlines this past week when crime researcher Eric Ullis conducted a two-day dig at a patch of land in Washington state where, he believes, evidence from the D.B. Cooper skyjacking may have been hidden. Located along the Columbia River, the spot known as the Tena Bar was where a young boy discovered $6,000 from the infamous caper back in 1980. Although the FBI searched the area at the time, Ullis suspects that they may have missed some materials that might have been buried by the skyjacker and put his theory to the test with the dig. Alas, it would appear that no new clues were found during this particular expedition, though we suspect that this isn't the last time that the location will be revisited.
One of the wilder videos we've seen in a while popped up in the news this week when the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department shared footage of an ornery moose charging at a hiker who got too close to the creature. Using the incident as a cautionary tale, they explained that the man stumbled upon the sizeable animal while exploring around a lake in the state's Clear Creek County. Understandably amazed by the majestic creature, the hiker proceeded to pull out his phone and approach the moose to film it. The man wound up with some unforgettable footage when the animal caught sight of him and suddenly charged at him. Fortunately, the hiker managed to escape being injuring by taking cover behind a tree that absorbed the attack.
By far the most bizarre story of the week came by way of Australia, where authorities are on the hunt for a teenager who forced an adorable quokka to smoke from an e-cigarette and then actually posted footage of the abhorrent stunt online. The jaw-dropping incident is believed to have unfolded at a protective nature reserve known as Rottnest Island, a popular destination for tourists as it is home to a colony of the cuddly-looking wallabies which have become accustomed to humans in their habitat. While that normally allows for fun photo opportunities, in this instance the young woman took things too far by tricking a quokka into thinking her vape pen was food. Should she be caught, the teenager could face up to 5 years in prison and $50,000 for her ill-conceived attempt at Internet stardom.
For more strange and unusual stories from the past week, check out the Coast to Coast AM website.