The Odd Truth, Sept. 15, 2004

The Odd Truth: Weekend Edition is a collection of strange but factual news stories from around the world compiled by CBSNews.com's Brian Bernbaum.

School Spirit Gone Wrong

GREENSBURG, Pa. - Robert Domasky doesn't look much like a cheerleader. But police in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, say he would stuff his five-eleven, 190-pound frame into a female cheerleader's uniform. Now, authorities contend that Domasky's behavior has crossed the line between peculiar and criminal. He's jailed on stalking, trespass and other charges. According to police, Domasky told officers he sneaked into a girl's high school locker room dressed as a female coach, to see if the school's coach would "teach him some cheers." Police say Domasky also assumed the identities of former cheerleaders he stalked, including opening credit card accounts in their names.

Now That's Enterprise!

MADISON, Wis. - A fraternity member has been busted for apparently finding a unique way to supplement his college income - fake parking tickets.

Prosecutors said Anthony R. Gallagher, 23, allegedly earned hundreds of dollars by putting fake parking tickets on cars and having duped owners send him their payments.

Investigators became aware of the scam in March 2003 after a victim tried to mail in a payment for a ticket but had it returned as non-deliverable, a criminal complaint said.

Prosecutors said the tickets were the exact copy of a parking ticket Gallagher received in February of last year, even down to the citation number.

Investigators were able to trace the citation number to Gallagher, who admitted placing several of the tickets on vehicles parked near the Acacia fraternity, police said.

Prosecutors said Gallagher established a post office box to receive payments for the $40 tickets and had placed payments, amounting to hundreds of dollars, in a separate bank account.

Hospital Worker Accused Of Fondling New Mothers

WESTMINSTER, Calif. - A hospital worker has pleaded not guilty to molesting women in the maternity ward shortly after they gave birth.

Dante Arnaud, 37, is accused of fondling seven women at the Garden Grove Hospital and Medical Center. He entered his plea Tuesday.

Authorities said Arnaud, who is a lab technician, went into the women's rooms pretending to take blood samples and conducted breast and vaginal examinations.

Police said the alleged incidents happened two days last week and one patient complained to hospital employees, who called police.

Arnaud was arrested Friday at his home and was charged with sexual battery and sexual penetration with an object. He was being held on $1 million bail.

Soccer Player Suspends Himself After Scuffle

OSLO, Norway - A Norwegian soccer player has suspended himself for the rest of the season after a scuffle with an opponent during a game.

Striker Jahn Ricard Nitter of the third division team Aamot elbowed Hadeland defender Rune Larsen during Saturday's game, giving him a concussion and requiring three stitches. Larsen is on sick leave for two weeks.

"I am not like that," Nitter was quoted as saying in Wednesday's editions of the Drammens Tidende newspaper. "I am banning myself for the rest of the season. I do not condone what I did."

Nitter said he and Larsen had a series of scuffles during the game, including pushing, pinching and insults. Nitter claimed that Larsen hit him in the back inside Hadeland's penalty box, and that he had meant to just push him back. Nitter said he wasn't sure what happened.

Larsen claimed it was another defender who pushed Nitter in an episode that was missed by the referees.

Nitter's team said it plans no further disciplinary action beyond the striker's self-imposed ban, and pointed out that Nitter is known as a clean player with just one yellow card this season.

Aamot won the home game 4-1.

Man Shows Up Drunk To Drunk Driving Hearing

READING, Pa. - A motorist's bail was revoked when police said he had the daring to show up drunk to his preliminary hearing on drunken driving charges.

Emerson Moore Jr., 46, of Caernarvon Township, was awaiting his hearing before Muhlenberg Township District Justice Dean R. Patton when Moore got into an argument with state police Trooper Roberto Soto, officials said.

Soto, who had arrested Moore in the drunken-driving case June 20, smelled alcohol on Moore's breath as the two stood in the hallway outside Patton's courtroom, officials said.

Moore, who had driven himself to court, had a blood-alcohol level of 0.10 percent, police said. The legal limit for driving in Pennsylvania is 0.08 percent.

Patton revoked Moore's bail and sent him to Berks County Prison on $2,500 bail. He also will be cited for public drunkenness, he said.

"You don't show up drunk for a preliminary hearing, especially when it's a drunk-driving case," Patton said. "I asked him what he was thinking and he said, 'You told me I could drink at home."'

He May Be Cheap, But He's No Crook

LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. - A man arrested in an upstate New York restaurant for not tipping enough is off the hook.

Local prosecutors say they won't charge Humberto Taveras for not leaving a big enough tip at Soprano's Italian and American Grill in Lake George.

The 41-year-old Long Island man was arrested Labor Day weekend when the restaurant owner accused him of not leaving an 18-percent gratuity required for large parties.

Taveras says he wasn't aware of the policy - and wouldn't have left that much money anyway because he wasn't happy with the service.

The Warren County District Attorney's Office says a restaurant patron can't be forced to leave a gratuity.

Prosecutors say establishments have to call it a service charge - not a tip - in order to make it a mandatory add-on charge.