Seemingly to his dismay, not only did the man live, but he was arrested for the failed suicide attempt.
According to the Mohave County Sheriff's Office, 55-year-old James Lyle
Pierson failed to kill himself when he crashed his car off a cliff in
an attempt to create an explosion that -- if it had worked -- probably
would have blown him to smithereens.
Pierson packed his car with propane bottles, gasoline, and shotgun
shells, which were rigged to an ignition device, before he took the
plunge down a cliff about eight miles from Oatman.
Pierson then drove the car off the cliff, but his plan didn't work.
Mohave County authorities say the reason the car -- and Pierson -- never blew up was because the ignition device failed.
After crashing his car off the cliff, and realizing that his suicidal
plans had been thwarted, Pierson walked eight miles to Oatman, where he
called authorities.
After meeting with the cops, the Bullhead City bomb squad was called to the scene of the wreck to defuse Pierson's bomb-on-wheels.
The bomb squad determined the vehicle was safe and had it removed from the scene.
After turning himself over to police, Pierson was taken to the
Valley View Medical Center, where he was treated for his injuries and
released.
As if failing to kill himself wasn't enough, police decided to add a little insult to what apparently wasn't enough injury to kill him, and arrested Pierson.
Pierson was charged with disorderly conduct involving a dangerous instrument, a felony, and taken to the Mohave County Jail.
