Littering Doesn’t Pay, Literally

A gentleman who won the Virginia lottery, bought a parcel of land in August County, Virginia, next to another parcel he wanted, but couldn’t obtain because the owner of the other parcel wouldn’t sell. The disgruntled gentleman thus took to littering the road between the two parcels with trash, debris and nails. This was eventually video-taped by the other owner, who sued the disgruntled guy. The lawsuit was eventually settled for $35,000.00, two days before trial.  Why so much you ask, for some trash on a road? As I mentioned, the litterer was a lottery winner, and part of the lawsuit claimed punitive damages for malicious and willful actions. If the matter had gone to trial, the jury would have been allowed to assess the lottery winner’s financial status in considering the amount of punitive damages.

Morale of the story: Remember what highway signs tell you, and what your mother told you as a kid; don’t litter.