Iowa Payphone Defends Itself (Associated Press, 1984)

Fight with phone lost

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - Police responding to reports of a stabbing found instead a bleeding 20-year-old man who lost a confrontation with a pay telephone, authorities said.

According to police, Richard A. Anderson had tried to call a friend from a pay phone and when the call went unanswered angrily tried to jerk the receiver out of the phone.

Police said Anderson just managed to stretch the wire webbing that covers the telephone cord. The receiver stayed put. So Anderson again vented his anger — this time by throwing the receiver, police said.

But when the receiver reached the end of its cord, it snapped back and the cord wrapped around Anderson's neck.

The sharp edges of the wire webbing dug into Anderson's skin, cutting him. When Anderson struggled to free himself, the webbing cut deeper.

"Once we got out what had happened," said one police officer. "it was, 'Be real. This did not happen."

Anderson was treated at University Hospitals and released.