February 5, 1982

On This Date in TWISTED-HISTORY.com! in 1982 David Grundman and his roommate James Joseph Suchochi were in the Arizona desert west of Lake Pleasant and engaged in the red-neck sport of cactus plugging. Cactus plugging consisted of using various firearms to shoot saguaro cacti in the same generalized area until they fell over. These are the same cacti that are always depicted in cartoons and movies. It was reported by Mr. Suchochi that Grundman had scored the first ‘kill’ after he shot a small saguaro cactus so many times that it was cut in half and fell to the ground. Grundman yelled “The first one is easy” and then turned his attention to one that was 26 feet tall and estimated to be 100 years old. Because it was so tall, he stood under on of the arms and he repeatedly fired his weapon upwards, eventually severing the arm and causing it to fall. Just like in a Roadrunner-Coyote cartoon, he did not take into account that he was ‘standing directly under’ the huge two hundred pound cactus arm and if fell directly on him, killing him instantly. It should be noted that alcohol was involved in Mr. Grundman’s and Mr. Suchochi’s decision to go cactus hunting and was consumed before and during the sporting event and immediately afterwards by Mr. Suchochi when the Saguaro Cacti even the score 1 to 1.

About Joel Byers

Born in North Georgia and educated at some very fine public institutions. Real education started after graduating from college and then getting married and raising two boys. Has the ability to see the funny and absurd in most things and will always remark on it, even if it means getting the stink-eye from his victims.
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