Advertisement
BusinessInsider
WTF?

College football fan who poisoned rival's trees beaten unconscious

Those American football fans sure know how to engage in a bit of friendly banter, eh?

Reproduced with permission from BusinessInsider.

HARVEY UPDYKE, THE die-hard University of Alabama football fan who poisoned arch rival Auburn’s famous Toomer’s Corner trees, was beaten unconscious yesterday shortly after leaving a court appearance.

Updyke appeared in an Auburn court where he chose to waive his preliminary hearing on charges of “first-degree criminal mischief.” The case will now go to a grand jury.

He then stopped for gas on his way out of town, around 2:00 p.m. this afternoon. His lawyer says he blacked out and woke up bleeding on the ground. He went the hospital where he treated and released.

Listen to his lawyer describe the attack to radio host Paul Finebaum >

His lawyer also claims that someone called a local news station to report that Updyke had been stabbed, but the call came in before Updyke even got to the hospital, suggesting it was the attacker or someone who knew him that made the report.

Updyke allegedly called Finebaum’s radio show in February, bragging that he had poured lethal amounts of a powerful herbicide on the ground near the famous oak trees where Auburn fans gather to celebrate important victories. The trees are believed to be about 130 years old. The trees are still alive, but reports are that one may be beyond saving.

Since being arrested for the crime, Updyke says he has been living in his car, because he feared for his safety at home.