A North Carolina man has been arrested for failing to return a VHS cassette that he rented in 2002.
As if that wasn't bizarre enough, the film that Concord’s James Meyers was returning 14 years late is considered by critics to be one of the worst films ever made.
Meyers became aware of his predicament after he was pulled over by a police officer for a broken tail light while taking his daughter to school.
Approximately 25 minutes after the police officer made the stop, he returned to Meyers' vehicle and asked him to step out of the car. According to Meyers, the officer then informed him there was a warrant out for his arrest.
“The officer said, 'I don’t know how to tell you this but there’s a warrant out for your arrest from 2002. Apparently you rented the movie 'Freddy Got Fingered' and never returned it.' I thought he was joking,” said Meyers.
The officer was kind enough to allow Meyers to take his daughter to school as long as he promised to turn himself into police after he dropped her off. Later that day, Meyers complied with the warrant and was taken into custody.
“For the first time I got put in handcuffs,” said Meyers.
Meyers was charged with failure to return rental property which is punishable by a $200 fine.
The following night, Meyers was contacted by the film’s star, Tom Green, who said he would pay the fine.
While taking someone into police custody for failing to return an item that was rendered obsolete over ten years ago may seem silly, Meyers' was understandably frustrated at how local law enforcement handled the incident.
“They’re not focusing on the crimes I think they should be focusing on,” said Meyers. “That hour the cops sat out there with me, the hour and a half I was down in the magistrate's office could have been spent somewhere else.”
One has to wonder what part of this story is the most embarrasing for Meyers. The fact that he was arrrested or the fact that he ever rented "Freddy Got Fingered" to begin with.
Hat Tip: Fark