Police: Snoozing man dumped into recycle truck, squeezed twice
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PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland Police said a man who had too much to drink picked the wrong spot to sleep it off and ended up getting dumped into a recycle truck and squeezed - twice.
Police said 27-year-old Justin Gilpatrick told them he decided against driving home after drinking at a nearby bar and crawled into a cardboard recycling dumpster sometime Thursday night near SE 99th Avenue and SE Stark Street.
Gilpatrick was asleep when police said Waste Management crews emptied the bin into a truck Friday morning shortly before 4 a.m.
The truck crew compacted the load twice before the driver discovered Gilpatrick was in amongst the refuse. They called 9-1-1- and he was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
He has since been released.
He was able to escape serious injury because the truck had just started it's run and was mostly empty, leaving room for him to avoid the compactor.
"This is the situation of a well-trained driver doing his job," said Waste Management spokeswoman Jackie Lang. "He heard something unusual and immediately pulled over and shut down all of the moving parts in the truck."
Gilpatrick spent about five minutes stuck in the truck before anybody noticed he was there.
Police said Gilpatrick would not face any charges.
How about a taxi? Maybe next time, eh?
So, who is paying his hospital bill?
 @cardais It was his dumb ass that hopped into the dumpster. . . his bill.
What a scary way to wake up.
Though I agree, he shouldn't be charged...I don't agree that it is all right for him to sleep in a recycle bin. We don't have full information on ownership of the bin, but whoever owns it definitely would not want people "occupying" it. I'm pretty sure that technically he was trespassing, but I'm glad it all turned out well.Â
"This is the situation of a well-trained driver doing his job,"Â Â Â
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Im not blaming the truck driver at all for this but this was a funny quote. He compacted twice already and it stated the only reason he lived is because the truck was mostly empty. Somehow I dont think driver training mattered. We have one who almost won a Darwin award and alot of luck.
Why didn't he just sleep in his car?
 @pdx10 He didn't have his car with him. His friend left him behind.
 @pdx10 You can still get a DUI or some sort of issue with sleeping in your car.
 @BlueMrBoo2 You can get a DUI in your car. If you have the keys in the ignition and you are "on or about the roadway" they can charge you for DUI even if you are on the shoulder or a parking space on the street and asleep with the keys in the ignition and in the drivers seat. So always sleep in the passenger seat if you are so inclined.
I knew a guy that got a DUI with a beer in his hand, behind the wheel and the engine half torn down for a rebuild... the keys were in the ignition as he rigged the stereo to still work.
 @BlueMrBoo2 That's actually pretty unlikely (at least here in Portland).  Someone has to witness a person driving for that person to be charged.  Passing out in the vehicle will likely only earn that person a trip to the drunk tank.
Temple Grandin is probably jealous. She had to invent her own squeeze machine.
He just pops in a dumpster and...voila!!!
This is awesome
First: Grammar Police: "He was able to escape serious injury because the truck had just started it's run and..." Should be "its", no apostrophe.
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The guy shouldn't be charged with anything. I can't think of a law that was broken, come to think of it. He used good judgment in not driving. It was bad luck today was recycling day.
Darwin loves you.
Oh yeah!!! Tell me how overdrinking is so great!! While I commend you on not wanting to drive home...climbing into a cardboard dumpster is your idea of being safe?!??!???? REALLY??? Lesson learned...and something to laugh about when he's 60....well....maybe not. HAHHLOL!!! Good luck kiddo!
"yawn... so... tired. Must take nap... Ho! lucky me, there's a recycling truck -- perfect!"
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Hi, Darwin.
Poor dude! He did the right thing by choosing to not drive while drunk. Why even have that last sentence? Stupid, of course he's not being charged, he didn't do anything wrong!
The guy should not face charges. At least he didn't drive and hurt anyone else. He already got punished enough!
Lucky guy! Sometimes when city services puts the "squeeze" on you, you don't make it out alive!
If I want anymore s_it out of ya, I'll squeeze yer heard!
One of the accompanying **photos**.
An edit button, PLEASE?!
 @Gravity Works! I would think it would be pretty green.. just think of all the fertilizer he probably added!
 @Gravity Works! WTH?
One of the accompanying shows the side of the recycle truck: Think Green!
Not sure after this story hit the headlines, but . . . . is anyone else thinking "Yup! Knew it was true -- Soylent Green!"
If he had been awake he probably would have died. Bring drunk & asleep probably saved him.
He could be cited for placing organic debris into a cardboard recycling container. In Portland they compost organic stuff, don't they?
 @jpk I was thinking the same thing...they should write him up for failure to comply with recycling rules.
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I've said this before, bodies (I guess I need to clarify dead or alive) always go in the compost bin!
I'm undecided as to if I think he should face charges. However, he did the responsible thing by not driving after drinking. And let's face it, a dumpster does provide shelter from the elements. However, I think there still could have been better options available.
 @pdxd What crime was committed?
Y'know, there are just some stories I see that I make sure I don't have a mouthful of coffee or soda when I start reading the comments, because I know some of my fellow posters will come out with some really f-u-n-n-y stuff that will greatly endanger my keyboard!    I think Dirtman's comment wins the prize on this story (so far, anyway)... :-)
If he was snoozing, how does he know he was "squeezed" twice? Coulda been more than twice, huh?
He was smart to not drive. Kudo's to him for that. He was pretty stupid to sleep in the dumpster.
Epic fail!
This guy should NOT face any charges. He played it safe by not driving home drunk, and still managed to get hurt. Po Po leave this guy alone.Â
That would squeeze the hangover out of you.
I bet he is feeling a bit flat today.
 @Dirtman At least the police didn't decide to put the squeeze on him...
 @FreedomRocks He's probably in a bit of a pinch today.Â
 @fulcrum Let's hope he didn't have an urgent need to empty his bowels!