Man Drank a Half Pint of Rum and Jumped Into Miami Beach Sewer

Trying to be a daredevil good Samaritan and alcohol don't often mix. Richard Brandenburg, 49, tried to help out a woman on Miami Beach yesterday who had lost her keys in a storm drain. So he downed half a pint of white rum and jumped into the sewer...

By Kyle Munzenrieder

May 1, 2013

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Trying to be a daredevil good Samaritan and alcohol don't often mix.

Richard Brandenburg, 49, tried to help out a woman on Miami Beach yesterday who had lost her keys in a storm drain. So he downed half a pint of white rum and jumped into the sewer.

The woman was waiting for a locksmith near 75th Street and Ocean Terrace when Brandenburg offered his assistance. He claimed to have worked in sewers before. According to NBC Miami, Brandenburg downed the rum and smoked a few cigarettes because he claimed it would help him keep warm in the cold sewer water.

He then removed a sewer grate and jumped in. He came up twice to smoke more cigarettes, but when he went down for a third time he never came back up.

Authorities were called, and they found him under a circular manhole cover a few feet away. Brandenburg wasn't breathing and didn't have a pulse when he was recovered. Paramedics were able to resuscitate him, but he was taken to Mount Sinai Medical Center. Brandenburg remains in critical condition.

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