The following tells the story of a Seinfeld viewer who tried to make like Kramer and Newman in order to get rich quick.
Yadda… yadda… yadda: the man has now been arrested.
Indeed, a judge has ruled that Brian Edward Everidge will stand trial for a crime that very much seems as if it was inspired by the Seinfeld episode “The Bottle Deposit.”
According to USA Today, Everidge allegedly transported 10,000 bottles and aluminum cans (in a Budget box truck) into Michigan from Kentucky because the latter state pays 10 cents for each beverage item you recycle.
The former state pays nothing.
Although Everidge resides in Michigan, it is actually against the law to return bottles that a person knowingly did not acquire in the state.
Everidge has been charged with a single count of beverage return of nonrefundable bottles, which is a felony punishable by up to five years behind bars; a $ 5,000 fine; or both.
Seriously!
What’s the deal with that kind of harsh punishment for this kind of crime?!?
Everidge, whose mug shot is below, was arrested for the crime in April when he was pulled over for driving 12 miles per hour over the speed limit on northbound U.S. 23.
The officer who pulled him over noticed plastic bag after plastic bag filled with bottles and cans in the back of the vehicle.
Everidge reportedly admitted at the time that he was bringing the items in from Kentucky in order to return them for deposit money.
On the aforementioned Seinfeld episode, Kramer and Newman borrowed a mail truck and proceed to stuff it with empty bottles in order to take advantage of Michigan’s higher-than-usual bottle return payments.
Assuming this was Everidge’s plan, he likely have probably made about $ 1,000, not counting money for gas, tolls and food.
Of all the states with bottle bills, Michigan has the highest refund value, according to statistics from the Container Recycling Institute.
Everidge’s attorney, meanwhile, did not say that his client was trying to emulate Kramer and Newman.
But he did make a Seinfeld-like defense, telling LivingstonDaily.com that Everidge shouldn’t have been arrested because he never actually completed the crime.
“They caught him too early,” defense attorney Marcus Wilcox said. “He attempted to attempt to return the bottles… this statute doesn’t fit.”
Who else could see Jackie Chiles making this same clam?
