Canadian man on raft captured trying to sneak into America

Why? High bank fees!

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20070206/1004863.asp (via The Obscure Store)

Law enforcement officials say paying a credit card bill may have been the reason a 40-year-old man from Fort Erie, Ont., hopped into his rubber raft in near-zero temperatures to get to the United States. But he ended up spending five hours on the Niagara River before he was rescued Monday morning near Grand Island.
...
U.S. Attorney Terrance P. Flynn said investigators are trying to determine the validity of a bizarre explanation that Kingwell gave after he was rescued. According to Flynn, Kingwell claimed that he regularly crosses from Fort Erie to Buffalo - using a small aluminum boat or the raft - to do some banking in Buffalo.

"He said he was coming across the river to pay off the balance of his credit card," Flynn said.

The prosecutor said Kingwell told authorities that he is charged an $85 fee if he mails the payment from Canada to the U.S., so he crosses the river each month to avoid paying the fee.

Why not just drive over the Peace Bridge to make the payment?

Flynn said Kingwell told federal agents he is not currently allowed to drive over the bridge because of a past legal dispute with the Canadian government.

 

I have witnesses. I haven't been in Niagara Falls in over seven months.

 

Explains why JR hasn't been around much lately...

 

Don't understand this at all.

This story needs further investigation.

 

Was there a row-thru window at his bank in Buffalo?

 

Apparently he had a strategy:

Somebody asked him what he was doing in a raft in that kind of weather. He said, "If you get in the right currents, you can just float with it,' " the official said.

It was a balmy -20 when he set out on his Lewis and Clark expedition.

 

So he can't pay his bill online?

 

They have the internets in Canadia?

 

Hey, why do you think the call it Marine Midland?

Some people will do anything for a good beef on weck.

 

yes, but it's only 0.845812 as good as ours is.

Speaking of Canadia and internets... where's Flash been?

 

I could understand if it was an American wanting to sneak into Canada. But the other way around?