Culkin Sister Was Drunk When Killed

(NEWSER) - Macaulay Culkin’s older sister, Dakota, died yesterday at UCLA Hospital after being hit by a car the night before, E! reports. She was struck by a vehicle when she stepped into a Los Angeles street; the driver attempted to help her, and police determined he was not under the influence and will not be charged. Dakota Culkin, one of seven siblings that include Rory and Kieran, was 29. More»

Had history of drinking alone; may have taken drugs on day of death

(NEWSER) - Andrew Koppel had a long history of alcohol abuse, but friends remember him as a brilliant and "genuine nice guy" who had—they thought—successfully moved past the troubles of his youth. His death Monday left more questions than answers, and Belinda Caban, in whose apartment he was found, tells the New York Post , "I think he did take" drugs during his daylong drinking binge, "because he was too out of it." More»

Witness: 'He was very drunk'

(NEWSER) - The son of former ABC newscaster Ted Koppel has been found dead in a New York City apartment after an apparent daylong drinking binge with a 32-year-old waiter he had just met, police say. Andrew Koppel, 40, was declared dead at around 1:30am yesterday, reports the AP . A 53-year-old woman who lives in the apartment tells the New York Post that Koppel appeared "really messed up," and "very drunk" when he came in. More»

Authorities hope to prevent deaths by boosting prices

(NEWSER) - British authorities plan to as much as double the price of cheap alcohol to battle the nation's skyrocketing problem of binge drinking. The innovative scheme is intended to help prevent thousands of deaths and hospital admissions every year, according to government officials. A levy may be imposed on the alcohol industry to prevent companies from making windfall profits off of the new prices. Money raised would be earmarked for public health campaigns warning of alcohol dangers. More»

He's the third park employee to die on the job this summer

(NEWSER) - Disney World canceled its “Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular” yesterday, after one of the performers suffered a head injury and died during practice, the AP reports. He’s the third park employee to meet an untimely demise on the job this summer, but Disney says the deaths are unrelated, and OSHA investigators are treating them as separate cases. More»