The word "ratchet" may be played out, but until the Internet agrees upon a more accurate description for these crimes, it will have to do. These stories are sad, imaginative, and they inspire us to have conversations about race, class, and the American dream.
This week's roundup includes a high elf, rat poison, and a crap load of drunk people. Each crime is rated on our Ratchet Meter, a base-10 logarithmic scale modeled after a similar system developed by Charles Richter—except that the Ratchet Meter has nothing to do with science because it's not actually a real thing.
Read on for the best of the worst ratchet crimes in America. Proceed with caution, stay safe, don't try this at home, and send your tips to cityguidetips@complex.com.
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Fox News Anchor Arrested Following Drunken Episode at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
Date: 5/22/14
Location: Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
Crime: Obstruction of Legal Process
Ratchet Meter: 7
Authorities say Fox News anchor Gregg Jarrett was arrested at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on May 21 for being extremely drunk and extremely non-cooperative.
According to the Star Tribune, the 59-year-old weekend anchor was arrested at the main terminal's Northern Lights Grill at 12:30 p.m. on May 21 after police received a call about a "drunk and belligerent" man. When they arrived, Jarrett refused to comply with their orders and was ultimately charged with with obstruction of the legal process. Jarrett was eventually released from jail around 1:30 a.m. this morning after posting his $300 bond. He'll return to court on Jun. 6.
A Fox News spokesperson told Complex:
"We were made aware late last night that Gregg Jarrett was arrested in Minneapolis yesterday and charged with a misdemeanor. He is dealing with serious personal issues at this time. A date at which Gregg might return to air has yet to be determined."