Really Bad Decisions

Texas man who drove $1 million Bugatti into bay pleads guilty to fraud

Five years after faking a freak "pelican accident," an East Texas man has pleaded guilty to fraud for his role in a watery car crash that totaled his $1 million Bugatti Veyron. Andy Lee House faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

In 2009, House told the car website Jalopnik that "a low flying pelican" distracted him and caused the crash. But an admiring motorist debunked that theory with video evidence of the luxury car traveling smoothly down Interstate 45, nary a pelican in sight.

"That'll be mine one day," the man behind the camera says just moments before the rare sports car disappears into the Gulf Bay near La Marque, Texas.

House told first responders that he was reaching for his cell phone when he swerved and accidently entered the water. The YouTube video of the so-called crash led authorities to say 39-year-old House intentionally drove his car into the bay in order to collect on a hefty insurance policy.

Though the vehicle was worth about $1 million, House had a $2.2 million policy, alleging it was a collector's item. He had the car just one month before totaling it in the bay. He filed a claim on his insurance policy the day after the crash.

The FBI, the Texas Rangers and the police department in Lukfin (where House lives), all investigated the crash. Authorities say House left the motor of the Bugatti running for 15 minutes after entering the water, which destroyed the vehicle.

Fun times in the city

Dallas swings a spot on new list of most fun cities in U.S. for 2024

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Dallas just wants to have fun, according to WalletHub's new ranking of the most fun cities in America in 2024.

The annual report ranked Dallas No. 31 out of 182 U.S. cities.

WalletHub's experts compared each city using 65 metrics to determine their level of "fun." Metrics were split among three main categories: entertainment and recreation, nightlife and parties, and cost.

According to the study's findings, Dallas was 24th nationally in the category for nightlife and parties, and ranked No. 39 in the "entertainment and recreation" category. That may be especially alluring for anyone who wants to explore the city's vast entertainment opportunities (especially during the holiday season), family-friendly recreational activities, top dining destinations, and more. Plus, Dallas is home to entertainment juggernauts like the State Fair of Texas and TopGolf.

Dallas performed poorly in the overall cost category, earning No. 114 out of all 182 cities. However, this category mostly compares flat costs rather than affordability based on local cost of living.

Potential new Dallasites should do their research before deciding to move here, rather than basing their decision on short trips and vacations alone. But we won't blame them for wanting to live in one of the best cities in the world.

"The top cities offer affordable options for year-round fun for their residents, which is good for residents’ wallets and their mental health," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo in the report.

Austin (No. 6) and Houston (No. 9) were the only Texas cities to earn a spot in the top 10 most fun U.S. cities list. Austin moved up one spot from last year, while Houston made a 10-place jump.

Other fun-filled Texas cities that made it in the top 100 are El Paso (No. 53), Fort Worth (No. 55), Plano (No. 78), Arlington (No. 79), and Corpus Christi (No. 99).

The top 10 most fun U.S. cities are:

No. 1 – Las Vegas, Nevada
No. 2 – Orlando, Florida
No. 3 – Miami, Florida
No. 4 – Atlanta, Georgia
No. 5 – New Orleans, Louisiana
No. 6 – Austin, Texas
No. 7 – San Francisco, California
No. 8 – Chicago, Illinois
No. 9 – Houston, Texas
No. 10 – New York City, New York

Cities were evaluated based on the number of attractions per capita, nightlife activities per capita, the average prices for eating at a restaurant or buying a movie ticket, and more. Data was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau, The Trust for Public Land, and the Council for Community and Economic Research, among others.

dance clubs fun cities nightlife parties recreation wallethub

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