Sugar in gas tank leads to jail stay
$2,500 in damage lands ex-girlfriend felony charge
Christi Laney
Issue date: 11/14/06 Section: Campus News
Two Sam Houston State University students learned a hard lesson about breaking up two weeks ago as an ex-girlfriend seeking revenge instead landed a stay in jail.
On Nov. 1, a student reported that his car had sustained engine damage on campus as a result of sugar that had been placed in the gas tank.
"The student found out that he had sugar in his tank after taking the car to a mechanic for car trouble," UPD investigative officer Mark Saha said.
After discovering the source of the problem, the student contacted UPD and gave them several people he believed could have been responsible.
One of those suspects, Ashlyn Carr, 19, was called in by UPD and confessed to the crime. She was arrested on Criminal Mischief charges, a state jail felony and booked into the Walker County Jail. According to Saha, the offense was cited as a felony because of the large estimated damages value of $2500.
According to Saha, incidents such as this have happened on campus before but aren't a common occurrence.
"It happens, but not very often," Saha said. "But it definitely messed up the car."
The idea of getting revenge by pouring sugar into an adversary's gas tank is a well-known theory that has captured the attention of police blotters for years and has even made many appearances in American pop culture. In 1996, the act was featured in a Less Than Jake song titled "Sugar in Your Gas Tank." That same year, the act of crime was cited again in the film "Kingpin."
Yet according to CarTalk.com, putting sugar in the gas tank of a car is a widespread belief that carries more weight than it is worth. Many people believe that the sugar dissolves into the gasoline after being poured into the tank, only to caramelize upon reaching the engine and in effect forcing the engine to be completely replaced.
In reality, the sugar does not dissolve and is usually caught in the fuel filters on the way to the engine, the site says.
According to Snopes.com, the sugar has a very slim chance of ever reaching the engine. But when enough sugar enters the gas tank, the site says the car is stopped and serious damages do occur.
On Nov. 1, a student reported that his car had sustained engine damage on campus as a result of sugar that had been placed in the gas tank.
"The student found out that he had sugar in his tank after taking the car to a mechanic for car trouble," UPD investigative officer Mark Saha said.
After discovering the source of the problem, the student contacted UPD and gave them several people he believed could have been responsible.
One of those suspects, Ashlyn Carr, 19, was called in by UPD and confessed to the crime. She was arrested on Criminal Mischief charges, a state jail felony and booked into the Walker County Jail. According to Saha, the offense was cited as a felony because of the large estimated damages value of $2500.
According to Saha, incidents such as this have happened on campus before but aren't a common occurrence.
"It happens, but not very often," Saha said. "But it definitely messed up the car."
The idea of getting revenge by pouring sugar into an adversary's gas tank is a well-known theory that has captured the attention of police blotters for years and has even made many appearances in American pop culture. In 1996, the act was featured in a Less Than Jake song titled "Sugar in Your Gas Tank." That same year, the act of crime was cited again in the film "Kingpin."
Yet according to CarTalk.com, putting sugar in the gas tank of a car is a widespread belief that carries more weight than it is worth. Many people believe that the sugar dissolves into the gasoline after being poured into the tank, only to caramelize upon reaching the engine and in effect forcing the engine to be completely replaced.
In reality, the sugar does not dissolve and is usually caught in the fuel filters on the way to the engine, the site says.
According to Snopes.com, the sugar has a very slim chance of ever reaching the engine. But when enough sugar enters the gas tank, the site says the car is stopped and serious damages do occur.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 27
bill kutzschbach
posted 11/15/06 @ 9:51 AM CST
sounds like a posible pay back; for sugar in gas is a myth, but take two to tango. bill kutzschbach, ex- gm mechanic
Gabriel Ortiz
posted 2/07/07 @ 10:52 AM CST
The Girl can SING! I saw her on American Idol and I was like WHAT? She puts feeling in her music and that's her style, her gift. Who cares what the judges think about her facial expressions. (Continued…)
Alena
posted 2/07/07 @ 11:08 AM CST
Here is a life lesson. What goes around comes around.
sourpuss
posted 2/07/07 @ 1:01 PM CST
The girl did have a funny face when singing. The judges were right the first time and should have let it be.Thats her style and it wasnt pretty. NOw is she off the show or what?
katie
posted 2/07/07 @ 1:09 PM CST
I wonder if she made that face when she poured the sugar in...
jeff
posted 2/07/07 @ 2:31 PM CST
I watched American Idol last night and really felt for her when she sang that first song and was rejected. When they asked for her to return, I was truly glad that it happened. (Continued…)
American Idolater
posted 2/07/07 @ 5:29 PM CST
I was actually a little surprised that they let her through in the first place; why not just give her their criticism and tell her to work on things and come back next year?
This arrest probably isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things, because based on the rumors going around she hadn't made it to the top 24 anyway. (Continued…)
Gabriel Ortiz
posted 2/07/07 @ 5:52 PM CST
Rumors are just THAT-- RUMORS. I'll wait and see for myself. But if she doesn't get through on Idol, then I'm sure she'll STILL make it big singing. She's got talent and I'd definitely buy her CD when it drops. (Continued…)
Call Me Skeptical
posted 2/08/07 @ 9:34 AM CST
$2500 worth of damage? The snopes.com article on sugar in the gas tank quotes the Car Talk guys saying that dropping the gas tank to clean it out should cost between $100-$200 -- and that's about the most drastic repair necessary. (Continued…)
Andrea D.
posted 2/08/07 @ 11:36 AM CST
some people need to realize that everything you do on this earth one day somehow somewhere have to pay for the dirt that they do she shouldn't be that surprised they did classify it as a felony she knew that would happen. (Continued…)
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