Story Archive

That Throbbing Pain

John Martin Novak, 48, of Buhl, Idaho, said he needed sinus surgery to fix a snoring problem. He decided to do the surgery himself. “He described that he stuck two straws up his nose,” the resulting police report says, “and was attempting to break his own nose using a door that he would open rapidly and impact his face.” Novak reportedly told officers that he had been drinking for a week to get ready for the procedures. Police were brought in after he allegedly threatened his sister with a rifle. Officers called in paramedics, and Novak was hospitalized to bring his blood alcohol level down to safe levels — he was at 0.5 percent, which is getting close to lethal levels — and presumably to repair damage to his face. (RC/Magic Valley Times-News) ...The damage to his reputation, however, may be beyond repair.