Kirk's Record is Safe

Kimberly Du flunked her Kobayashi Maru, and then some.

The Des Moines, Iowa, woman tried to creatively get out paying parking tickets, and has failed so miserably that she could face prison time.

DES MOINES, Iowa -- An investigation concluded that a Des Moines woman faked her own death to avoid paying traffic tickets.

Polk County investigators said Kimberly Du, 36, faked her own obituary and forged a letter telling a Polk County judge she was dead.

Du is spending time in the Polk County Jail in connection with a forgery charge. Court documents show that Du tried to avoid paying several tickets by sending a letter to the courthouse. The letter is allegedly signed by Du's mother and said Du died on Dec. 5, according to court documents.

Investigators said the information submitted include a phony obituary made to look like a page from The Des Moines Register's Web site that said Du died in car accident, and her mother's signature was forged.
(...)
"The state still has to convince a jury of 12, but faking your own death is not a good idea," said Bob Rigg, of the Drake Law Clinic.

The case began to unravel when investigators said Du was stopped for another traffic ticket in January, which was a month after the obituary was dated.

The Kobayashi Maru was (will be?) a test given to Starfleet cadets designed to test their reactions in a no-win scenario. Only one student, James T. Kirk, ever won. And he cheated.