Gee Whiz! Fired For Peeing in Drain, Detroit’s Zamboni Driver Sues Team Over Termination

Fired Detroit Red Wings Stadium Operations Director Al Sobotka has sued the hockey team over his dismissal. The reason he was fired was peeing in a public space, more specifically urinating into a drain. But Sobotka says he was the victim. In a lawsuit filed in Wayne County, Sobotka says he was discriminated against because of his age (67) and a disability. He is seeking compensatory damages from the team.

The Detroit Free-Press reports, in the lawsuit, Sobotka says he suffers from "benign prostatic hypertrophy, which causes a frequent and uncontrollable need to urinate".

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) — also called prostate gland enlargement — is a common condition as men get older. An enlarged prostate gland can cause uncomfortable urinary symptoms, such as blocking the flow of urine out of the bladder. It can also cause bladder, urinary tract or kidney problems. - The Mayo Clinic

According to the lawsuit, one day in early February, after parking the Zamboni in its garage at Little Caesars Arena, Sobotka felt a strong urge to urinate, but wasn't close to a urinal, and proceeded to urinate into a drain pipe. While this area was not open to the public, and access was limited to an all-male crew, one male employee reported the incident which led to Sobotka's suspension and then dismissal.