Hammer time for cell phone used to run up $5K bill

[April 10, 2009]  CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) -- A cell phone used by a Wyoming 13-year-old to run up a nearly $5,000 phone bill will text no more thanks to her angry father and his hammer.

Dena Christoffersen of Cheyenne sent or received about 20,000 text messages over about a month, and her parents' phone plan didn't cover texting.

Gregg Christoffersen told KUSA-TV of Denver this week that he thought texting had been disabled on her daughter's phone, which he smashed hours after getting a phone bill for more than $4,750.

The family said Verizon has been willing to knock the bill down to a reasonable level.

Dena has been grounded until the end of school. She said she feels bad and has learned her lesson.

___

Information from: KUSA-TV, http://www.9news.com/

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.