The Big Jolt

Friday - The Dragnet Podcast · Aug 23, 2026 · 31m

Originally Aired: October 5, 1952 In Dragnet #172, "The Big Jolt," Detective Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Frank Smith respond to a call from Adams High School, where a chemistry class has erupted into chaos. Fifteen-year-old Douglas Lambert has sparked a near riot after making crude remarks about a female classmate, provoking a fight with Larry McLean that escalates into classroom-wide mayhem. During the brawl, Lambert throws a bottle of sulfuric acid at McLean, severely burning his face and chest and sending him to the hospital. What makes the incident particularly troubling is that…