Authorities: Texas man tried to sell mercury before spills

A 19-year-old man accused of spilling mercury at several Houston locations stole the liquid metal from an abandoned business, tried to sell it in small amounts to people for $20 and spilled some as he played with it in his hands, according to court records.Christopher Lee Melder remained jailed Tuesday on bonds totaling $5,000.The mercury spill led to about 60 people needing to be decontaminatedas a precaution because there had been trace amounts of mercury near their feet.