Almost died tonight, and almost killed someone

[the_bird]

It's also REALLY ****ing stupid. What if he's armed, as well? You pull your gun, he pulls his? Think one of those bullets could hit your wife?

You brought your (pregnant) wife into an extraordinarily dangerous situation (even short of the gunplay, trying to chase down a drunk at high speed). I'm sorry, that's really, really, really dumb.

 

[alexdagrate]

I'm a criminal defense attorney and I call BS.

Shooting someone after they almost hit you would land you in prison, I don't care what state you are in.

That said, the drunk driver is an idiot and an *******, and I'm glad you and your SWMBO are OK.

 

[mcaple1]

You brought your (pregnant) wife into an extraordinarily dangerous situation (even short of the gunplay, trying to chase down a drunk at high speed). I'm sorry, that's really, really, really dumb.

THANK YOU!!!!

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Absolutely agree. You almost got killed twice.

The situation, as you describe it, has 0% to do with defending your life and 100% to do with vengeance. He was no longer a threat to you. If you did put three in his chest... that's not "justifiable homicide," that's an execution.

It's also REALLY ****ing stupid. What if he's armed, as well? You pull your gun, he pulls his? Think one of those bullets could hit your wife?

You brought your (pregnant) wife into an extraordinarily dangerous situation (even short of the gunplay, trying to chase down a drunk at high speed). I'm sorry, that's really, really, really dumb.

I absolutely agree with you, and I'm a gun-owner in a state where you can keep an assault rifle on a gun rack on the back window of your truck. Yup, driving around with an AR-15 in plain sight like it's no big deal.

OP: bad move. But then again, you make prison hooch.

 

[passedpawn]

...she is 6 months pregnant.
... I whipped the car around ... and was on his ASS
... I already had the Glock out and was about to put three in his chest. Literally I had already started my trigger squeeze.

I'm glad I made the choice not too. Self control is a wonderful thing.

From your words, your choice was to pull the trigger. And regarding the self control thing, I think your statements also address that.

While I am glad this guy is off the road, I don't agree with the way you handled it, especially considering the precious cargo in the car with you. Also, there are frequent situations where a medical condition can look like drunken driving. Diabetic episode, heart attack, old age, kids on cell phones, etc. You can't run all of them off the road and put 3 in their chest.

 

[mcaple1]

From your words, your choice was to pull the trigger. And regarding the self control thing, I think your statements also address that.

While I am glad this guy is off the road, I don't agree with the way you handled it, especially considering the precious cargo in the car with you. Also, there are frequent situations where a medical condition can look like drunken driving. Diabetic episode, heart attack, old age, kids on cell phones, etc. You can't run all of them off the road and put 3 in their chest.

HAHAHA.....but this guy would....cuz dammmit.....it's the law! And yeah, this guy did not have self-control....he was pulling the trigger and then the cop stopped him. That's not self-control....that's intervention my friend....time to humble yourself a bit fine sir.

 

[mcaple1]

I kind of would like to know what kind of preggo wife would be like "sure honey...let's go chase down this prick and put a cap in dat azzz!!!"

Guess I need to get out more?!

 

[bottlebomber]

I think it's hard to be too critical of how someone chose to deal with a situation until you've been there yourself. It's normal I think to try to rationalize what you've done - who wouldn't do the same? But in a situation like this, it's difficult to make clear and logical decisions at times. However I feel like OP is being come down on like he got out a scratchpad and planned the whole thing out. He was obviously frazzled when he logged on, but was at least able to acknowledge that he was glad he didn't do anything he'd regret.

 

[EdWort]

I wonder if you can get Montrachet in the big house?

Glad you and your family were not injured.

 

[bottlebomber]

I wonder if you can get Montrachet in the big house?

Glad you and your family were not injured.

I dunno but according to a previous post from the OP you can do this -
http://blacktable.com/gillin030901.htm

 

[mcaple1]

OK OK....as has been noted multiple times, he was most liking writing this with a little adrenaline still flowing....so I don't think the f-bombs are really necessary. I get that he is upset, as I would be too if anyone nearly took out my wife or son while driving, but I think bragging about your ability to simply take someones life even though despite how horrible the accident could have been, you're still alive in the end. Yes...its a little *********gy to say you work in law enforcement and then casually admit that "it's" the law"...therefore it's justified homicide. I think most would agree that unless it is in actual self defense....then no homicide is justifiable. He wasn't defending anything other than his macho man I've got a gun and a bigger penis mentality ego trip, once he ran down the drunk driver and nearly killed him. We are all brothers here in the homebrew community, so I'm glad we can express our emotions freely. I think we can all agree we are happy this story ended the way it did. But to the OP, you gotta chill bro! If you would truly risk your life for your wife...do it without her being in the car watching you act all belligerent with the gun. You DID put her life at risk, whether you will admit it or not.

 

[luke2080]

I think it's hard to be too critical of how someone chose to deal with a situation until you've been there yourself. It's normal I think to try to rationalize what you've done - who wouldn't do the same? But in a situation like this, it's difficult to make clear and logical decisions at times. However I feel like OP is being come down on like he got out a scratchpad and planned the whole thing out. He was obviously frazzled when he logged on, but was at least able to acknowledge that he was glad he didn't do anything he'd regret.

Agreed. Glad the OP and his family are OK. If this happened to me I would have 100% chased down the other driver for almost killing myself and family. This is also why I've made the decision to never carry a sidearm. If I was in the same position as the OP I'm not sure I would have trusted my self control - and then would have been thrown in jail. (Because I think even in Texas, it would be hard to get around that one). But it would have been the cooler, sort of "Con Air" crime. You'd make more money in jail with your book deal. (And I wish I was kidding - our country certainly is something isn't it?)

Having said that, I do wish states like MA was a bit more gun friendly, for protecting yourself. It doesn't matter if I have a gun here. If someone breaks into my house and points a rocket launcher at my face, I'd get arrested if I shot him.

 

[mcaple1]

Well, then I think the OP should have learned a valuable lesson from all of this having lived through the experience....he shouldn't carry a gun since his emotions get the best of him.

 

[the_bird]

Well, then I think the OP should have learned a valuable lesson from all of this having lived through the experience....he shouldn't carry a gun since his emotions get the best of him.

Was thinking that, too.

Unless we WANT to live in a society of vigilante justice, the OP's made a better case for gun control laws than anything anyone on the left ever has.

 

[bottlebomber]

*sigh* let's please not take this any closer to a gun rights debate than it already is... it's not in the right forum.

 

[mcaple1]

I keep a gun in my house for "SELF-DEFENSE"....as does my wife. The day that I actually need a gun in my car to get to work and back without worrying about someone taking me out will be the day I meet this guy on the road and I get into a fender bender with the OP. LOL

 

[mcaple1]

*sigh* let's please not take this any closer to a gun rights debate than it already is... it's not in the right forum.

Whoa whoa whoa....don't get the wrong impression, you'll get my guns when you pry 'em from my cold dead hands. But at the same time...I'm not the kind of person that like..."woohooo....lets just shood r gunz in der aerrr all day and kill uz some commie basterds....whut u think cleetus?"

 

[the_bird]

*sigh* let's please not take this any closer to a gun rights debate than it already is... it's not in the right forum.

You can't ignore this, though. The elephant's not only in the room, he's taken off his shoes, sat down in the comfy chair, and is fiddling with your remote.

I'm not going to get into this debate, because it'll just piss me off, but you can't ignore the issue.

 

[mikebowman]

Whoa whoa whoa....don't get the wrong impression, you'll get my guns when you pry 'em from my cold dead hands. But at the same time...I'm not the kind of person that like..."woohooo....lets just shood r gunz in der aerrr all day and kill uz some commie basterds....whut u think cleetus?"

I think you're taking it a little far there bud. Nobody here's claiming that anything like that happened. It's been acknowledged, accurately, I think, that OP would have been in the wrong had he not controlled himself, but that self control in a situation like that is definitely no easy task. I'm not envious of the situation OP found himself in, and I commend you for holding back.

Just one reason I wouldn't carry a gun. But, as has been mentioned, not the time or place for a guns debate

 

[bottlebomber]

The only thing this thread laid bare was the unpredictable nature of humans and life in general. Screw gun laws, what about atomic weapons? Who really needs to have something like that around?

See what I did there?

 

[mikebowman]

The only thing this thread laid bare was the unpredictable nature of humans and life in general. Screw gun laws, what about atomic weapons? Who really needs to have something like that around?

See what I did there?

Well played, good sir

 

[mcaple1]

I think you're taking it a little far there bud. Nobody here's claiming that anything like that happened. It's been acknowledged, accurately, I think, that OP would have been in the wrong had he not controlled himself, but that self control in a situation like that is definitely no easy task. I'm not envious of the situation OP found himself in, and I commend you for holding back.

Just one reason I wouldn't carry a gun. But, as has been mentioned, not the time or place for a guns debate

Dude....have you read the entirety of this thread....that isn't the case. The OP is completely defending himself in that he was justified to kill the dude....but "glad that he didn't". The only reason he didn't, from what I could gather from his story, is that the cop basically pulled up and prevented him. That's not self-control or holding back, or whatever you want to call it. I'm not seriously asking for the OP to stop carrying (although after this incident, it might be a good gut check for himself as to whether he should anymore), as this isn't a gun control message by any means....I'm just asking the OP to realize that what he did was reckless, and nearly did more harm than good. Just because it's the law....which I also question the legitimacy of his "law"......it's also immoral to just go a off someone because they are drunk driving. Atomic weapon jokes aside....that's the real issue here.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

In Missouri the action of drunk driving constitutes an acknowledgement that your actions, for purposes of law enforcement, will be viewed as assault with a deadly weapon. Therefore if you hit or almost hit someone that person is justified in the use of deadly force.

There could not be a worse or more inaccurate description of self-defense.

 

[Airborneguy]

As a ten year veteran of law enforcement (with a gun in his avatar), I'm deeply ashamed by this thread.

 

[truckndad]

Even if you take the gun out of the conversation, pursuing him because you were pissed and wanted a confrontation in front of your pregnant wife was stupid. In this day and age I'm sure you have a cell phone and I'm positive it can dial 911. And if you're in law enforcement that should've been a pretty easy call. "This is Joe Smith, badge number 1234, following a suspected DUI on hiway --" Then just stay on the phone pass info, and wait for the on duty cops to show up. Just a guess, but that sounds a lot safer to me.

 

[mcaple1]

There could not be a worse or more inaccurate description of self-defense.

I'm seriously starting to wonder if by "law-enforcement" he means "rent-a-cop"

 

[Pumbaa]

in before the move

 

[mcaple1]

Even if you take the gun out of the conversation, pursuing him because you were pissed and wanted a confrontation in front of your pregnant wife was stupid. In this day and age I'm sure you have a cell phone and I'm positive it can dial 911. And if you're in law enforcement that should've been a pretty easy call. "This is Joe Smith, badge number 1234, following a suspected DUI on hiway --" Then just stay on the phone pass info, and wait for the on duty cops to show up. Just a guess, but that sounds a lot safer to me.

Whaaaatt....get the hell outta here. Why would you call the cops when you got a nice piece on your side and the "law" to back you up?

 

[nukinfuts29]

Well, then I think the OP should have learned a valuable lesson from all of this having lived through the experience....he shouldn't carry a gun since his emotions get the best of him.

This is actually the only reply I actually felt offended by. If I was ruled simply by emotion, I would have shot him.

This thread has kind of taken on a mind of it's own, understandably so and it's on the verge of becoming a real mess so I'm not going to fuel it. I do want to address a few things that I need to clarify for the sake of painting a better picture then perhaps I did previously.

For starters, when I went after him it wasn't any significant distance. Had he driven 5 miles I probably would have followed him every foot of it, but I doubt I still would have been angry enough to even consider pulling my gun. The reality is that he went into the ditch immediately after missing me, so when i turned around it was maybe 100ft that I drove. Not really a persuit, and not really intentionally chasing him down at high speed or something with SWMBO and baby on board.

Secondly, my actions are obviously not ideal but they are legal. I had already began to lower my weapon when the cop was pulling in. Had he been a rookie, I may have been shot. Thankfully I wasn't.

I have rallied, protested, fought, and lobbied for more gun laws then I'm willing to bet anyone here has so let's not make this an attack fest. I'm not a gun nut. I have arrested more than 4,000 people in 37 states, at least a few hundred of those having been at some point an FBI most wanted criminal and I have NEVER put my sights on another man EVER despite some really hairy sitations, previous to this incident.

I would bet that the majority of you would loose your cool just the same in a situation like this. I'm here, hours after and now a day later telling you I screwed up in my actions. Nobody should ever react the way that I did, and I get to benifit with a lesson to that fact.

But it's easy to judge my responses from your chair and burn me on the NRA stake. Try being there.

 

[bob1852]

O.P. - how do you know he was drunk? What if it was a medical condition and was stumbling to you for help?

And lethal force would warranted after the vehicle is stopped, and the driver is stumbling around?