Situational awareness: Roadside safety

[JoeSlomo]

Situation: Robbery attempt against citizens dealing with a vehicle with mechanical issues on the side of the road.

Link: http://www2.counton2.com/cbd/news/l...e_in_colleton_co._shoots_armed_robber/143852/

Details:

A young man, his wife, and mother in law, are transporting a U-haul from point A to point B late in the evening. They are using two separate vehicles for the task, one to haul the trailer, the other as a chase vehicle.

Problems occur with the vehicle hauling the trailer, and they exit the highway, apparently in a bad part of town. They opt to place the trailer on the working vehicle, and while the young man is attaching the trailer, a 3rd party vehicle approaches.

Help, you may ask?

Not so much.

The 3rd party vehicle contains 3 criminals. One who steps out of the car and attempts to rob the two females with his desert eagle .50. The young man intervenes with deadly force from his own firearm, hitting the felon multiple times. The wounded felon is dragged into their vehicle and driven off guns ablaze.

The only known injury as a result is the felon who attempted to rob the females.

Points of consideration:

1. Bring your firearm where and when ever you legally can. The young man was a licensed CCW holder and apparently kept his firearm on his person. A firearm in hand is better than 2 in the car...when you need it NOW!

2. They were traveling late at night when criminal activity tends to be at its highest. Was it necessary? If not, plan to move during hours of lower criminal activity and when more honest citizens are likely to be around to witness or provide aid in the event of a felonious attack.

3. When stuck on the side of the road, think about where you will position your loved ones. I have seen people on the side of the road simply "hanging out" on the traffic side of the road. IMO, the best place to put your family would be on the far side of the vehicle, away from potential traffic hazards, and criminals who may view your misfortune as a felonious opportunity.

Thoughts?

 

[Zoogster]

I would say they were just lucky to be traveling in or through a state where his concealed carry permit was valid while moving.

Had it been stored pursuant to 18 USC 926a, as would be the case for many moving through multiple states, or otherwise stored in an inaccessible manner to comply with the law in a state his permit was not valid in then his ability to react would have been hampered.


I wonder where he was moving from and moving to, and where his permit to carry comes from.

 

[Fred Fuller]

More details...

lpl
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http://www.thearmedcitizen.com/2010/06/06/walterboro-south-carolina-soldier-shoots-robbers/

Walterboro, South Carolina Soldier Shoots Robbers
Posted by Clayton
JUN 6
Walterboro, South Carolina

From the June 5, 2010 Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier:

WALTERBORO — An Army specialist just home from the Middle East shot and critically wounded a robber who tried to hold up his family after they stopped with car trouble late Thursday, authorities said.

Two other robbers returned fire as they pulled their wounded accomplice into a getaway car and sped away from the McCleod Road crime scene, according to Colleton County Sheriff George Malone. None of the victims were wounded, but their cars were struck by bullets, deputies said.

Deputies located the injured suspect a short time later at Colleton Regional Hospital, where he was being treated for several gunshot wounds, deputies said. David Jayquon Jakes, 19, of Smoaks was later transferred to Medical University Hospital in Charleston, where he remains in intensive care, Chief Deputy Ted Stanfield said.
…
Investigators have no plans to file charges against the serviceman who shot Jakes, as he had a valid concealed weapons permit and acted in self-defense, Malone said.
======================
http://www.thesunnews.com/2010/06/05/1513726/serviceman-defends-family-shoots.html#ixzz0q2jk8hUv

Saturday, Jun. 05, 2010
Serviceman defends family, shoots robber
By Glenn Smith - The (Charleston) Post and Courier

WALTERBORO -- An Army specialist just home from the Middle East shot and critically wounded a robber who tried to hold up his family after they stopped with car trouble late Thursday, authorities said.

Two other robbers returned fire as they pulled their wounded accomplice into a getaway car and sped away from the McCleod Road crime scene, according to Colleton County Sheriff George Malone. None of the victims were wounded, but their cars were struck by bullets, deputies said.

Deputies located the injured suspect a short time later at Colleton Regional Hospital, where he was being treated for several gunshot wounds, deputies said. David Jayquon Jakes, 19, of Smoaks was later transferred to Medical University Hospital in Charleston, where he remains in intensive care, Chief Deputy Ted Stanfield said.

Investigators obtained arrest warrants to charge Jakes with three counts of attempted armed robbery, three counts of assault with intent to kill, possession of a stolen weapon and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, Malone said.

Investigators have no plans to file charges against the serviceman who shot Jakes, as he had a valid concealed weapons permit and acted in self-defense, Malone said.

Authorities did not release the names of the serviceman or his family, citing safety concerns as deputies search for the two others robbers involved in the incident.

Sheriff's officials said the episode played out this way:
Shortly before midnight, the Army specialist, his wife and mother-in-law were traveling down Interstate 95 in two vehicles, one of which was pulling a U-Haul trailer.
Hailing from a northern state, they were passing through on their way further south when the car with the trailer started having mechanical problems.

They took the exit ramp to McLeod Road, near Walterboro, to transfer the trailer from the disabled car to the second vehicle. While the serviceman was trying to wire the trailer's lights to his truck, a silver sedan pulled up with three men inside.

A man with a cloth over his face stepped from the back seat of the sedan and pointed a .50-caliber Desert Eagle pistol at the older of the two women, ordering her about as he called her "pretty lady." As she ran toward her daughter, her son-in-law stood up and pulled out his own gun. He ordered the strangers to leave several times.

When the robber turned and pointed his pistol at the victims, the serviceman fired several rounds. The robber fell to the ground and dropped his weapon. His accomplices helped the wounded man back to the sedan as they fired several rounds at the serviceman.

Deputies later recovered the robber's pistol and determined it had been stolen.

Jakes fit the general description of the robber, and other information collected by investigators indicated he was the wounded robber they were looking for, Malone said. He did not elaborate.

Deputies are pursuing several leads, but have not yet identified the remaining two suspects in the crime, Stanfield said.

 

[sidheshooter]

Hmmm. From a strategies and tactics viewpoint, I'm not sure what the serviceman could have done; you can't pick the time and place of a mechanical failure when on the open road. Even in marginal areas, the odds of a car full of armed, masked gang bangers driving by an exit ramp is still pretty slim; it reads to me like this guy just drew the short straw on this one.

From another armchair viewpoint, it looks like the bangers sure chose the wrong guy to mess with... their straw wasn't all that long either, I guess.

 

[CTGunner]

I agree with sidheshooter. He could have chosen to go during the day or perhaps chosen a different route but sometimes stuff happens. My experience has been that many criminals are opportunists. The best you can do is try not to give them the opportunity.

 

[Shadow 7D]

Traffic is a consideration, also many times on a long distance drive you don't get to chose when you are passing through a certain area if you intend to arrive at your destination at a certain time.

 

[rainbowbob]

Good story...good outcome.


It's kind of irrelevant to suggest they should have scheduled their move and their breakdown for a more optimal time and place.

The fact is, stuff happens - no matter how well we try to control events.

The veteran was well equipped and well prepared.

Bravo!

 

[Old Shooter]

The main roads and interstates I've traveled all go thru some unsavory areas at some point during the journey, definitly areas I wouldn't choose to pull off for any reason.

Mechanical breakdowns don't understand this concept and can leave you on your own in just such territory without notice.

Need to be ready for the unexpected with a appropriate set of tools, water, oil, spare tires for the car (and the trailer if possible), duct tape , cell phone and a weapon for just the sort of situation mentioned above.

Sounds like this fella had the weapon part covered and being just home from the middle east (Iraq, Afghanistan?) he was probably more alert and willing to act than a lot of us might be.

Great job on his part!

 

[heeler]

As was put he might have drawn a short straw but not so many years ago here we had a trio of thugs who would cruise Houston's 610 loop specifically looking for people whose vehicle was disabled on that freeway and driving up and approching them just to rob them.
And strangely enough my late Father was broke down on that same freeway some years back when a guy pulled up and attempted to strong arm rob my Dad but failed.
Let's face it while you are broke down most people driving by are just whizzing by especially on a freeway or freeway service road and blow by so quick they really are not paying much attention to you so this is a very favorable set up for an armed robber.
I am definitely wary of being in that postion in any large city.