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Tuesday, April 1, 2003
Deputy struggles with machine-gun-toting man
By DAVID SCHWARTZ/Staff Writer
VICTORVILLE — Most people would agree that police work is inherently dangerous. But most days, it’s domestic disputes and traffic stops.
For a few minutes Saturday night, however, a matter of mere inches defined whether Victorville Sheriff’s deputy Vince Balsitis might live or die. Inches, that is, that separated him from the barrel of a machine gun that a struggling suspect did not want to give up.
During the struggle, Balsitis grabbed the barrel of the Tech-9 semi-automatic machine pistol and stuck his finger behind the trigger to prevent it from firing.
The weapon — described as one similar to a small machine gun — could have easily let go with a burst of bullets.
“It’s one of those things where it’s just pure fear,†Balsitis would later say. “(But) it’s part of the job. You go home, hug your kids, talk to your buddies, thank God that the chaplain’s there to talk to and you go back to work.â€
The call came in at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday night — shots fired on Forrest Avenue near 6th Street.
The sheriff’s department had gotten calls about shots being fired in the area for a few weeks, but never with a description of who was shooting the guns.
This time, they had descriptions of the shooters and the house they went into, Sgt. Kurt Lackman said.
At 8:44 p.m., deputies Osvaldo Pelayes, Mike Reardon and Balsitis responded to the 16800 block of Forrest Avenue.
Pelayes and Reardon went to detain two suspects, Dequantay Bell, 19 of Victorville, and Freddie Taylor, 25, of Apple Valley. Bell had a handgun, marijuana and a small amount of cocaine, officials said. Taylor had two outstanding traffic warrants.
Balsitis went through the house, looking to secure the area. He remembers children in the house. Then he heard a back door slam. He walked outside to a courtyard and saw a suspect with a black down jacket and a latex glove on his hand, meeting the description.
Balsitis asked to search him. The suspect, Leverette, 24, of Victorville, agreed.
During the search, Balsitis felt a hard object underneath Leverette’s coat, just as another of the deputies shouted that they found a gun on another suspect.
Leverette said, “(Expletive deleted) this,†according to Balsitis.
Leverette pushed away from the deputy and began to run. Balsitis tackled him a few yards away, landing on Leverette’s back.
Lackman wryly said that it wasn’t the usual choice of weapon for target shooting or home defense.
Balsitis was on Leverette’s back. Balsitis grabbed for the barrel of the gun and pointed it away from himself. He screamed for help from the other two deputies.
Reardon showed up, and drew his gun, telling Leverette to give up. He didn’t. Balsitis slipped a finger behind the trigger of Leverette’s gun, which was strapped to his chest on a sling.
Balsitis took out his knife, cut the strap and grabbed control of the gun.
“What’s going through my mind?†Balsitis said. “Don’t get shot. Make sure I don’t get shot, my partners don’t get shot.â€
The struggle lasted two minutes, until Pelayes “kicked him into submission†after repeatedly telling Leverette to give up, Balsitis said.
Meanwhile, Bell fled the scene. Deputies caught him in another person’s car in the area.
Two days later, Balsitis was back on the job working calls. He gave a nervous laugh Monday when he was asked about the incident.
Leverette was booked at West Valley Detention Center for suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and for suspicion of violating his parole.
Bell was booked at Victorville Jail on suspicion of possession of an illegal weapon, possession of narcotics, and escape with bail set at $20,000.
Taylor was booked at Victorville Jail for two outstanding traffic warrants, one with a no-bail hold.
“It was a little bit sketchy for a while,†is how Balsitis would later describe it.
http://www.vvdailypress.com/cgi-bin/newspro/viewnews.cgi?newsid1049216098,20854,
Deputy struggles with machine-gun-toting man
By DAVID SCHWARTZ/Staff Writer
VICTORVILLE — Most people would agree that police work is inherently dangerous. But most days, it’s domestic disputes and traffic stops.
For a few minutes Saturday night, however, a matter of mere inches defined whether Victorville Sheriff’s deputy Vince Balsitis might live or die. Inches, that is, that separated him from the barrel of a machine gun that a struggling suspect did not want to give up.
During the struggle, Balsitis grabbed the barrel of the Tech-9 semi-automatic machine pistol and stuck his finger behind the trigger to prevent it from firing.
The weapon — described as one similar to a small machine gun — could have easily let go with a burst of bullets.
“It’s one of those things where it’s just pure fear,†Balsitis would later say. “(But) it’s part of the job. You go home, hug your kids, talk to your buddies, thank God that the chaplain’s there to talk to and you go back to work.â€
The call came in at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday night — shots fired on Forrest Avenue near 6th Street.
The sheriff’s department had gotten calls about shots being fired in the area for a few weeks, but never with a description of who was shooting the guns.
This time, they had descriptions of the shooters and the house they went into, Sgt. Kurt Lackman said.
At 8:44 p.m., deputies Osvaldo Pelayes, Mike Reardon and Balsitis responded to the 16800 block of Forrest Avenue.
Pelayes and Reardon went to detain two suspects, Dequantay Bell, 19 of Victorville, and Freddie Taylor, 25, of Apple Valley. Bell had a handgun, marijuana and a small amount of cocaine, officials said. Taylor had two outstanding traffic warrants.
Balsitis went through the house, looking to secure the area. He remembers children in the house. Then he heard a back door slam. He walked outside to a courtyard and saw a suspect with a black down jacket and a latex glove on his hand, meeting the description.
Balsitis asked to search him. The suspect, Leverette, 24, of Victorville, agreed.
During the search, Balsitis felt a hard object underneath Leverette’s coat, just as another of the deputies shouted that they found a gun on another suspect.
Leverette said, “(Expletive deleted) this,†according to Balsitis.
Leverette pushed away from the deputy and began to run. Balsitis tackled him a few yards away, landing on Leverette’s back.
Lackman wryly said that it wasn’t the usual choice of weapon for target shooting or home defense.
Balsitis was on Leverette’s back. Balsitis grabbed for the barrel of the gun and pointed it away from himself. He screamed for help from the other two deputies.
Reardon showed up, and drew his gun, telling Leverette to give up. He didn’t. Balsitis slipped a finger behind the trigger of Leverette’s gun, which was strapped to his chest on a sling.
Balsitis took out his knife, cut the strap and grabbed control of the gun.
“What’s going through my mind?†Balsitis said. “Don’t get shot. Make sure I don’t get shot, my partners don’t get shot.â€
The struggle lasted two minutes, until Pelayes “kicked him into submission†after repeatedly telling Leverette to give up, Balsitis said.
Meanwhile, Bell fled the scene. Deputies caught him in another person’s car in the area.
Two days later, Balsitis was back on the job working calls. He gave a nervous laugh Monday when he was asked about the incident.
Leverette was booked at West Valley Detention Center for suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and for suspicion of violating his parole.
Bell was booked at Victorville Jail on suspicion of possession of an illegal weapon, possession of narcotics, and escape with bail set at $20,000.
Taylor was booked at Victorville Jail for two outstanding traffic warrants, one with a no-bail hold.
“It was a little bit sketchy for a while,†is how Balsitis would later describe it.
http://www.vvdailypress.com/cgi-bin/newspro/viewnews.cgi?newsid1049216098,20854,
