THE INTENT OF THIS POST IS TO SHARE OUR EXPERIENCE. PLEASE DO NOT ENGAGE IN ANY POLICE-BASHING. IF YOU DISAGREE WITH THE POST OR THE PROCESS, PLEASE DO SO WITH RESPECT. OUR 12-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER (LilSureShot1994) IS A MEMBER HERE AND READS MY POSTS. PLEASE GIVE ALL DUE RESPECT.
Decision-making While under Vehicular Assault
On the evening of June 10, 2006, at about 9:30, my wife and I were driving in S.E. Michigan to get our daughter (LilSureShot1994) from the babysitter. Someone who was apparently angered by my entering the roadway 1/2 mile ahead of them, assaulted us with his Dodge Neon. Structurally, he made a bad choice by violently positing a 1900 pound Dodge Neon against a 3700 pound Jeep Wrangler. While we certainly felt the impact, structurally it compares rather like an ant against a rhino. While the impact did not even scrape the dirt off of my rear bumper or my rear-mounted spare tire, it messed up his car’s front end.
Subsequent to the assault, the driver continued making vulgar gestures and shouting vulgar words. I perceived a young, drunken aggressor capable of launching an all-out attack on my wife and on me. At the very instant of the intentional impact, I feared for our safety. Images of the situation escalating into physical violence, and a potential shoot-out, filled my mind. Intent on not permitting a situation to go out-of-control, I dialed 911 on my daughter’s cellular telephone. When I turned on my Jeep’s emergency flashers, the assaulter fled the assault scene. By this time (15 seconds into the sequence of events) 911 had just come on the line; I immediately alerted the dispatcher that we had been assaulted and that the driver was fleeing. As the assaulter fled, I DID manage to get the license plate and the dispatcher told me, "It's a good plate; I'm sending a deputy to his house immediately".
Fearing that the driver might return to cause us harm, I requested that the dispatcher remain on the line with me until the police arrived. I advised the dispatcher that I was carrying 2 of pistols per my MCPL.
The dispatcher calmly thanked me for the disclosure, and didn’t touch the topic again for several minutes. We communicated about several topics related to the incident, as she did her best to keep me calm and communicate all happenings to the officers. After a few minutes the dispatched asked if I had my MCPL (Michigan Concealed Pistol License) with me, to which I responded, “Of course.” She answered, “I know it sounds silly, but you’d be surprised how many people forget them at home.” After several minutes, she finally got around to asking what pistols I had with me, if they were loaded, and where I had them. I responded that I was carrying my Glock 17 and my Kel-Tec .380. She asked for the spelling clarification Re: the Kel-Tec.
A very important point in the sequence of events was identifying my MCPL instructor to them. Officer Xxxxxx, recently retired, held the post of commander of the county’s S.W.A.T. team for 27 years. Did that fact make a difference in the events? I believed so. The instructor was tough-as-brass tacks and completely professional. If he had to speak twice about or correcting improper behavior in the MCPL class, that person was gone. He was not afraid to tell people that they failed, or to make them take the class again. When one graduates with Officer Xxxxxx, the police know that you are professional about carrying. So, yes, I believe it did make a difference. In addition, our instructor had mentioned in class that such disclosures make a difference.
About 5 minutes before the police arrived, she asked that I “secure the pistols”. I needed clarification about “secure them” because in all of the tactical shooting courses, and in the advanced tactical shooting courses that I have taken, “Secure your pistols” meant return them to your holster, loaded and locked. That didn’t sound right to me because I had never removed them from their holsters, nor had I ever un-concealed them. I asked that she clarify with the officers more precisely what they wanted, holstered, in the trunk? The officer clarified, “Remove the magazines; remove the chambered rounds, and return the pistols to their holsters.”
I requested that the dispatcher advise me when the officers arrived, so that I (and my wife) could place our hands in clear sight—mine on the steering wheel, my wife’s on the dash. Visibility out of a Jeep Wrangler is not great, and our windows are darkened from the factory. If it is difficult for me to see them, and I am sure that at night, with street lights outside creating reflection, it must be even more difficult for the officers to see our hands. I simply put myself in their shoes. Think about this safety fact for a moment. It is not a matter of the police trusting a law-abiding citizen, it is a stress issue. It is an issue of a driver so alarmed that he called for “back-up”. Given the high stress, one cannot ignore the risk of misidentifying the responding officer as the assaulter-returned and firing on him/them in errant self-defense.
Two officers arrived at the scene, and a 3rd officer was still waiting at the assaulter’s house, speaking with his parents. One officer approached my side, and I maintained my hands on the wheel. My wife’s hands were on the dash. I VERY slowly opened the door as I continued to speak with the dispatcher via cellular phone. At that point, she passed me off to the officers and okayed me to hang up the phone and now communicate with them. I asked the officer if he wanted for me to exit or to remain in the vehicle. He had me exit, which I did at a snail’s pace. That is important because those who know me know that I am high-energy and tend to move rather quickly. Intentionally slow movement seemed the right thing to do under the circumstances. I also asked if he wanted for me to take possession of my firearms. He responded, “No.”
Throughout the ordeal, I stood in the open between the Jeep and the police cruiser, my hands always in clear view. Fortunately, the dispatcher recalled events, and some comments that I had made to her. She communicated these technicalities and comments to the officer, and it’s a good thing that she did. It made the difference between an assaulter getting a misdemeanor & ticket, or going to jail and face felony charges for vehicular assault.
The fact that the driver used his vehicle to intentionally hit our vehicle, then engaged in verbal and physical gestures displaying violence, lead me to an impression that we were under intentional vehicular attack. Does intent and victim impression matter? It makes the definition difference of vehicular assault—a felony!!! As the officer said, “That fact makes ALL the difference. In fact, it’s one of the justifications for an officer to discharge our weapon in self-defense. What many people do not realize is that cars are 4,000 pound weapons.” To that end, my wife and I wrote statements detailing the assault, and the fact that we believed that we were under attack. Note that the officer never encouraged or discouraged that we make written statements. He explained the law, the technicalities and asked for OUR decision.
In the end, the officer took our statements, handed us his business card with contact information, and advised of the process. The complaint will now be taken to the prosecutor, who will decide if charges can be filed or not. What will happen next? I am not sure. Hopefully, this young man and his friend(s) will receive some much-needed education about how to drive, how to talk. An important point requires affirmation. That is, the police were there for us. The end of this violent ordeal is not over, not by a long shot. In fact, potentially it is just beginning. There may well be trials, court appearances, and the requirement that my wife and I take off work to testify, or to give depositions. Whatever the case may be, we now must be there for the police the same as they were there for us. Whatever may come, I support the officer and all involved. I will do my part to uphold our laws, our societal mores. It’s the right thing to do.
The dispatcher was the key to a successful interaction with the police. She was cool and calm. That kept me cool and calm. The police officers were WONDERFUL! They were all professional and gentlemen. The lines of communication were absolutely impressive. We didn’t stand around and chit-chat. We talked about the facts, and only the facts as they related to the assault.
I’m glad that I have had the opportunity to read other High Road members’ statements regarding their similar experiences in violent events. That they have shared their experiences helped me to be able to be proactive, and to anticipate what would I do if this ever happened to me. I did just that. I anticipated as best I could. Thanks to the dispatcher and the officers involved, all went as well as an assault can go, and an assaulter will hopefully soon face charges.
Doc2005
Decision-making While under Vehicular Assault
On the evening of June 10, 2006, at about 9:30, my wife and I were driving in S.E. Michigan to get our daughter (LilSureShot1994) from the babysitter. Someone who was apparently angered by my entering the roadway 1/2 mile ahead of them, assaulted us with his Dodge Neon. Structurally, he made a bad choice by violently positing a 1900 pound Dodge Neon against a 3700 pound Jeep Wrangler. While we certainly felt the impact, structurally it compares rather like an ant against a rhino. While the impact did not even scrape the dirt off of my rear bumper or my rear-mounted spare tire, it messed up his car’s front end.
Subsequent to the assault, the driver continued making vulgar gestures and shouting vulgar words. I perceived a young, drunken aggressor capable of launching an all-out attack on my wife and on me. At the very instant of the intentional impact, I feared for our safety. Images of the situation escalating into physical violence, and a potential shoot-out, filled my mind. Intent on not permitting a situation to go out-of-control, I dialed 911 on my daughter’s cellular telephone. When I turned on my Jeep’s emergency flashers, the assaulter fled the assault scene. By this time (15 seconds into the sequence of events) 911 had just come on the line; I immediately alerted the dispatcher that we had been assaulted and that the driver was fleeing. As the assaulter fled, I DID manage to get the license plate and the dispatcher told me, "It's a good plate; I'm sending a deputy to his house immediately".
Fearing that the driver might return to cause us harm, I requested that the dispatcher remain on the line with me until the police arrived. I advised the dispatcher that I was carrying 2 of pistols per my MCPL.
The dispatcher calmly thanked me for the disclosure, and didn’t touch the topic again for several minutes. We communicated about several topics related to the incident, as she did her best to keep me calm and communicate all happenings to the officers. After a few minutes the dispatched asked if I had my MCPL (Michigan Concealed Pistol License) with me, to which I responded, “Of course.” She answered, “I know it sounds silly, but you’d be surprised how many people forget them at home.” After several minutes, she finally got around to asking what pistols I had with me, if they were loaded, and where I had them. I responded that I was carrying my Glock 17 and my Kel-Tec .380. She asked for the spelling clarification Re: the Kel-Tec.
A very important point in the sequence of events was identifying my MCPL instructor to them. Officer Xxxxxx, recently retired, held the post of commander of the county’s S.W.A.T. team for 27 years. Did that fact make a difference in the events? I believed so. The instructor was tough-as-brass tacks and completely professional. If he had to speak twice about or correcting improper behavior in the MCPL class, that person was gone. He was not afraid to tell people that they failed, or to make them take the class again. When one graduates with Officer Xxxxxx, the police know that you are professional about carrying. So, yes, I believe it did make a difference. In addition, our instructor had mentioned in class that such disclosures make a difference.
About 5 minutes before the police arrived, she asked that I “secure the pistols”. I needed clarification about “secure them” because in all of the tactical shooting courses, and in the advanced tactical shooting courses that I have taken, “Secure your pistols” meant return them to your holster, loaded and locked. That didn’t sound right to me because I had never removed them from their holsters, nor had I ever un-concealed them. I asked that she clarify with the officers more precisely what they wanted, holstered, in the trunk? The officer clarified, “Remove the magazines; remove the chambered rounds, and return the pistols to their holsters.”
I requested that the dispatcher advise me when the officers arrived, so that I (and my wife) could place our hands in clear sight—mine on the steering wheel, my wife’s on the dash. Visibility out of a Jeep Wrangler is not great, and our windows are darkened from the factory. If it is difficult for me to see them, and I am sure that at night, with street lights outside creating reflection, it must be even more difficult for the officers to see our hands. I simply put myself in their shoes. Think about this safety fact for a moment. It is not a matter of the police trusting a law-abiding citizen, it is a stress issue. It is an issue of a driver so alarmed that he called for “back-up”. Given the high stress, one cannot ignore the risk of misidentifying the responding officer as the assaulter-returned and firing on him/them in errant self-defense.
Two officers arrived at the scene, and a 3rd officer was still waiting at the assaulter’s house, speaking with his parents. One officer approached my side, and I maintained my hands on the wheel. My wife’s hands were on the dash. I VERY slowly opened the door as I continued to speak with the dispatcher via cellular phone. At that point, she passed me off to the officers and okayed me to hang up the phone and now communicate with them. I asked the officer if he wanted for me to exit or to remain in the vehicle. He had me exit, which I did at a snail’s pace. That is important because those who know me know that I am high-energy and tend to move rather quickly. Intentionally slow movement seemed the right thing to do under the circumstances. I also asked if he wanted for me to take possession of my firearms. He responded, “No.”
Throughout the ordeal, I stood in the open between the Jeep and the police cruiser, my hands always in clear view. Fortunately, the dispatcher recalled events, and some comments that I had made to her. She communicated these technicalities and comments to the officer, and it’s a good thing that she did. It made the difference between an assaulter getting a misdemeanor & ticket, or going to jail and face felony charges for vehicular assault.
The fact that the driver used his vehicle to intentionally hit our vehicle, then engaged in verbal and physical gestures displaying violence, lead me to an impression that we were under intentional vehicular attack. Does intent and victim impression matter? It makes the definition difference of vehicular assault—a felony!!! As the officer said, “That fact makes ALL the difference. In fact, it’s one of the justifications for an officer to discharge our weapon in self-defense. What many people do not realize is that cars are 4,000 pound weapons.” To that end, my wife and I wrote statements detailing the assault, and the fact that we believed that we were under attack. Note that the officer never encouraged or discouraged that we make written statements. He explained the law, the technicalities and asked for OUR decision.
In the end, the officer took our statements, handed us his business card with contact information, and advised of the process. The complaint will now be taken to the prosecutor, who will decide if charges can be filed or not. What will happen next? I am not sure. Hopefully, this young man and his friend(s) will receive some much-needed education about how to drive, how to talk. An important point requires affirmation. That is, the police were there for us. The end of this violent ordeal is not over, not by a long shot. In fact, potentially it is just beginning. There may well be trials, court appearances, and the requirement that my wife and I take off work to testify, or to give depositions. Whatever the case may be, we now must be there for the police the same as they were there for us. Whatever may come, I support the officer and all involved. I will do my part to uphold our laws, our societal mores. It’s the right thing to do.
The dispatcher was the key to a successful interaction with the police. She was cool and calm. That kept me cool and calm. The police officers were WONDERFUL! They were all professional and gentlemen. The lines of communication were absolutely impressive. We didn’t stand around and chit-chat. We talked about the facts, and only the facts as they related to the assault.
I’m glad that I have had the opportunity to read other High Road members’ statements regarding their similar experiences in violent events. That they have shared their experiences helped me to be able to be proactive, and to anticipate what would I do if this ever happened to me. I did just that. I anticipated as best I could. Thanks to the dispatcher and the officers involved, all went as well as an assault can go, and an assaulter will hopefully soon face charges.
Doc2005
