FL- Blind Man Shoots Home Intruder In Neck

[Chipperman]

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- A Gainesville man's lack of sight didn't stop him from defending his home from an intruder.

According to police, Cevaughn Curtis Jr., 28, broke into Arthur Williams' house in Gainesville at around 3 a.m.

Curtis, police said, knocked on the door, asked to be let inside but Williams refused. Curtis then tried to force his way into the home.


The 75-year-old retired taxi dispatcher, who's been legally blind for the past 61 years, opened fire on the would-be-thief who kicked down his door, police said.

Police said Williams shot Curtis, who tried to flee but collapsed on the front porch, inthe left side of the neck. He was taken to a hospital in stable condition.

Police said Curtis was charged with burglary of an occupied residence and battery on a person over the age of 65.

Officials are praising Williams for protecting himself.

Interesting that this comes just days after Rudi's comments about supporting a blind CCW.

 

[Avenger]

I do want to note the distinction between "legally blind" and being actually unable to see ANYTHING. Legally blind just means that your vision is sufficiently bad that you cannot distinguish things at 20 feet that a "standard, normal" person can distinguish at 200 feet. It doesn't mean you cannot see at all.

 

[Chipperman]

This is a dupe. I did a search before I posted, but the thread did not come up.

Oh well.

This thread was posted before mine:

http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=312298

 

[One of Many]

How does a person who is legally blind since age 14 become a taxi driver? Or is this his uncorrected vision? Without eyeglasses I am legally blind, but when corrected I am near 20/20. This story is very poorly written.

 

[Texastbird]

He's a dispatcher, not a driver.

 

[Florida_Cracker]

The local TV news, WCJB TV-20 (ABC), announced to the world that the police took the old man's gun.

I know this is SOP, but that still does not make it right.

Regardless the TV news let the world know that the old man is now without protection.

Here's an update from the local paper:

Blind man shoots intruder
By Nathan Crabbe AND KAREN VOYLES
Sun staff writers
12:00 am, October 27, 2007
Arthur Williams is 75 years old and blind, but still managed to shoot an intruder who broke into his southeast Gainesville home early Friday.

Continue to 2nd paragraph Cevaughn Curtis Jr., 28, of Gainesville allegedly forced his way into Williams' home before being shot in the neck. Curtis was taken to Shands at the University of Florida and was listed in stable condition Friday afternoon.

Curtis came to Williams' door about 3 a.m. and asked to be let in, according to Gainesville police. When Williams refused, Curtis allegedly pushed his way into the house. Williams then fell back into a table, shattering a glass vase.

"I don't know what he had in mind to do," Williams said when reached at his home Friday afternoon. "I had to stop him."

Williams said he keeps a .32-caliber revolver to protect himself. After warning the intruder, Williams shot in the man's direction.

"I can hear - I backed up and I shot him," he said. "I knew I hit him when he fell."

Williams, who had called 911 during the incident, then reported that he had shot the man.

Gainesville Police Lt. Anthony Ferrara said the first officers to arrive at the house found Curtis on the porch.

"It appeared he tried to leave the house and collapsed on the porch," Ferrara said. "He had been shot in the left side of the neck."

Ferrara said surgeons were trying to determine whether to attempt to remove the bullet or leave it in place because it was so close to Curtis' spine. An update on his status was unavailable late Friday.

Curtis was charged with burglary of an occupied residence and battery on a person over the age of 65, according to police.

Florida Department of Corrections records show Curtis was released from state prison in January after serving time for battery. He was on probation for multiple counts of battery and for intimidating a witness.

Williams said he worries about criminal activity in the area, so he keeps his gun close at hand.

"I keep my gun on me," he said. "That's my protection - I can't see."

You've gotta' love this:

"I can hear - I backed up and I shot him," he said. "I knew I hit him when he fell."