(TX) Theft suspect shot at home site

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Drizzt

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Theft suspect shot at home site

Owner spends the night, catching 2 men by surprise

By RENEE C. LEE

NEW CANEY - Frustrated by repeated break-ins at his home under construction, the owner spent the night at the house and surprised a pair of suspected thieves with his shotgun, wounding one.

Ricky W. Otis, of New Caney, fired at least once, hitting one of the suspects in the head and upper neck, said Montgomery County sheriff's investigators.

The shooting occurred about 6:20 a.m. Tuesday, shortly after Otis called authorities to tell them of a burglary at his home in the Northcrest subdivision, just off U.S. 59.

Investigators said Otis, 47, decided to spend the night at the unfinished house because it had been broken into several times.

Otis slept in an upstairs bedroom Monday night and was awakened early Tuesday by the sound of the downstairs door being forced open.

He called the sheriff's office, then went downstairs to find two men hauling materials from the house into a van, the police report said.

Otis confronted one of the suspects. The suspect then reached into the van, and Otis shot him.

The suspect, Alberto Salazar, 40, of Houston, was flown to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston. He was listed in serious condition Wednesday afternoon, said sheriff's Lt. Dan Norris.

Deputies caught the other suspect, who ran away, about four hours later near Firetower and FM 1485, Norris said.

Jose Ponce, 20, of Houston, was arrested and charged with burglary of a building. He was in the Montgomery County Jail on Wednesday, with bail set at $10,000.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3000439
 
Chalk one up for the good guys. Is New Caney in Harris County? If so, hopefully the prosecutor won't have something to prove by trying to file charges against the homeowner for anything, even though I believe it was a good shoot.
 
I love Texas :D In silly states like Cali and such Otis would've been arrested. and probably had his weapon siezed, instead the sheriff probably shook his hand and patted him on the back for doing what should be done anywhere, Texas is a no nonsense state and I love it :D :D
 
Well DarkKnight, there is still a little bit of room left in the state if you want to move here:)
 
Upper neck? Man, talk about a detailed report.

Too bad the homeowner had to resort to that, but it sounds as if he did what he had to do. Theft of building material from construction sites is a problem hereabouts also.

lpl/nc
 
My Back Yard

new caney texas is in montgomery county (south east part) north of harris county and apx. 35+- miles north of houston. not a good place to get caught doing criminal activities by locals.
 
Oh how I miss living in the land of the free! Work made me leave Texas 14 years ago for the Land of Lincoln (Old Honest Abe wouldn't recognize his home state, where the most powerful politicians fight over everything except gun control, the one thing they seem to agree on). You probably know about the recent case here, in the Chicago suburbs, where a homeowner shot a burglar who returned a second night to get what he left behind the first. The homeowner was arrested and charged with multiple gun violations.
 
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