Vigilante Justice: Car Crash Edition

Don · Jun 2, 2014

Story, photos and video here.

A 14-year-old stole grandpa's little car and went on a driving spree. Thanks to a police scanner app on a smartphone, a tipster reported the car and police gave chase.

The kid drove through a park, nearly hitting a number of children. As he headed back toward the park, a pickup truck driver put a quick end to the chase.

Bryson Rowley was driving the truck, and he said he intentionally used his truck as a ram rod to stop the fleeing vehicle. Rowley provided the pictures and videos in this story, and though he did not wish to go on camera he said he acted to end the chase because he was afraid for the safety of his and other children at the park.

“The person driving the truck could see it was turning back into the park, and he did not want the car to hit all of the children, or any of the children, and he actually pulled his truck in the way so the car collided with the truck,” said Officer Erin Behm with the Syracuse Police Department.

I hope Rowley gets a medal, and doesn't get cited for interfering with a police operation.

veinglory · Jun 2, 2014

If there was an unlucky bounce and the driver died, the story would go a different way. I am sure he acted for the right reasons but I am not sure deliberately colliding with another vehicle is something the police can publicly endorse.

robeiae · Jun 2, 2014

veinglory said:
If there was an unlucky bounce and the driver died, the story would go a different way. I am sure he acted for the right reasons but I am not sure deliberately colliding with another vehicle is something the police can publicly endorse.

True, that.

That said, doing the right thing isn't always going to be applauded and/or recognized as the right thing. If my kids were in the park, I'd give Rowley a big hug to say the least.

waylander · Jun 2, 2014

I wonder how his insurers will view it?

frimble3 · Jun 2, 2014

veinglory said:
If there was an unlucky bounce and the driver died, the story would go a different way. I am sure he acted for the right reasons but I am not sure deliberately colliding with another vehicle is something the police can publicly endorse.

And if the pick-up driver hadn't done it, and had been right there watching when this little &*#@ drove into a bunch of passers-by (children or not), how would that be better? Because the little &*#@ is 14, so nothing meaningful is going to happen to him.
They can't even lift his license, because he doesn't have one.
They won't confiscate and crush his car, because it's not his car.
Quite honestly, I wouldn't have minded him having an unlucky bounce, except that it would have affected the pick-up truck driver.

veinglory · Jun 3, 2014

frimble3 said:
And if the pick-up driver hadn't done it, and had been right there watching when this little &*#@ drove into a bunch of passers-by (children or not), how would that be better? Because the little &*#@ is 14, so nothing meaningful is going to happen to him.
They can't even lift his license, because he doesn't have one.
They won't confiscate and crush his car, because it's not his car.
Quite honestly, I wouldn't have minded him having an unlucky bounce, except that it would have affected the pick-up truck driver.

I think I was pretty clear in speaking towards what the police are able to say in response. And in saying that I believed he acted out of laudable motivations. No?

frimble3 · Jun 3, 2014

veinglory said:
I think I was pretty clear in speaking towards what the police are able to say in response. And in saying that I believed he acted out of laudable motivations. No?

True. I spoke in haste and in anger (at the little shit, not yourself, who made an excellent point in your post). Yes, the police can't be appearing to encourage this sort of thing, like store clerks chasing robbers down the street, which could end up in violence towards the pursuer or the public.
I'm sorry that I used your post in my rant, I did not intend to misuse your words.

Vigilante Justice: Car Crash Edition

Don

All Living is Local

veinglory

volitare nequeo

robeiae

Touch and go

waylander

Who's going for a beer?

frimble3

Heckuva good sport

veinglory

volitare nequeo

frimble3

Heckuva good sport