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Finally, Justice on the Road!

jimlem

By jimlem
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jimlem Enthusiast

jimlem

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Last Thursday around 2145, I'm just out enjoying a ride to pickup my son and his GF at the local mall. I decided to just take the long way and relax. Two days prior, I had just declared my 3 month old truck free and clean of all the often posted complaints found on this site.

 

So I'm really enjoying the heck out of my truck and myself. This is of course when the gods of the roads take notice and decide to knock me down a peg. I'm coasting up the off ramp in the #1 lane approaching a red light at about 40 mph. Out of nowhere (no head lamps on) comes two idiots in the #2 lane but at 70 mph, they have no chance to follow the curve in the off ramp. So they side swipe me down the right side. In about a half second, I thoroughly experienced Surprise!, Fear!, Anger! and that feeling of no f-ing way are you getting away with this.

 

So I'm pulling along side his 2002 GMC Ext cab, screaming "pull over, pull over". He ignores me but keeps looking over his shoulder at me and tries to go even faster. I'm staying right on him until the intersection comes up and I slow down hard. He is now driving 60 - 70 mph (by his own admission later). I watch him try and take the corner in a right hand, 90 degree turn. No way was this happening. He fishtailed, pointed back towards the sidewalk, and mounted the curb about 55 mph. He took out 20 yards of sidewalk, one granite and steel lamp post, and one of the green steel ground gas vent pipes (with all the holes in it). The passenger woke up first and left, -fine by me. It took the driver about 5 min. come around. He was OK but in no shape to run. If that had been any of us, this would be an obituary not a funny story.

 

I used that 5 min.s to get on star to dispatch me some backup. (Hint: On Star WANTS to push the button to send medics really really bad. I had to tell this lady 4 times "no injuries, need backup. No no one is trapped or on fire, I'm a retired Deputy and need back up!"She just kept reading the script. I finally had to raise my voice and shout, I am the police, I need assistance. Finally 7 min. later the cavalry comes in.

 

To make a long story (sorry about that) shorter-ish. It was 2 M&Ms riding the "Barracho Express." Basically drunk and raising hell till they get caught and sent back to Border Patrol for processing. IOW, a free night on our town. This guy went to jail for a felony. Couldn't believe it. After 15 years retirement, I got to catch another felon. Though even I admit it was kind of a cheap collar but I got take what I can get these days.

 

Truck was out of the shop in a week. Just like new. No structural or body damage. Just paint damage. Already spent one afternoon under it double checking the wires, ground straps and fastener placements. Only had to re-do two.

sahls01gmc Senior Enthusiast

sahls01gmc

Posted
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Wow, glad you made it out ok!

 

Had a similar thing happen in my neighborhood a few years ago. Sitting at home, I hear tires screaching and the......BANG! Guy hits my neighbor's parked car, and then takes off down the road. He eventually stopped and went to jail for DUI. You could imagine how it all went down.

 

 

Interesting fun facts about this story is they were 2 high school kids leaving a party. The passenger......100% SOBER!!!! Asked him why he didn't try to drive, and he said he didn't even know the guy, just looking for a ride home. And, found out the next day he hit 14 other cars that night! Somehow, he didn't kill anyone that evening....


Wow, glad you made it out ok!

 

Had a similar thing happen in my neighborhood a few years ago. Sitting at home, I hear tires screaching and the......BANG! Guy hits my neighbor's parked car, and then takes off down the road. He eventually stopped and went to jail for DUI. You could imagine how it all went down.

 

 

Interesting fun facts about this story is they were 2 high school kids leaving a party. The passenger......100% SOBER!!!! Asked him why he didn't try to drive, and he said he didn't even know the guy, just looking for a ride home. And, found out the next day he hit 14 other cars that night! Somehow, he didn't kill anyone that evening....

jimlem Enthusiast

jimlem

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What a story, glad you had a happy ending!! I'm guessing your insurance paid the bill.

Insurance was great. Even get my deductible back because other guy was unlicensed and had no insurance. It ended up costing the insurance $1600 because the body shop took the truck apart to get the bed off and painted it all at once. Even painted back of cab so it all blended. They did great work. They are CraftsmenAB and they have shops in several states. Insurance didn't even come look at the truck. They said "We use Craftsmen all the time. Anything they want is approved, no questions."

 

Thanks to all for the kind words. I did not mean to make it sound like the story was all about me. I was just so jazzed that for ONCE the hit and run driver didn't get away (because they mostly always do).

SarahsGMC Senior Enthusiast

SarahsGMC

Posted
Posted

Had a lady floor it reverse into the front of my car at a stop light for some reason I went to get out and she took off i chased her down the road she pulled a u turn over 5 lanes of traffic and back the other way I stayed on her ass thru a taco bell drive thru and she headed towards the projects I was on the phone with police thru the whole thing I stopped and met police she destroyed my headlight part of my hood and fender. I had it fixed with junkyard parts for basically free needed some paint work done as well. About a week later I get a call and they caught her. Charged with No plates no license no insurance not her vehicle wreckless driving hit and run. She was paying me bare minimum in restitution for 5 years and I doubt she has even reached 700 she owes me to this day... always in n out of jail.

jimlem Enthusiast

jimlem

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  • Author
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Had a lady floor it reverse into the front of my car at a stop light for some reason I went to get out and she took off i chased her down the road she pulled a u turn over 5 lanes of traffic and back the other way I stayed on her ass thru a taco bell drive thru and she headed towards the projects I was on the phone with police thru the whole thing I stopped and met police she destroyed my headlight part of my hood and fender. I had it fixed with junkyard parts for basically free needed some paint work done as well. About a week later I get a call and they caught her. Charged with No plates no license no insurance not her vehicle wreckless driving hit and run. She was paying me bare minimum in restitution for 5 years and I doubt she has even reached 700 she owes me to this day... always in n out of jail.

And isn't this the whole reason why this keeps happening? You're drunk, unlicensed, uninsured, in and out of jail, and a basic type "A" personality (A for a**hole). What motivation do you have to pull over when you know you'll be going to jail again and likely have your car crushed. It's no wonder they run.

 

Glad you were OK. Nice pursuit run. I bet it would have made Wildest Police Chases etc.

99silveradoz71 Senior Enthusiast

99silveradoz71

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Hit-skips always drive me crazy. The attitude has changed these days, everyone wants to look both ways and see if anyone saw anything and if they can just skate instead of taking responsibility.

00Silverado4x4 Senior Enthusiast

00Silverado4x4

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Glad no one got hurt. In my accident there was no running. Both vehicles were totaled and neither of us could of physically run very far even if we wanted to...

TJay74 Senior Enthusiast

TJay74

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hit and runs are so very irritating. I personally wont let them go if I can keep after them safely while the police are enroute. old co-worker of mine got hit the other day, of course they ran but he got the tag info and a pic of them. Him being the "peaceful" person he is said he doesn't want to burden them with $750 in tickets that the officer said they would get. I couldn't get him to understand that though he came out injury free what about the next person they hit and injure and then run away from.

 

He just didn't get it

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