FL: Gun v. Car: Gun Wins

Hummers are very capable vehicles, but like all machines, they are not more capable than  the people operating them.  In Fort Worth, Florida, a man spent all day drinking and getting a tattoo done.  When he decided to leave, he started driving erratically over the lawn and neighbors driveway.   When the lawn's owner started screaming, the neighbor grabbed a firearm of unidentified make and caliber/gauge.

The neighbor fired one shot that deflated the front passenger tire; Gonzolez-Lopez backed up, then started toward them.   The neighbor then shot out the passenger side rear tire.   The Hummer driver retreated and drove off.  From the sun-sentinel.com:

At the intersection of Lantana and Haverhill roads, deputies spotted the black Hummer with two deflated tires on the passenger side. The driver was identified as Gonzalez-Lopez.

Deputies asked Gonzalez-Lopez to perform field sobriety tests but he refused and started yelling at obscenities, according to the report. They also discovered Gonzalez-Lopez didn't have a valid driver's license.

It would be interesting to know a bit more about the neighbor and his firearm.  Two shots, two deflated tires, no one injured.    The lawn owner and the shooter called the police immediately after the shooting.    Police tend to judge later stories  compared to the first account given.  In this case, there were no injuries or loss of life.  

Shooting at tires is generally frowned upon.   Still, I knew a game warden who was an excellent shot.   While he and a partner were checking out vehicles at dusk, several decades ago, his attention was on the second vehicle.   He heard a loud "thump", turned, and saw his partner on the ground and the car in front  leaving the scene.  He drew his revolver and flattened both rear tires.

It turned out that the driver had used the door (an old trick) to knock his partner down, slammed it shut (the thump) and took off.   I always thought it was remarkable shooting.   Again, no significant injuries or loss of life. 

Despite  these two incidents, I recommend against shooting at tires.  They are not easy to hit, and the use of deadly force may be questionable if there is insufficient reason to aim at the driver.   In the Florida case, it was  the Hummer driver that was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, the vehicle.

©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
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