The old saw about not bringing a stick to a gunfight has a lot of truth. Under the same general category, one could also say don’t bring a headlock to a gunfight. A woman in Glendale, Arizona learned that the hard way. Police say she became enraged in traffic and attacked the occupants of another vehicle. The physical violence ended when the rampaging hothead took a round to the gut as she beat another motorist while holding her in a headlock.
The incident reportedly began when one motorist supposedly cut off another vehicle. Remember what RF wrote last week or so about not antagonizing obnoxious drivers? Seems no one in this incident read or applied that sage advice.
The offended driver pursued the other vehicle several blocks to a stoplight. Immobilized by cross-traffic, all hell broke loose for the occupant of white sedan pictured below.
The aggressor left the maroon minivan in a rage. She broke out a window of the sedan and punched the passenger in the face. She then dragged the passenger out of the car and continued beating her.
The sedan’s driver exited the car, warning the attacker to stop her attack. Instead of ceasing hostilities, though, the enraged attacker turned her attention to the driver.
Ignoring warnings by the driver that she was armed, the attacker brazenly punched the driver in the face. The assault continued with the attacker putting the driver in a headlock and continuing the beating. Despite more warning of an armed response, the bully doubled down on the blows and the sedan’s driver shot her, ending the melee.
Police interviewed witnesses and the cooperative armed driver. In the 12news.com report an attorney summed up the local deadly force law nicely:
“If you’re going to use deadly force you have to either fear for your life or fear serious physical injury,” attorney Russ Richelsoph said, “so you have to fear basically you’re going to get broken bones, your life’s in danger or you’re going to die.”
Richelsoph said the woman may have a case for self-defense. If she was being choked or the other woman had a size or weight advantage — shooting her might have been justified.
“It comes down to a reasonable person standard. Would a reasonable person in this circumstance feel that their life was in danger?” Richelsoph said.
Well said, Mr. Richelsoph. And good advice for anyone who chooses to carry a firearm to keep in mind.
This incident proves yet again that the only thing that stops a bad person with evil in their heart is a good guy or gal with a gun. Stern warnings, societal norms, and laws mean little to violent criminals. Especially when consumed by rage.
Thank heavens the driver of the sedan had a gun. It might have saved her life and that of her passenger.
Lord knows I hope I never find myself with a lunatic road in a rage breaking into the passenger compartment of my vehicle.