I seem to only post when something crazy happens, I don't know why that may be but at least i keep track of these things so i can look back and remember all the weird things that make up my life.
Last Saturday night I was heading home from a wedding reception going southbound on State Street in orem. I was cruising along trying to get Karen home because she had some people to meet.
As we were approaching University Parkway an old white mercedes benz pulled in front of me almost hitting the front of my car. I thought the person had just not seen me so i flashed my brights to let him know i was there. He instantly slammed on his brakes and started turning on his blinkers alternating left to right. I slowed down to give him space.
As we hit the turning lane for University Parkway I moved around him and hoped to pass him and turn and leave the crazy guy behind. He swerved toward me trying to hit the side of my car. I gunned it around him and stopped at the light. He stayed back about 10 feet and just stared at us as if he was bent on killing us. I thought well we are ahead of him now so i can just ignore him. No reason to cause an incident.
We turned onto University Parkway heading toward provo, he did a manuever and made the turn also, cut off another car and got behind us. He then started swearving all over the lane flashing his lights, honking his horn, and alternating blinkers again. I just thought it was someone with a road rage problem and stayed at the speed limit and ignored him. There were times he was so close i couldn't see his car or lights at all in my mirrors.
We made it through the 8th East light and started going down the hill into provo. Traffic was pretty bad and he was still following very close behind, swerving so bad that cars had to move onto the shoulder to avoid an accident. By this time i realized something was not right so i called 911. The operator came on and i explained where we were and calmly recalled the situation. coming up on the light by albertsons at the bottom of the hill i realized that it was a red light and there was no where to go. we slowed down and came to a stop.
I was still on the phone with the 911 dispatch explaining where we were and the type of car etc. He had stopped about 10 or 15 feet behind us and was still just staring at us in a way i can only describe as animalistic. then out of no where he slammed on the gas and rammed into a car next to us scrapping the entire side of the car before crashing into the back of my car!!
Karen and I were both so shocked we weren't quite sure we believed what had just happened. Karen rolled down the window and asked the guy next to us if we had really just been hit. he said yup and it looks like the guy is really really drunk. That kind of answered some questions but i was still just shocked that he woudl intentionally ram me for no apparent reason.
I explained to the dispatcher that i had just been intentionally hit and was not going to pull over and stop as long as the guy was behind me because i did not want a personal confrontation with him. I had earlier slid my glock out of its holster and had it in my hand resting on my lap. I was really afraid he was goign to get out of his car and come up to us.
I think about this time he realized the implications of what he had just done and decided the best course of action was to get out of dodge. He swung his car around, ran two red lights and headed back up the hill on university parkway toward Orem.
I was like "Hell no you don't" and turned around and followed.
The dispatcher gave the obligatory, "we don't recommend you follow" and i told her as long as i wasn't breaking any traffic laws or putting myself at risk i was not letting him out of my sight.
We went back up the hill turned north on state then he took an immediate right into the Universtity Mall parking lot. He did a big loop then headed his car back in my direction. I gunned it out of his way and watched as he passed then headed down the street. He stopped about 200 yards in front of us and sat there for about 1 minute. I think he was trying to think about what his next stupid move would be. He then very calmly returned to State street and headed north.
We followed and let him get about a block ahead of us because he was endangering everyone around him going across all three lanes and driving at about 50mph trying to lose us. I had been transfered to Orem dispatch and had explained the situation to them. We just kept updating them on where we were and where he was. At Center street in orem he made a right turn and the cops were right there making a left. Dispatch said let them pull him over then pull in behind them. she then disconnected and the police cars flew past us and surrounded his car. He pulled over and we pulled in behind.
A few minutes later the cop came up to our window and made sure everything was alright, I got out and we walked around my car to inspect the damage. The bumper was pretty messed up but it wasn 't near as bad as i thought it would be. I handed him my CCW and he handed it back and just smiled and shook his head.
The lady who had made the original stop came up and said yea he is very very intoxicated. Blew something lke a .5, and he failed his field sobriety test.
So we sat there for another hour while the provo police came to the scene, the other car that had been hit arrived, and they took care of all the paperwork that goes along with 2 hit and runs, 2 dui's reckless driving, reckless endangerment, and all the other things they charged him with. He also didn't speak a word of english and didn't have a license.
I don't know why or what it is but wacko's pick me every time. At least it always makes for good stories!!
