Posted on 03/26/2013 7:47:57 PM PDT by Colonel Kangaroo
A North Carolina couple are facing assault and weapons charges after the husband opened fire on a truckload of men a during an ugly road rage brawl over the weekend, police said.
Bradley Turner, 40, of La Grange, was caught on cellphone video on Sunday afternoon slugging a young driver he accused of cutting him off on a road in James City, local WITN-TV reported.
The driver and a friend in the pickup's backseat quickly retaliated, punching and kneeing Turner in the face several times before throwing him to the ground.
Turner's wife, Christy, 30, jumped out of their car with a small pistol and handed it to her husband, who pointed it at the men.
The video ends with him walking back to the driver's side of his SUV.
A few moments later, cops said, Turner fired several shots at the truck as the men pulled away, the station reported.
The truck and a nearby home were struck, but no one was hurt.
Local media reported on the shooting on Sunday night, and video of the fight was posted on YouTube on Monday.
The Turners turned themselves into Lenoir County Sheriff's Office in Kinston around 4 p.m. Monday, WITN reported, and posted bond, $37,500 for him and $1,000 for her, according to reports.
Bradley Turner's mugshot showed him sporting bruises on his face and a black left eye.
Both are facing a number of charges, including discharging a weapon into property and assault.
The wife was charged for pointing the gun.
Bradley Turner is scheduled to appear before a judge on Wednesday.
pcaulfield@nydailynews.com
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES AND LANGUAGE
North Carolina couple facing charges after husband fires shots at truckload of men following brutal road rage incident caught on cellphone camera (VIDEO)
That’s a heart-warming video. Looks like the road-rage couple were all dressed up for a wedding...or funeral...8D
In this case, I think that charges against the wife will be dismissed, because though her husband started the fight and the men retaliated, brandishing and aiming the pistol sounds reasonably like she was ordering them to stop beating her husband.
However, when she handed the gun to him, at first he was just “maintaining control”, again no problem, until the men tried to drive away and he fired the gun at them. *That* was wrong.
In his case, there is still latitude for the charges, which could be anything from reckless endangerment, unlawful discharge, to attempted murder.
Great tutorial on stupidity and lack of self control.
I can understand his position and anger, but he used the weapon in an improper fashion, so I cannot support him on this.
He was not in physical danger, nor was his wife, when the weapon was fired.
Agreed... well done.
He didn’t realize what a can of ass-whuppin’ he opened when he decided to tangle with those two boys!
For all involved; it would appear. Although; the boys did leave him, alive; and; the husband did not kill them; as they departed.
That guy followed those kids for I think over 25 miles. People cut me off all the time, but I certainly don’t get angry enough to follow them all the way home, especially with my kids in the car.
It was reported yesterday that he has been arrested before for assault and trespassing, but the charges were dropped. This all leads me to the conclusion that this guy has anger issues.
Anyway, the kids were not pulling away when he shot. I read that they pulled into a driveway (I don’t know whose house) and were not inside the vehicle when he came back and shot it up.
That guy followed those kids for I think over 25 miles. People cut me off all the time, but I certainly don’t get angry enough to follow them all the way home, especially with my kids in the car.
It was reported yesterday that he has been arrested before for assault and trespassing, but the charges were dropped. This all leads me to the conclusion that this guy has anger issues.
Anyway, the kids were not pulling away when he shot. I read that they pulled into a driveway (I don’t know whose house) and were not inside the vehicle when he came back and shot it up.
Getting old. My reflexes aren’t so hot. So I leave a lot of room between me and the next car - hardly even notice it when somebody “cuts me off.” It is mostly amusing.
I have something for anyone who objects to me stopping at yellow lights, or otherwise road rages on me, though.
to the wife...
The 1980’s called and they want their clothes back!
lol
Bookmarking
This points out a subtle legal doctrine about guns that speaks to the psychology of gun use, and something I advocate that gun users be aware of.
That is, it is a psychological trap to think of guns as somehow magically imparting “control” in a situation. Far too many people assume it does, and get in trouble because of it. Instead, it is best to think of a gun as just “part of the equation” in a situation.
Police encounter this a lot, especially with people who are so drunk that they don’t even register that the officer is brandishing a gun and pointing at them. Their mindset is not a lethal confrontation—they want to wrestle or brawl. If you talk to a street cop, they will likely admit to more brawling than they can remember. Not because they couldn’t have shot them, but because they didn’t want to, thinking it inappropriate.
(And this is a reason police often adore Tasers, because it gives them a less lethal option. Guns, however, have only three major modes: holstered, brandished, or firing.)
Now granted, it is obvious that in *some* circumstances, guns can impart *some* control, for *some* amount of time. But it takes a lot of experience, even training from experts, to get it just right. And most people do not have the time or opportunity to get such experience.
So the best recommendation is to try and minimize your gun use in a situation, so that its effects are optimized. And this goes to my profound support of concealed carry, because it imparts huge advantages in a situation—most of which are before it has been exposed.
The woman in this case brandished and barked an order because her husband and the other two were focused on their fight, and she needed to break that up in a hurry. That is a good use for a handgun. The retreat of the other two proved that.
“Minimal use” is actually a very good legal defense, because while it is judgment based, it suggests that you were both trying to avoid escalation beyond stopping a crime, and that you were keeping a calm head. Both judges and juries like that.
I am in agreement with everything you mentioned.
Of course, its easy for me to agree.... I was an LEO for 30 years. ;>)
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