Posted on 01/01/2002 7:08:10 AM PST by real saxophonist
Driver hits, kills car-burglary suspect
By Ryan Morgan
Special to The Denver Post
Tuesday, January 01, 2002 - A man who tried to stop two teenagers from burglarizing cars in an apartment parking lot is facing murder charges after deputies said he used his Ford Bronco to run down and kill one of the teens early Sunday morning.
Francis Taufaasau, 38, of Castle Rock, was driving past an apartment complex in the 7400 block of Dakin Street in unincorporated Adams County when he and his passenger, Michael Rankin, also 38, spotted two people breaking into cars in an apartment complex, officials said.
"So they pull off the street and into the parking lot, and the passenger gets out of the car and confronts one of the individuals," said Adams County Sheriff's spokesman Michael McIntosh.
When the two would-be thieves fled, McIntosh said, Taufaasau and Rankin gave chase, Rankin on foot and Taufaasau behind the wheel of his SUV.
Rankin caught one of the teen-agers and assaulted him, McIntosh said. Taufaasau struck the other one with his car and went back to Rankin, "leaving the other guy there in the street," he said.
McIntosh said the first officer on the scene found Taufaasau and Rankin assaulting Nou Xiong, 19, while Wong Thao, also 19, lay dead on the street.
Taufaasau was arrested on charges of first-degree murder, and was being held without bail in the Adams County jail.
Rankin was charged with third-degree assault and released.
Xiong was charged with third-degree criminal trespass, and was being held on a $2,500 bail. Formal charges are expected to be filed Thursday.
McIntosh said Taufaasau and Rankin didn't appear to be trying to stop the two teenagers from damaging their own vehicles.
"As far as we can tell, none of the people involved in this actually live in the apartment complex," he said.
Don't hang around after stepping on roaches.
If an auto-break-in causes loss and damage of less than $1,500 the Seattle Police won't even show up. You have to file your report over the phone. ...Which I understand but, it's still insulting.
If I had the chance to run down the people that broke into my car, I'd do it...no regrets. Screw these people. I'm sick of thieves.
If the teens were actually breaking into cars and stealing stuff it’s good to know that at least one of them is gone before he had the chance to move onto “bigger and better” crimes.
When I used to have to work overnight shifts in downtown Seattle, I always drove my beater... one morning, I came out, and EVERY car along that stretch of street had been broken into - except mine, which had nothing worth stealing in it and couldn't be locked in any event... Fnny part is, it was right outside the police bldg/jail near Dexter Horton... No wonder they take the reports over the phone - the cops are too busy watching their own cars ;0)
One of the very few (at least theoretical) advantages that the French justice system ever had over ours was their division of crimes into two general categories...
One category of crimes were those crimes which had an unknown culprit, which required investigation (with certain protections for the accused being prescribed) as the hidden elements of the crime were unraveled by investigators. The other category of crimes were those crimes committed flagrantly in the open, with witnesses, which could be adjudicated in a somewhat more summary fashion.
We think in terms of very broad legal process and protection in all cases, even for those 'suspects' who have been witnessed, whose images have even been captured on film in some cases, in the very act of committing the crime.
Now, I realize that 'the devil is in the details', with regard to designing a reliable legal system to assure that 'hidden' crimes are not nudged onto the 'flagrant' crime fast track, but the principle is easily understood.
And I'm not advocating the abandonment of our 'single track' justice system. I'm merely pointing out what should be (but, sadly, often isn't) obvious... Which is that we may sometimes KNOW, with (human) certainty, that a man or woman is guilty of a crime without requiring a trial to validate that knowledge.
And, in addition to this, I believe that our more rigorous system should be preserved for another reason...
I believe that we should revisit the imposition of the death penalty for the property crimes that have ripped at the heart of our civilization, but I want for the executions that would result to be carried out only after the accused was able to benefit appropriately from our more rigorous system's protections.
I believe that we are morally wrong, and that we promote a great evil, when we 'suffer a thief to live'.
And I believe that the only legitimate tragedy here is that the imposition of this swift and brutal justice on thieves engaging in that activity which makes them richly worthy of death is likely to cost these young men so dearly.
He was conducting a "citizens arrest"!
As a female cop once told me, regarding recurring burgleries at my home, "You can use whatever force necessary to detain them, but if they're juveniles, I wouldn't kill them."
However if it is YOUR property being stolen I believe you should be able to use whatever force is necessary to prevent it and detain the person.
</sarcasm>
Maybe if this was your child, cousin, relative, or whatsoever...you might be think twice. I was once in a similar situation and one day I woke up and realized that what I was doing was wrong. So many people get second chances in life. This young man didn’t deserve to die.
I spent time in the military. Lecture kids on leaving gangs and actually working hard for what they have. Because I made it...growing up in the same bad environment they did. So tell me...besides your sarcasm...what do u have to show to the community to make a difference?
Why am I so pissed off? Because this was my nephew. He wasn’t a bad kid. He just met the wrong individuals around that time.
So next time you morons on here go poppin’ off at the mouth...please think...What if this was my family member or dear friend? And before you make a stupid idiotic comment...think about what you have done to make the community better besides making stupid remarks about other people’s tragedies.
I’ve followed this case since the beginning, interested in the outcome of vigilante justice, but wait a minute, this is just too juicy...your nephew WASN’T a BAD KID??? Okay, “Uncle” DaveX, let’s recall the info on Wong Thao...
Wong was an alleged gang member and high school DROP OUT who was BREAKING INTO private—not his own—vehicles to STEAL items from hard-working people. Wait, it just gets better...he was with three others who have records, including an uncle (could it be YOU???) in a STOLEN vehicle and were apparently making it a Boys Night Out ripping off innocent people as they slept. Guess what, Uncle Dave? If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, IT’S A DUCK. Your nephew was g-u-i-l-t-y.
And if you followed through on the case—which I’m sure you have if you’re truly his uncle—it was found that the defendant’s SUV never struck the victim as revealed on the official autopsy AND a nearby video surveillance camera. And, surprise surprise, the video footage showed law enforcement’s testimony as false. The only thing the defendant was guilty of was kicking the crap out of Nou Xiong (also known as the slowest runner of the bunch and who was charged with first-degree criminal trespass and conspiracy to commit criminal trespass).
So, go ahead and be pissed off, but not at the people commenting in this forum who apparently applaud vigilante justice. Be pissed off that your nephew made bad decisions, and re-channel your energy toward making sure your other family members avoid making the same mistake.
I pray for peace and comfort in the hearts of Wong’s family, including yours.
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