Posted on 08/30/2018 5:50:30 AM PDT by Drew68
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said an Uber driver was justified in his fatal shooting of a Winter Haven man in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, calling it a “classic ‘stand your ground’ case.”
WINTER HAVEN — The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said an Uber driver was justified for fatally shooting a Winter Haven man in the wee hours of Tuesday morning.
Jason Boek, 34, was shot once by Robert Westlake, 38, of Lake Wales, about 2:20 a.m. after Boek followed Westlake’s Hyundai Elantra from Grove Lounge on U.S. 27 in Dundee to Carl Floyd Road in unincorporated Polk County and threatened him, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said there were a series of events that led up to the shooting — starting when Boek’s girlfriend Jessica was inside Grove Lounge, and Boek, they believe, was outside the Dundee bar. According to the Sheriff’s Office, Jessica and a bartender helped call Uber for a woman named Jasmine who had been drinking too much. Deputies said Jessica helped Jasmine into the Uber, and Boek mistook the woman entering the vehicle for his girlfriend. “You can tell they have a rocky relationship,” Sheriff Grady Judd said at a news conference Wednesday. “The boyfriend is explosive.” In text exchanges between Boek and Jessica, Boek threatens to harm the Uber driver. The texts indicated that Boek thought it was his girlfriend in the car.
“I appreciate Jason giving his criminal intentions,” Judd said. “It makes this an easier ‘stand your ground’ case.”
As Westlake was traveling east of Carl Floyd Road, a Ford F250 truck aggressively approached the Elantra from behind before passing and pulling in front, he said. Judd noted that dashcam video from the Uber shows the truck stop in the roadway and Boek get out and approach the car, threatening that he had a pistol, and then Westlake shoots him one time.
“Not only is he legally licensed to carry a gun in the state of Florida — he just finished the Police Academy, so he knows the law,” Judd said. “Jasmine, who is in the back seat, is so drunk (she doesn’t know what’s going on). Don’t mess with an Uber driver. He may just be a police officer in waiting. This is a justifiable homicide all day long.”
After shooting Boek, Westlake called 911 and tried to resuscitate Boek, but to no avail, Judd said.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Boek has prior arrests for aggravated battery, battery, burglary, larceny, forgery and possession of marijuana, among other charges. Boek’s license was suspended in May, and the truck he was driving belonged to a friend, the Sheriff’s Office said. Deputies said a glass pipe with meth residue and a marijuana cigarette were found in the truck Boek was driving.
“The Uber driver did the right thing to protect himself and his passenger,” Judd said. “Leave people alone. Good people carry guns, and they will shoot you.”
So, now a days (since we moved from there), is every shooting in this manner automatically called a SYG shoot?
FTA: “Leave people alone. Good people carry guns, and they will shoot you.”
Words to live by.
“Leave people alone. Good people carry guns, and they will shoot you.”
Or to beg the question
In a proper working society, should the citizen fear the criminal, or should the criminal fear the citizen?
Well, going back and carefully reading the report by the Ledger, I arrive at the conclusion that journalism school must have a really low bar any more. Surpised? LOL! Plus, the sheriff needs to learn to say “No comment!” Wonder how the Polk County DA will proceed. Looks pretty good for the Uber driver. Except I thought Uber didn’t want their drivers carrying. Oh well. Bad guy gone.
No mention of the fact that Uber frowns on its drivers carrying firearms.
With the Lakeland Ledger, the word journalism doesn’t come into play.
Also it is a New York Times newspaper. In my opinion the best purpose for that paper is fishwrap.
Well, Grady calls ‘em as he sees ‘em!
Sometimes being insistent that you are right when it it just aint so will get you killed.
...Boek has prior arrests for aggravated battery, battery, burglary, larceny, forgery and possession of marijuana, among other charges. Boek’s license was suspended in May, and the truck he was driving belonged to a friend...
Million dollar T-shirt sales just waiting!
Boek on a better day.
More here at this NBC video. Plenty of mugshots showed him to be a typical Florida white trash dirtbag, of which we have plenty.
‘Stand your ground’ controversy reignites after Uber driver in Florida shoots, kills man
James Brolin’s evil twin.
This will NOT make headlines as the perp is wipipo.
Way to piss off the fish.
Anyone want to bet UBER will terminate his contract because he violated their policies by having a gun in the car?
Exactly. I lived 2 miles from garden grove. Uber Guy is in the right. I listed to Grady Judd yesterday. The Uber driver had CW permit and he just graduated police academy.
If only TM’s father had told him this he might still be alive.
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