In Maryland today, a state trooper shot and killed a driver.

[Stinky The Clown]

Early this morning on I-95 a trooper assigned to DUI patrol saw a red Ford Escape weaving through traffic and driving erratically. He called for backup and pulled the car over. His backup arrived seconds later. The backup guy stood at the right rear fender. The stopping trooper went to the driver's side and did the usual litany. The driver was asked to get out of the car for a field sobriety test. He refused, started the car, and put it in gear. The trooper felt he had to act. He reached into the car to turn off the ignition (a move frowned on, but not prohibited, by the department). As he was leaning pretty deeply into the car, the driver accelerated back into interstate traffic. The trooper had no choice but to hang on. He managed to elevate himself, draw his gun, warn the driver and then shot him. The trooper was thrown off the car and onto the median as the driver lost control. He went across four lanes and crashed on the shoulder.

The trooper was dragged half a mile but was uninjured! The car had many alcohol containers (they didn't say what) and machete under the driver's seat. The machete did not play any role in the incident.

Both troopers are on admin leave. Both trooper cars had dash cams that show the whole thing.

The driver, in his early 30s, had a Hispanic name but his race was not revealed.

To be sure, we have to wait for the facts, but as thus far reported, this sounds pretty righteous. As thus far reported, I'd say this trooper was a good guy.

Also . . . . a Ford Escape? Really?

[Blue_playwright]

1. Sounds like self defense to me.

[brush]

4. That trooper was lucky. He probably won't reach into a car for keys anymore.

[Ilsa]

2. Sounds like they were maintaining public safety, that is, doing their job. nt

[nolabear]

3. It may well have been legal but it's an odd solution.

I don’t even know how to express it. I don’t fault the intent but shooting him wouldn’t strike me as a way to increase my chance of survival. Pretty awful either way.

Why bring up the Hispanic name?

[brush]

9. Agreed. That car with a dead driver could've swerved across the median...

into on-coming traffic. Probably best for the two trooper cars to let him go and chase him down.

[stopdiggin]

26. I'd say the risk presented with the situation at hand

drunken, non-compliant, erractic driver -- with a police officer dangling off the side of the car like a slinky toy -- is sufficient to come to the decision that bring matters to a halt -- sooner rather than later -- was probably the correct choice. Or at least a reasonable one.

(all second guessing of course) ------- -------

[Hoyt]

5. Other than trying to turn off ignition, which I get, don't

see that one be questionable, assuming no other pertinent facts.

[marybourg]

6. Couldn't he have shot out the front time instead of the human?

Tire.

[COLGATE4]

16. Maybe he could have tried just to

warn the driver to stop and count to 10 first. Seriously????

[dware]

19. Shot out the tire?

Seriously?

Methinks you have watched too many Hollywood movies.

[marybourg]

20. Actually, I haven't watched a Hollywood movie since 1974.

And I almost never watch TV. But I must have seen it somewhere. I think if he could manage to shoot a person inside the car, he could have managed to shoot a tire outside the car, where he was.

[dware]

21. He was hanging on for dear life,

he would have had to let go with one arm, put his arm out the window, try to aim at the tire, all the while speeding down the highway, probably with the vehicle swerving back and forth, so, how would he have been able to shoot out the front tire?

Plus, he would have had to stick his head out the window just to see what he was shooting at, which would have caused him to fall out of the window.

[marybourg]

22. Drop out of the window immediately as the

driver takes off and shoot at the tires, probably the back ones.

[dware]

23. That only happens in the movies,

there is a great danger of missing the tire and causing a ricochet which might hit an innocent person.

Rarely do cops shoot at tires, they're just to easy to miss.

[marybourg]

24. Probably true. But too easy taking of human life here,

in my opinion.

[dware]

25. The Trooper was in imminent danger of great bodily harm or death,

barring any further facts, at this point, this sounds like a justified homicide.

One of my nephews is a police officer and his dept. forbids shooting at tires, and I would imagine that most agencies also have policies against that.

[RussBLib]

7. How about shooting out a tire or two?

But then again, that won't slow a bad drunk down. Alcohol strikes again. Weed is bad, though.

[rickford66]

11. Are there guys Annie Oakley ?

[BGBD]

13. right?

Shoot out the tires of a car while your feet are hanging out the window and it is speeding down the interstate?

[msongs]

8. reaching into the car is a bad move. did backup car park in front and box in the perp? nt

[brush]

10. Right. The back-up car should've blocked him in.

[Stinky The Clown]

12. That's what was reported. The move is very much frowned upon

This incident shows why.

No mention as to where Trooper Backup parked his ride.

[Frances]

14. The driver was a danger to other vehicles on the road

Would it have been a good idea for the trooper to shoot the tires of the car?

[Luciferous]

15. This one sounds justified

[NutmegYankee]

18. Justified.