Trucker kills intruder in West Knox County

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

KNOXVILLE - Authorities are investigating the fatal shooting of a man who allegedly tried to enter a parked tractor-trailer rig in West Knox County.

snip

He was trying to break into a tractor-trailer while the driver was asleep in the truck's sleeper cabin, Dooley said. Hodges had approached the truck earlier and tried to open its door, Dooley said. He returned a short time later and broke out a window with a rock. He left again after breaking out the window. "The suspect returned and was attempting to climb into the truck when the truck driver shot him," Dooley said. Hodges was dead at the scene.

The truck driver, 68, was taken to Baptist Hospital West with chest pains and is expected to be admitted, Dooley said.

snip

Hodges has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 1992 for burglary, numerous thefts, driving under the influence, drug charges, aggravated assault, numerous failures to appear, unlawful possession of a weapon, driving while privilege revoked, criminal trespassing, violation of probation, possession of burglary tools.


http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/mar/11/kcso-trucker-kills-intruder-west-knox/


A tragic end to a troubled life.


David

[CRF450]

1. "A tragic end to a troubled life." Indeed.

[Truthiness Inspector]

2. Well

There is no "happy ending" in one of these things. But I am very glad the truck driver prevailed, and as for the suspect it is sad that he led a terrible life that led him to an (in this case deserved) early end.

I'm happy the truck driver got to go home at the end of the day.

[LeftyMom]

3. Please stop spamming GD with these types of threads.

Maybe you should post a daily wrap-up of them in the gungeon for people who care.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

4. The man who died was profiled in another story, thought it might be of some interest.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/jan/12/more-inmates-earn-geds/

[Lost in CT]

12. Wow great link really puts a face to the story... nt

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

13. Maybe along with GED's we should give them some good drug treatment.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

6. In regards to your request.

I must have missed your complaints in regards to the posts about mass shootings. Some of these topics have a place in general discussion, if not I'm fine with the moderators moving them. I do appreciate you responding and keeping it at the top of the page.

David

[LeftyMom]

7. People post mass shootings when they occur because they are nationally newsworthy

You post these locally newsworthy events to a national board to make a political point. If somebody were doing the same with posts of gun homicides not only would they crowd out other content in GD, but that would be equally objectionable to your behavior.

If any of the rest of us cared to follow your obsessive updates on these stories, we could easily follow a daily update on these thread in the gungeon, or do what you have presumably done and put the appropriate keywords into a google news subscription. In general posters who post a great many news stories on one topic which is not of general interest are polite enough to either do so to the appropriate topic forum or group or to post an occasional summary list of these items.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

8. Based on the number of responses, people seem to find the material worthy of discussion.

I appreciate your input.

David

[Truthiness Inspector]

11. I'm interested

Damn, if you aren't interested why are you trying to shut it down?

We don't need nannies to tell us what is interesting and what isn't, we figure it out for ourselves.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

19. So I attack someone's parent in every thread I start?

I will tell someone their parents didn't do a good job raising them when they've been particularly ugly. Not very much of an attack, sorry if it offends you.


David

[jefflrrp]

32. Bullsheeet

People Post Mass Shooting Stories because they're also often trying to prove a political point. These local shooting 'occurences' are good because it disaproves the notion that "if you draw a gun the criminal will get it" bullcrap that seems to spout from every person thats against concealed carry or gun ownership in general.Fact is there are thousands of these type of situations every year (sometimes the victim fires his/her gun, sometimes brandishing is enough to dissuade the illegal behavior) and its good to see a law abiding citizen reduce the criminal element.

[Ghost in the Machine]

20. I enjoy these posts, and I don't go to the "gungeon"...

There's too many people here who think they're the posting police, or something, and try to tell everyone else what to do. If *you* don't like a subject, don't click on the thread. It's really just that simple. If you don't like that, go start your own site where you're free to tell people when, where & what to post...


Some of y'all just need to get over yourselves, jeeez!

[Incitatus]

5. He probably thought the truck was unoccupied.

It's not uncommon for a robber to break a window and come back later, after waiting to see if anyone comes out or if the cops show up. Regardless, he took a risk and paid the price. I hope the driver is okay.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

10. Apparently he knocked on the window first but failed to wake the driver.

That seems to be the story that a female relative who was with him gave.

David

[Lasher]

9. Not smart to try breaking into one of these sleeper rigs.

Truckers often carry firearms and for good reason.

[Truthiness Inspector]

15. Not smart ,or right, to break in anywhere

And expect sympathy. ANYONE who breaks into any else's space should expect nothing but lethal force, even if it's granny bashing a heavy lamp over your head.

Intruder: Zero sympathy
Victim: 100% sympathy, rock on!

[The_Casual_Observer]

14. Animal justice

[Maru Kitteh]

16. How many times did Dooley call the police again?

Oh, that's right. NONE.

I'm starting to think you are



Odd.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

17. I believe you are correct about him not calling the police. At least it wasn't reported.

I also believe you are making some assumptions about the incident.

David

[Maru Kitteh]

21. Like what, Dave?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

23. Let's see that he had the time to call before acting, that he had a phone to call.

That he didn't call. That he wasn't on hold with 911. That his battery in his phone wasn't dead.

David

[Maru Kitteh]

24. You know as well as I do, reporters love that kind of shit.

"I called 9-11, but they put me on hold," or "my battery died just as the dispatcher picked up."

Ah was left wit no choice for celf-deefence but to go ahead and keeel him with my gun and dis-memborize him wit my Sawz-all, just to be sure.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

27. Since he was in the hospital I find it unlikely he was interviewed for the story.

[tangent90]

38. When seconds count, the police are just minutes away.

...

[Truthiness Inspector]

22. So what if the truck driver didn't call 911?

What is that supposed to prove besides the fact that he didn't take precious few seconds to dial his phone instead of taking care of business (meaning protect his LIFE)? He did the right thing. I see nothing wrong with his actions based on the info given. He is allowed to live and not succumb/acquiesce to criminal attack.

And by the way, that pic you posted is not funny or cool. You post a pic of a (possibly Photoshopped) deformed infant to bolster your non-existent point...really lame and shameful beyond words.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

28. A tragic end to a troubled life, no joy for anyone involved, no joy for me either.

[RetroLounge]

30. "no joy for me either"

I doubt that's true.

RL

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

31. This is a very sad situation especially for the female relative that watched him die.

These are tragic results from very bad decisions. The truck driver had a heart attack after the incident, I'm pretty sure it wasn't brought on by glee. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, thanks for your input. Take care.

David

[B Calm]

26. Was Hodges a trucker too? I've seen truckers who locked their keys

in their truck do some pretty crazy things.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

29. He drove to the scene with a female relative.

I seriously doubt he was employed as a truck driver.

David

[spin]

33. Quite often female relatives ride in trucks...

My daughter often rides with her husband. Makes for an interesting vacation.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

34. Female relative waited in the car (lookout).

[spin]

36. Yeah, it's highly unlikely that the prep was a truck driver...

with his record:

Hodges has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 1992," a Knox County Sheriff's Office release states, "for burglary, numerous thefts, driving under the influence, drug charges, aggravated assault, numerous failures to appear, unlawful possession of a weapon, driving while privilege revoked, criminal trespassing, violation of probation, possession of burglary tools, and according to the arrest report, was also wanted in other counties for theft and other charges. "
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/mar/11/kcso-trucker-kills-intruder-west-knox/

[Taitertots]

35. The female accomplice

Don't some states have rules where people who instigate crimes can be found guilty of crimes stemming from their original actions.

Arrest the female accomplice and charge her with the murder of the criminal.

[Furyataurus]

37. Good job for the truck driver

Why do people here root for the criminal? These people would rather be killed/hurt than fight back. I don't understand that.

[Hoopla Phil]

39. Dave, you say"A tragic end to a troubled life. " I say

good riddance to bad garbage.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

40. Maybe this will help you understand my perspective.

Very rarely do I find someone with absolutely no redeeming value. The guy that raped the 3 month old to death comes to mind. The BTK killer comes to mind. Mr. Hodges made his tragic decisions and eventually his decision to live a life of crime cost him his life. Having been a victim of crime who certainly would have killed or nearly killed the man who broke into my truck, I found myself in the odd position of feeling sorry for the 47 year old man who will have to spend the next 22 years in prison as a result of breaking into my truck. My friend caught him wearing my coat and called me the man waited without a word. I arrived asked him about the coat, he said he had warrants and couldn't go back to prison and that he would get all my stuff back. I told him the cops were on the way, he just shook his head and sat quietly. That may have been a tactical decision he didn't have any weapons, I was bigger than him by a good 30 pounds and clearly not in the mood to be screwed with. Running or fighting would have gotten him hurt. It didn't seem tactical though. He was sentenced to 19 years for parole violations and pled guilty to 5 years consecutive for the crimes against me. He has to serve all 19 years of the violations day for day and at least 3 of the 5 years that he pled to. He'll be an old man when he gets out. He made his decisions, they too were tragic, they didn't cost him his life only his freedom for most of it. I still find it sad that people make these decisions, it's sad for their victims even when they are caught and when they are killed committing their crimes it's sad for their families and likely causes the person that killed them a lifetime of anguish.

David

[Hoopla Phil]

41. I certainly understand your feelings in the matter. Especially in such a personal

incident. I however can only focus on the people that are saved from being future victims of this persons life decisions. I do thank you for taking the time to share your personal experiences with me on you perspective. Thanks again.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

42. Update

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/mar/17/no-charges-for-trucker-who-shot-killed-burgler/