Deputy Shoots At 12 Year Old Driver As Attempting To Run Him Over

[matcom]

<snip>

LAKELAND, Fla. -- A deputy fired several shots at a 12-year-old girl who attempted to run him over with a car Sunday, officials said.

The girl was driving a Chevrolet Cavalier belonging to a family friend, with her 6-year-old brother inside, Polk County Sheriff's spokeswoman Michal Shanley said.

Deputy Dan Hughes approached the car when it stopped in the middle of a Lakeland intersection.

"When he reached the car, the motorist sped off and started driving erratically," Shanley said.

Hughes and Deputy Chris Hillsgrove pursued the car, eventually blocking it between their two patrol cars.

When the deputies exited their vehicles, the Cavalier lurched forward and backward into the two cars, then drove toward Hillsgrove, Shanley said.

"He, fearing for his life, fired several shots at the oncoming vehicle and managed to jump out of the way as the vehicle sped by him," Shanley said.

Hillsgrove fired at least three shots, all passing over the girl's head, Shanley said. The Cavalier then crashed into a nearby parked car.

The deputies discovered the driver was a 12-year-old girl when they broke a passenger-side window to get inside, Shanley said.

The girl suffered cuts and bruises, but neither child had been shot, Shanley said.

The girl was charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery, felony criminal mischief, grand theft of an automobile, fleeing to elude and driving without a license.

Hillsgrove was placed on administrative leave.

http://www.wftv.com/irresistible/4654438/detail.html

[KG]

1. cops in FL love to do this

shooting into a vehicle moving towards them instead of just getting the fuck out of the way.

[Zuni]

5. I can understand that though

if someone starts using a car as a weapon (they wouldn't know it was a 12 year old girl), they are entitled to defend themselves from a pyscho driving a car like that

And the cops job is not to be getting out of the way. If this person starts trying to run over cops, who knows what else this pyscho is capable of (assuming it is not an emotionally disturbed 12 yr old)

If I were a cop and someone attacked me with a car, better believe I would be shooting

[hyphenate]

2. You know

some of these cops are just plain stupid. Granted, he couldn't have known it was a 12 year old girl behind the wheel, but why shouldn't they aim for the damned tires instead of the person? It always bewilders me to aim for a driver, when there are more expeditious ways to disable the vehicle.

And now what? They gonna charge the 12 year old girl as an adult, when she obviously didn't know what the fuck she was doing? It's not like she was actively thinking about a coherent action--sounds more like the car was going, and she had no real control over it. When we were kids, we used to play "drive" in the car all the time. While some circumstances could have led to tragedy, for the most part, it was all "pretend." I can't see the 12 year old with the capacity of knowing what she was actually doing, nevermind pursuing criminal charges against her.

I'm glad they made the cop take leave. If he had shot the girl and killed her, they would have had two corpses--the girl and her small brother.

[WildClarySage]

3. It's high time we abolish the drinking age in this country

along with all other age restrictions like draft age and statutory rape laws. If twelve year olds can be charged as adults then there is an implicit belief that they are old enough to be reasonable and responsible and therefore should have all rights and priviliges accordingly.

If, instead, we believe that 12 year olds can't be trusted not to run up credit card debt, marry with full consent, or elect to have an abortion, then we can't assume they can be held responsible when facing criminal charges.

[Zuni]

4. a 12 year old should not be tried as an adult

a 17 year old, in a violent crime---I can see that, but a 12 year old driving like a maniac?

[sniffa]

6. how about a 17 yo in possesion of aLcohoL?

aduLt or minor?

[Zuni]

7. minor

for most crimes, as a minor.

I am against trying 17 yr olds as adults because they do not have the same rights as we do. I think though, exceptions should be made in particularly nasty crimes, like raping and murdering a grandmother or something.

I am against the death penalty in all cases though