Rear-Ended Then Defended Part 1
After a busy day at work, dad Jeremy just wanted to take his son to the park to play, but things went terribly wrong after he was rear-ended at an intersection.
Watch the video below to see Member Ambassador Sherry Hale, share another amazing U.S. LawShield member’s story.
Sherry: “Imagine you are driving with your family during your daily routine, when all of a sudden you are rear-ended. As you attempt to exchange information, the driver and passengers behind you become hostile, surrounding your car. In this story, our member Jeremy found himself defending not only his own life, but the life of his infant son.”
Jeremy: “I had just picked up my son from day care. After a long day of work, I was excited to finally be able to spend some time with him and decided that we should head to the park.
Suddenly, as I stopped at an intersection, I noticed a car going a bit too fast behind me. I tried to change lanes but it was too late. The car rammed into the back of me.
Just as I was about to get out and exchange information, 3 men surrounded my car, one of them smashing my back window!
Fearing for mine and my son’s safety, I quickly grabbed my gun from the glove compartment and warned them to back off.
As they began to slowly step away, I got out of my truck and forced them into their vehicle until they left. After I called 911, I contacted the LawShield emergency hotline for immediate legal help.”
Sherry: “Jeremy took swift action to defend himself and his child. And after calling our emergency hotline to get immediate legal help, he was neither arrested nor charged with any crime. However, was the decision to leave his vehicle with a firearm in hand legal in your state?
Stay tuned for PART 2 when an independent program attorney will address the law where you live.”
Rear-Ended Then Defended Part 2
As you saw, no one was hurt, and our member Jeremy was neither arrested nor charged. Unfortunately this isn’t always the case. Next time, we will dive deeper into the law, where Independent Program Attorneys will explain the road rage self-defense laws from your state. Don’t miss Rear-Ended Then Defended Part 2!
What do you think?
Have you ever been in any sort of road-rage incident? What would you have done if you were in Jeremy’s shoes? What do you think about our Members’ Voice videos?
Let us know in the comments below, we love to hear your opinions!
I’m a bit confused as to why Part 2 is withheld, as it has the conclusion and pertinent information for us to make informed decisions..
Hi David. Thanks for your feedback! Independent Program Attorneys from various states are in the process of filming. Please stay tuned for Part 2, which is coming soon.
Defending yours a right. Forcing them back into their vehicle goes beyond the scope. Its hard to keep your mind straight but when you defend yourself you have to be able to justify your actions.
Look fwd to part 2
The three had exhibited hostility by surrounding the car and enhanced the threat by breaking out the window. Staying in the car would have greatly restricted Jeremy’s movement as well as keeping his infant son more in the line of fire had any or all of the three been armed with anything.
Exiting his vehicle gave Jeremy more mobility and easier visual contact of the three as well as still being able to use his vehicle for some cover. Exiting armed can be intimidating and cause the opposition to hesitate. This would be an excellent opportunity to shoot anyone with any type of weapon or extreme close threat.
This leaves me in a quandary… I am not sure about leaving my vehicle. However, I can see where staying in my vehicle could show hesitation on my part and end up escalating the danger to myself and passengers, especially if there are more than one assailants. Just breaking a window would not or should be worth taking a life but three assailants carrying baseball bats would constitute aggravated assault and if so, would be a defense. At least I think that is the law in my state. I will wait for part 2 and see if I’m right or wrong. In any event, I hope I never have a reason to find out!
Sure he was right, he was protecting his son and himself from harm by the 3 men.
Well I feel he had to exit his vehicle in order to defend himself from 3 men surrounding his car so he did the right thing. I am glad they were safe and no one was hurt
There wasn’t any infrormation about the legality of drawing a gun ad forcing another person to get in their car.
It also didn’t discuss what would have been the legal ramifications it the dad had shot and killed any of the thugs attacking his car.
Hi Mike. Thanks for your comment. For more information, please stay tuned for Part 2 where Independent Program Attorneys from various states will further discuss the law.
In Texas I think he should have called 911 immediately upon being able after the impact and checking the child for injuries.
Then before getting out of his vehicle as in the video he should have looked who was the driver and saw the 3 men with bats in hand before exiting the vehicle as he had that opportunity in the video.
Upon seeing the men coming at him with bats and while on the phone with 911 he should have driven off quickly and followed police instructions.
However he didnt, he stepped out of the vehicle with the gun and additionally with the responsibility of the child in the vehicle and appearantly within the 2 second distance as he was from multiple attackers with deadly weapons he didnt have guaranteed time to retreat into the car without great risk of himself or the child against an appearant oncoming attack.
I dont think this was a road rage event as much as the attackers were coming at his vehicle quickly again with the child inside so overall with the pending attack and violence already occuring he was standing his ground as the law applies and allows for that,
My thoughts.
Jeremy did well until he exited the vehicle. His exit and confrontation of the assailants was dangerous for himself, not to mention that he left his son alone and unattended. He should have remained in the vehicle, called 911 immediately and recorded the tag number of the assailants when (and if) they departed. It is seldom wise to leave “cover”, in this case the vehicle affords some protection. His appearance outside the vehicle with a handgun put him at risk of being mistaken for a shooter or assailant, and put him in the position where he could be accused of being the aggressor. Let the police deal with the assailants. Protect yourself and your family. Don’t leave cover.
This wasn’t a road rage incident, this was a common tactic for an armed robbery which a gun prevented.
This is one of the reasons I AM a member. My head says he was justified in what he did and in fact, would have been justified if he had killed all 3 of them.
However, I would not be surprised if the State’s view would have been for him to drive away … given his vehicle was mobilize-able.
I often hear .. “don’t draw unless you intend to kill”.
I live in Texas and feel like the guy in the video. We have the right to defend our children and our self.
Interested to see part 2.
I don’t know what I would have done I think,, I would have NOT gotten out & I would have drove away calling 911 & got the license plate of other driver first. Then if followed, ,,,I don’t know….?????……
I like the videos and learn from them.
Did he have a CCL?
If so he was legal. Smart to call 911 then Texas Shield
Never know what the “bad guys” would have claimed
I think he did perfectly. He did not leave his vehicle for the purpose of fighting, but rather to exchange information at the accident scene.
this is good stuff to know
That is a hard one in my opinion. Self Defense or Threat Defense. If he stayed in his vehicle and simply made the possession of a fire arm visible would that have forced the threat back into their vehicle. I don’t think so. They had weapons, they broke a window making a clear and present danger and their weapons were very visible. In my opinion, they dictated my response when they got out of their vehicle presenting a CLEAR threat to me and my infant child. Bottom line, my response is immediate and clear that I will defend myself and my child. Just because it was gun verses a bat should not deter my self defense strategy.
Why would it be against the law to INSURE the safety of your small child?If you have your LTC you can carry openly, can you not?