Posted on 09/12/2017 12:59:00 PM PDT by PROCON
Tobin Panton was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison for manslaughter in the first degree after he fatally shot a sleeping neighbor while firing at a fleeing car thief. (Photo: Komo News)
A man who fired his Glock at a car thief leaving his driveway with his vehicle is headed to prison for the death of a neighbor struck by one of his bullets.
Tobin Panton, 40, of Bonney Lake in the Tacoma area, was sentenced last week in Pierce County Superior Court on one count of manslaughter in the first degree for the death of 61-year-old Linda Green.
“Instead of calling 911 he took matters into his own hands,” said Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Erika Nohavec. “He didn’t think of any of his neighbors and Linda Green lost her life that day.”
The incident, which occurred last November, happened just after Tobin was getting out of the shower and saw his Jeep leaving his driveway. Retrieving his .40-caliber Glock, Tobin fired at the departing vehicle from his porch until he ran out of ammunition. Pierce County deputies were called a brief time later to a home two blocks away from the man’s residence, where Green was found shot in the head in her sleep.
Detectives discovered a bullet hole in the window of Green’s home that faced Tobin’s porch and numerous “strike marks” on the front of her residence as well as her next-door neighbor’s home.
Panton’s Jeep was later found abandoned a mile away from the scene, and the thief has not been found.
Initially entering a plea of not guilty, Panton pleaded guilty in July.
As reported by Q13 Fox, Panton, who until the incident had no criminal record, was remorseful before the court this week.
“I’m very, very sorry,” said Panton. “I cannot say that enough. I didn’t want to hurt anybody; I was trying to stop a kid from being a punk.”
Prosecutor Mark Lindquist pointed out that Washington law doesn’t allow the use of deadly force to protect property.
“He did intend to pull the trigger,” said Judge Timothy Ashcraft. “When you do that, you have to accept the consequences as to where that bullet ends up.”
True that.
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“stray bullet killing case”
Stray? I am betting the bullet went right where he was pointing when he pulled the trigger.
The report said numerous strikes on her house and a neighbors house.
The car thief, if found, should also be held culpable since if he didn’t steal the car the owner wouldn’t have shot. But then too, thief was leaving - with a Jeep?
Yep, an individual is responsible for his shot placement. This was especially dumb shooting if the perp was in the process of fleeing.
Every bullet you fire has a lawyer attached to it.
Spray and pray in vehicle fleeing case is just stupid.
I agree he was being reckless. But 8.5 years for this is a bit harsh when you consider the reckless thigs like the pinto or oil rigs or drunk driving. It seams that because this guy accidentally caused the death of someone without possibly knowing that person could even be harmed, I don’t understand 8.5 years.
However I do think he was acting reckless and did not seem to care about other peoples property, just his own. And of course he was endangering people who could have been there. I wonder if he was drunk. Possibly that his the part we don’t know.
I’d feel better about this verdict if police were held to the same standard.
I’d feel better about this verdict if police were held to the same standard.
Agreed. I also suspect that there are many cases where people receive/serve much less time for much less excusable killings.
I think we folks who strongly believe in RKBA and take appropriate care with our firearms in their storage and use are even more harsh on morons like this than the gun grabbers. The gun grabbers are often ignorant, anyone who cherishes his/her right to keep and bear arms KNOWS that something like this could happen.
Agreed!
When they are fleeing, you can't keep shooting.
Bumper sticker or tag line material.
From the article:
Prosecutor Mark Lindquist pointed out that Washington law doesn’t allow the use of deadly force to protect property.
““Instead of calling 911 he took matters into his own hands,” “
Except the cops have a US Supreme Court decisions that says they are NOT responsible for acting if called. So, there is no such thing as taking matters into our own hands because it already is in our own hands.
A very sad and cautionary tale - in just a few seconds he made a terrible error of judgement and will now pay the penalty (not to mention the deceased, of course). Before shooting, it is vital always to form a complete ‘sighting picture’ not just of the target but everything behind / in range / ricochet range / even over the hill.
I’m not giving this guy a pass. But police generally do get a pass when things go wrong. And police do fire at fleeing felons. We’re not supposed to.
8.5 years. He’ll probably serve a year. No more than 18 months. If even that.
All those shots that hit his neighbor’s house... I wonder if any even hit his Jeep?
Some folks should stick to the shotgun...
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