Carjackers make big mistake jumping this Lone Grove man - 83 YO breaks would-be carjackers arm

Ardmoreite.com ^ | December 10, 2003 | By Wilbert Wiggs

[MeekOneGOP]

Story last updated at 8:52 a.m. Wednesday, December 10, 2003

Carjackers make big mistake jumping this Lone Grove man
By Wilbert Wiggs
Staff Writer

  Ratliff  

And the moral of this story is: Don't be fooled by a relaxing "old" man kicked back with his boots off. Especially if that "old" man happens to be Pat Ratliff of Lone Grove.

That's the first mistake a Dallas carjacking team made a few days ago while scouting a parking lot for an easy mark. At 83, Ratliff can strike one as an easy mark.

That was the second mistake, as they spotted Ratliff waiting for his wife and grandson to return from a nearby store.

A red-headed woman and gun-toting male companion had the element of surprise on their side. That advantage didn't account for Pat's cool approach to just about any situation and his reputation as "the man who tears quarters with his bare fingers."

"They shouldn't have done that," Ratliff remarked about the totally unexpected attack.

Ratliff was only momentarily surprised when the woman appeared by the driver's door and began hitting him with her purse for no apparent reason. The reason became clear moments later when a man stuck a gun inside from the opposite side.

Being the alert type and an individual who's "been through a lot of stuff," Ratliff immediately began looking for an opportunity. He was ready when the man glanced away.

"I grabbed his arm and broke it over the door," Ratliff said of his response, speaking literally. "The bone was sticking from his arm. I was trying to teach him a lesson."

Disarmed and with a broken arm, the man fled. Security personnel at the store suspect the carjackers have pulled previous capers. Police were able to apprehend the pair, but Ratliff advised them he doesn't want to return to Dallas for a court appearance.

Ratliff is almost apologetic when he says he's not as stout as he once was.

Be that as it may, you're not going to convince a cool (much younger) dude from Dallas who "fled like a 'possum" after his personal encounter with the 83-year-old man from Lone Grove.

"They shouldn't do that," Ratliff repeated.

Wilbert Wiggs, 221-6526 or wilbert.wiggs@ardmoreite.com.

[patton]

I read that book five or nine times

[Free Trapper]

That thief's lucky Mr.Ratliff explained things to him.

Mrs.Ratliff "might" have gotten upset with him,don'tcha know. :O)

[international american]

God I luv that story.

[international american]

" Mr. Lucky
I would not have taken much more force to tear the arm off all together. I sounds a bit extreme but I assure you if the gun was in my face I would"

Ahem....my guess is that he did:)

[Free Trapper]

Agreed about thugs.I had my fill of 'em by the time I was 18.

I love the look on their faces when things don't go quite right for 'em,if you know what I mean.HeHe

[Prodigal Son]

Anybody ever see that video of the kick boxer getting the compound fracture? Grisly... I bet this carjacker pooped his pants when he looked down and saw his arm bone sticking out like that.

[TexasCowboy]

Good story!

Gives new meaning to "disarming a felon".

[DugwayDuke]

"LOL! That'll be the last time he does that! Man, don't mess with old men from Texas...."

With all respect since the newpaper article is really unclear, this gentleman is from Lone Grove, Oklahoma. The paper in question is the Daily Ardmorite, Ardmore, Oklahoma. So, it would be more correct to say:

"Don't mess with old men from Oklahoma." (Especially when they are in Texas, they're are particularly cranky since they only want to leave as quickly as possible.)

If I hadn't graduated high school from Ardmore High, I certainly wouldn't have caught this.

[international american]

"Agreed about thugs.I had my fill of 'em by the time I was 18."
I had my fill of em at 23. Two potentially deadly attacks. I have a terrible scar on my leg from the home invasion...tried to be Bruce Lee...didn't work:)
By the way, I lived in an upper middle class neighborhood.
Not a high crime area.
Nowadays, the better neighborhood you live in, or the finer car you drive, you are a sitting duck! But not me. I did my time, now the onus is on the scum. Incedentally,, don't believe for one minute that the local police do not want you to protect yourself. Most do, and if you get to know them, they will even tell you how to COA. They aren't cops for the money. Most of the ones I know are retired or favorably released Marines.
Best, IA

[international american]

" Anybody ever see that video of the kick boxer getting the compound fracture? Grisly... I bet this carjacker pooped his pants when he looked down and saw his arm bone sticking out like that."

This is, of course, a clue from God that they are in the wrong profession:)

[GeorgiaYankee]

YEEEEHA!!!!

[MeekOneGOP]

ha! I love it when the bad guys get the short end !

[Prodigal Son]

Well, if you run across that video on the net, I would urge you to give serious thought to the matter before you view it. It is very grisly. I could not get the image out of my head for weeks (literally). The guy was going to kick his opponent and his opponent sort of kicked the guy's leg in the shins as a way to block it. You've got two bones in your lower leg. With the combined power, they both snapped clean. The worst part was, the guy attempted to stand on the leg (bringing it down from the kick) and it just sort of... Folded... Where a leg ought not to fold.

The referee, naturally, stopped the fight.

[humblegunner]

Great story!
I forwarded it to the Colonel..

[Dog Gone]

The Texas Comptroller, Carole Keeton Strayhorn thinks she's "one tough grandma", but she doesn't have anything on this guy.

[Free Trapper]

Yep.I've got long term damage from getting jumped a number of times long ago and had some of it fixed this year.I didn't even know part of it was messing me up till the Docs found things when I was looking for something else.

3 surgeries in the last year from damage done decades ago.The Docs did me a lot of good though and I can really have fun with a metal detector now,too. :O)

You can't "ever" let the lowlives get the best you,best to just .....

[Donaeus]

The bone was sticking from his arm. I was trying to teach him a lesson.

I just wish he'd been able to teach the other carjacker the same lesson!

[glock rocks]

under Utah law, you can use lethal force to defend against carjacking. handy when you drive a high end convertable in the summer.

[ChemistCat]

55 posts, 55, and the moderators haven't had to pull one.

Can you TELL what makes FReepers happy, or what?!

[NormsRevenge]

Bear arms, heck, break 'em. Kudos to the "old" fart. ;-)