Posted on 10/24/2002 9:06:55 PM PDT by Revel
Truck Driver Modest About Sniper Suspects Capture
10-24-2
FREDERICK, Md. (Reuters) - When Ron Lantz pulled his truck into a Maryland rest stop off I-70 early on Thursday, something just clicked.
The truck driver spotted a blue Chevrolet Caprice with New Jersey tags in the parking lot off the Maryland interstate highway, and recalled the police news conference he had just heard in the case of the Washington area sniper who has killed 10 and seriously wounded three since Oct. 2.
"I pulled in. I'd heard those bozos talking about the description of the car, the make of the car, the model of the car, the license plate number," Lantz told CNN. "I pulled in with another driver behind me. I told the other driver that car looked kind of obvious."
Lantz confirmed the car's description with a radio station and then called police on 911.
They instructed Lantz to wait for state troopers to arrive but to block the Chevy in with their vehicles.
The unassuming truck driver waited 15 nerve-racking minutes until the authorities arrived.
"I just sat there and waited ... It was a long 15 minutes," Lantz said.
At one point, he said he started to walk to the restrooms, but then returned to his truck when he saw there were two people inside the car. He said he felt safer inside his cab.
But Lantz refused to call himself a hero in a case that has vexed and terrified the region for three weeks.
"I'm no hero. I don't even want to be classified as a hero. Just let it go like it is. I did my job," he said.
Just five runs from retirement, Lantz seemed unimpressed by the possibility of a financial windfall for his police work.
"I know there's a sizable reward. ... If I had the money, I'd probably take it and give it to the people who were shot," he said.
Is he referring to Moose and Co. as bozos? Hah!
"I'm a very Christian man and I think I did a real good deed. I might have saved some lives."
Heck, lets get the guy a keg (or two) and invite all his friends.
It is broadcast on powerful AM radio stations nationwide with news, weather, and commentary especially for truck drivers.
Gotta be Texas beer, of course.
BTTT!
Gotta like this guy.
Not Mississippi, but Kentucky. Close enough?
What I saw with the truckers while on a trip through Arkansaw, that state has road construction for 10 to 15 mile stretches on I-40, and as it starts to go down to one lane, drivers come up in the opposite lane to try to squeeze/cut in, those truckers/side by side Blocked those lanes and would not let them in and none of us would either, I thought this was the best defense I had ever seen, those drivers were really pissed, but it was funny to me. Never did get to say thanks to any of the truckers for this.
Yeah, I've seen this a lot, and I absolutely love it! Another of my brother-in-law's pet peeves is 4-wheelers riding his mud flaps (so close that he can't see them in his mirrors). He said people don't have a clue how dangerous this is, especially when some truck throws a re-cap -- and it goes through the 4-wheelers windshield.
I guess having a trucker in the family has made me more aware and hopefully more considerate. Most times, I'm just trying to get from one place to another, but they are out there on the roads every day just trying to make a living.
Anyway, a big hoorah to the truck driver hero in this article.
My father in law was a trucker, and he taught me a lot about what is the right thing to do.
Another hint to any concerned is at night, when a big rig passes you, flip your lights on and off to let him know he has room to move back into the right lane.
For those who like to use cruise control, folks when you are passing anyone, kick that cruise control off and speed up, get on out of the way, don't keep the same 60 or 65 mph when passing someone else doing 60 or 65 mph, what that does is create a parking lot for miles behind you, and those truckers will ride your tail until you MOVE OVER, and you can't blame them.
Yes, That trucker who spotted that car is a HERO. He was in a very dangerous situation.
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