Driver Accidentally Shoots Self, Dies

koat ^

[chance33_98]

Driver Accidentally Shoots Self, Dies

POSTED: 12:42 p.m. MDT August 19, 2003

CLOVIS, N.M. -- Police said a Clovis man bled to death after accidentally shooting himself in an apparent attempt to ward off potential attackers.

Authorities said Daniel Stockton, 52, was in his pickup truck with his wife when a car sideswiped his vehicle in Clovis Sunday. Police said Stockton followed the car until it stopped. Officers said the car's driver and two male passengers appeared to be getting out to come toward his truck.

Stockton's wife told police her husband retrieved his pistol from the center console, cocked the gun, and it fired. The gunshot severed an artery in his leg, and he tried to drive to a hospital, but only made it a few blocks.

[SolutionsOnly]

Today's Darwin Award winner.

[LaraCroft]

Double Darwin, for following the car, stopping and then for shooting himself.

Following the car would have been considered inappropriate for an armed person anyway. Looks like he was looking for a fight.

[dixiechick2000]

Bummer...

[Chad Fairbanks]

Thank your watching this weeks episode of, "Stupid Gun Owner Tricks". Stay tuned next week as Al Gore peers down the barrel of his own rifle to see why it's jammed...

[Ed Straker]

Rule #2: Never allow the muzzle to cover anything you are not willing to destroy.

Rule #3: Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.

[Dog Gone]

I wonder if there is any reason that his wife didn't drive. I guess he assured her it was only a flesh wound.

[Arrowhead1952]

the car's driver and two male passengers appeared to be getting out to come toward his truck.

Apparently three Texas dim senators. <sarcasm

[dogbrain]

"...was in his pickup truck with his wife..."

so I guess this is HER story?

[mhking]

Just damn.

If you want on the new list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[Spruce]

That's right. It's her story and she's sticking to it.

[Born Conservative]

Stay tuned next week as Al Gore peers down the barrel of his own rifle to see why it's jammed...

[b4its2late]

Darwin winner for sure.

[lelio]

cocked the gun, and it fired

it fired? All by itself? Guns now have a life of their own?

[ClearCase_guy]

I guess he assured her it was only a flesh wound.

"I've had worse."

[wimpycat]

so I guess this is HER story?

Figuring out who fired the weapon and from what angle it was fired is quite easy.

[OldPossum]

If he had had a chance to confront the people in the car and ended up shooting one or both of them, he would have been found guilty of manslaughter, second-degree murder or some charge because he had "escalated" the situation. That's a no-no for concealed weapons permit holders. It's not made clear here, though, whether he had a CCW permit. It would not have mattered anyway. He done wrong.

This is not a circumstance in which you use deadly force.

[xm177e2]

Stockton's wife told police her husband retrieved his pistol from the center console, cocked the gun, and it fired.

I hate it when my gun points itself at my head and goes off without me pulling the trigger.

[xm177e2]

Oops, leg, not head, but the same idea.

[blau993]

Doesn't give the type of gun. Conceivable he could have pulled the hammer back far enough to cause a discharge but not far enough to put it in full cock? "Went off half-cocked," so to speak. I know this wouldn't be possible with some guns, but again we don't know what he had.