the possum
New member
But the bad guys took off before they could carry out their plan, so we won't know for sure how bad things could have been. Here's the story.
Wife went to visit her father at a hospital in Saint Louis, and afterwards stopped for gas at a nearby station. The station was just off the Highway 40 on ramp, on Clayton Rd. for those who know the area. The place is lit up bright as day, and there were plenty of other people there at the time. She drove back by there with her husband, and he couldn't believe it happened in such a location.
She pulled up to the pump to fill the tank, and a van pulled up on the other side of the pump. (not sure if she had already filled her tank at that point, or just started, or what.) But then she noticed that the van did not have a gas flap on the close side- i.e., they had pulled up facing the wrong direction if they were gonna get gas. Two guys got out of the van, and apparently her spydie sense went off. Gotta give her credit for at least being aware and observant here. She ran back around and tried to get in the driver's side of the car, and the two guys chased her, and got ahold of the door before she could close it. One guy had both hands on the door trying to open it, and the other guy was pulling with one hand, and appeared to have a small pistol in his other hand. (I probably would have shat myself at this point.) She was screaming her head off, which alerted the attention of a hospital employee who was getting gas at the next pump. He hollered at the two bad guys, and started dialing his cell phone. When they saw him, they jumped back into their van and took off.
Turns out the van was stolen, and there were FIVE guys in it. Three have already been caught by police.
Her husband (my coworker) told her if something like that ever happens again, use the weapon in your hand first. Spray them good with gasoline. (he used the threat of this method to good effect himself once when he still worked in East Saint Louis) It was too late for that once she was already fighting them with the car door, but I say she should have floored it. Oh, wait, then again, I guess the car wouldn't have been running...
I dunno what else she could have done. Maybe just got the hell out of there the second she noticed they weren't there to get gas. (i.e., pulled up to the wrong side of the pump.) Then again, I've pulled up to the wrong side of the pump several times myself when driving my wife's car or something, so I may have rationalized my fear away too. Also keep in mind we live in Illinois where there's no CCW; she was just making a visit across the river. I don't know if she's the type to carry a knife or pepper spray or somethin'.
Wife went to visit her father at a hospital in Saint Louis, and afterwards stopped for gas at a nearby station. The station was just off the Highway 40 on ramp, on Clayton Rd. for those who know the area. The place is lit up bright as day, and there were plenty of other people there at the time. She drove back by there with her husband, and he couldn't believe it happened in such a location.
She pulled up to the pump to fill the tank, and a van pulled up on the other side of the pump. (not sure if she had already filled her tank at that point, or just started, or what.) But then she noticed that the van did not have a gas flap on the close side- i.e., they had pulled up facing the wrong direction if they were gonna get gas. Two guys got out of the van, and apparently her spydie sense went off. Gotta give her credit for at least being aware and observant here. She ran back around and tried to get in the driver's side of the car, and the two guys chased her, and got ahold of the door before she could close it. One guy had both hands on the door trying to open it, and the other guy was pulling with one hand, and appeared to have a small pistol in his other hand. (I probably would have shat myself at this point.) She was screaming her head off, which alerted the attention of a hospital employee who was getting gas at the next pump. He hollered at the two bad guys, and started dialing his cell phone. When they saw him, they jumped back into their van and took off.
Turns out the van was stolen, and there were FIVE guys in it. Three have already been caught by police.
Her husband (my coworker) told her if something like that ever happens again, use the weapon in your hand first. Spray them good with gasoline. (he used the threat of this method to good effect himself once when he still worked in East Saint Louis) It was too late for that once she was already fighting them with the car door, but I say she should have floored it. Oh, wait, then again, I guess the car wouldn't have been running...
I dunno what else she could have done. Maybe just got the hell out of there the second she noticed they weren't there to get gas. (i.e., pulled up to the wrong side of the pump.) Then again, I've pulled up to the wrong side of the pump several times myself when driving my wife's car or something, so I may have rationalized my fear away too. Also keep in mind we live in Illinois where there's no CCW; she was just making a visit across the river. I don't know if she's the type to carry a knife or pepper spray or somethin'.