Taken from Yahoo News, on 2/2/2007:
CAMBRIDGE, Minn. - A farmer who chased down a thief and held him at gunpoint until authorities arrived now faces a more serious charge than the thief himself.
Kenneth Smith, 74, was charged with second-degree assault, a felony. The thief, who the sheriff said admitted stealing about $5 worth of gasoline from Smith's neighbor, was charged with misdemeanor theft.
Sheriff Mike Ammend said people can't take the law into their own hands, and that Smith's actions were "an invitation to a shootout. There's so many things that could have gone wrong here."
On Oct. 15, Smith pointed a gun at Christian Young, 28, and a woman at the vacant farm next to Smith's place in Bradford Township. He then chased their vehicle at speeds of 70 mph, according to the criminal complaint. A 3-year-old child was in the vehicle.
During the chase, Smith used a cell phone to call the sheriff's office and asked if he should "blow them away," according to the complaint.
[Note: the real names of the perps were changed to protect the ignorant.]
CAMBRIDGE, Minn. - A farmer who chased down a thief and held him at gunpoint until authorities arrived now faces a more serious charge than the thief himself.
Kenneth Smith, 74, was charged with second-degree assault, a felony. The thief, who the sheriff said admitted stealing about $5 worth of gasoline from Smith's neighbor, was charged with misdemeanor theft.
Sheriff Mike Ammend said people can't take the law into their own hands, and that Smith's actions were "an invitation to a shootout. There's so many things that could have gone wrong here."
On Oct. 15, Smith pointed a gun at Christian Young, 28, and a woman at the vacant farm next to Smith's place in Bradford Township. He then chased their vehicle at speeds of 70 mph, according to the criminal complaint. A 3-year-old child was in the vehicle.
During the chase, Smith used a cell phone to call the sheriff's office and asked if he should "blow them away," according to the complaint.
[Note: the real names of the perps were changed to protect the ignorant.]