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On Sunday afternoon, a woman reportedly left her car parked with the engine running in the 1900 block of 21st Street in Galveston (between Avenue P and Q, across the street from the Hotel Galvez). Another woman was sitting in the passenger seat.

A man armed with a hatchet jumped into the driver seat and took off. He drove to the east end of Seawall Boulevard (about a mile away) and crashed into an occupied parked car, pushing it over the Seawall.

Everyone involved is expected to recover.

The "alleged' "suspect" is charged with the usual felonies, including DWI.

http://www.galvnews.com/story/163646" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Why do people leave their vehicles running like that? This is one of my pet peeves. I see it all the time.

- Jim

We foresook our summer in Colorado this year and are thinking about where to take our 'lil RV this fall.

Jim, you've just about talked us out of coming to Galveston.

seamusTX wrote:On Sunday afternoon, a woman reportedly left her car parked with the engine running in the 1900 block of 21st Street in Galveston (between Avenue P and Q, across the street from the Hotel Galvez). Another woman was sitting in the passenger seat.

A man armed with a hatchet jumped into the driver seat and took off. He drove to the east end of Seawall Boulevard (about a mile away) and crashed into an occupied parked car, pushing it over the Seawall.

Everyone involved is expected to recover.

The "alleged' "suspect" is charged with the usual felonies, including DWI.

http://www.galvnews.com/story/163646" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Why do people leave their vehicles running like that? This is one of my pet peeves. I see it all the time.

- Jim

Making a habit of keeping the doors locked when the car is occupied helps too.

It also improves accident safety by reducing the chances that the doors will spring open in a collision and expose occupants to ejection, which is decidedly unhealthy.

Oldgringo wrote:Jim, you've just about talked us out of coming to Galveston.

Of course, nothing like this ever happens anywhere else.

BTW, do all carjackers end up crashing and being arrested and/or shot? It seems like most carjackings end this way.

- Jim

No one should let this isolated incedent dissuade them from visiting Galveston. I wonder how many car jacking happen in Houston, Dallas, or San Antonio every day that no one hears about?? Granted, Galveston is no Mayberry...but hundreds of thousands of tourists visit every year with no problems whatsoever. One reason this particular story is relevant is the fact that it WAS a big deal in Galveston and the perpetrator WAS apprehended. Due diligence goes a long way in protecting people from this type of crime. It could have, and should have been prevented.

seamusTX wrote: ...

Why do people leave their vehicles running like that? This is one of my pet peeves. I see it all the time.

- Jim

In this case, the reason was obviously because it was an occupied vehicle, and I'll bet the temperature in Galveston wasn't any cooler than it was here in Seguin, which was pretty dang hot, so leave the A/C on. My wife and I do this all the time. BUT. Whoever is left in the car LOCKS THE DOORS. (And keeps an eye out, and keeps the CHL tool handy...)

Leaving it running while unoccupied? Yeah, risking a crime of opportunity.

It was pretty hot Sunday, but I rather doubt the victim in this case weighed that against being abducted and involved in a high-speed wreck with a deranged man behind the wheel.

- Jim