1982 CHP Mustang E870255

[chp1982]

Thanks, Steve!

[Steve]

I am very glad to see so many SSP enthusiasts on this Forum, as IMO it is still the best place to interact. The FB interface is too helter-skelter and disorganized for my liking.
I have a story I have not told here before, and it is one I don't tell often or to anyone that wouldn't understand, but as this thread has become a repository for my in-service stories I hope the moderators don't object as this story is not an SSP tale with 0255 or another Mustang but it is a real-life situation that I faced essentially as a kid and is one I still think about because it was so intense. It is long, but I remember it as clearly as if it happened yesterday.
A little background first: Phencyclidine (PCP) is a notorious drug that first hit the street in volume in the early 1980s. An animal tranquilizer, it was a powerful, cheap, and became popular quickly. It is the one that made users psychotic with "super-human" strength, feeling little or no pain, and acting with unpredictable violence. As it became more well known there were all sorts of warnings not to take these guys on by yourself plus training. Exceedingly dangerous.
I encountered it unknowingly in the early summer of 1980. I had about 5-6 months on the job; I was a 23 y/o kid. I was working in the San Jose area, on the afternoon commute shift, patrolling my beat on a 3-lane freeway; traffic was solid but moving at the limit. I noticed a vehicle ahead, in the #1 lane, driven very erratically. It was following too close, making unsafe lane changes, speeding when possible, and generally being driven in such an egregious and reckless manner that there was clearly something wrong like impairment of the driver. I got it stopped, and as I walked up on the passenger side I knew that was the cause. The driver was obviously high as a kite; the look in his eyes alone made the case. I know this would be an arrest. I immediately called for my beat partner to fill, always a good policy when you know you are going to make an arrest, but he was at the South end of the beat and his ETA was extended; I knew in this traffic it would take him at least 15-20 minutes. I got the driver, who was cooperative, out of and to the front of his vehicle, and told him I was concerned about his driving. Bloodshot eyes, strong odor of an alcoholic beverage, just a mess. No doubt. But on top of that the Lost-in-Space look in his eyes. I knew it was a combination alcohol/drug, but what? Now my task was to give him field sobriety tests, not so much to get evidence as there was already more than enough, but to delay until backup got there. I went through my usual routine of 4-5 tests; he failed them miserably. He was cooperative but then as I started to use ones that I didn’t normally use, again delaying, that started to change. Now my task included being a diplomat, trying to maintain cooperation and control while stalling for time. He said “This is bullshit. I’ve done all your tests and passed them all. Now what?” I put on my best diplomatic face and said, “Well, I’m really concerned about your safety and I really want to make sure you are ok”. We did another test or two, then he said “I’m done with this. I’m going to get in my car and take off!”. Now we were at the moment of truth: I absolutely could not allow that to happen. The highway we were on went up into the hills and dropped into two lanes on each side, with nothing but a double painted-yellow line separating each direction. It was legendary for gruesome fatal head-on crashes when someone crossed over into opposing traffic and I had already handled my share of horrific fatalities there. I knew if this guy tried to drive over the hill he would kill someone. I could not and was not going to let that happen. My backup had not arrived, and I had no idea where he was or his ETA. At that time, we had no mace, pepper spray, Tasers, or other modern non-lethal weapons. I had only my revolver and a baton.
So here we were, the moment of truth. I had to act despite the risks. We were standing in front of his car, and I tried diplomacy once more. “Well, just one more test, that’s all. Can you face your car and put your hands behind your back?” To my surprise, he did it. But as soon as I got the handcuff on his left risk he went berserk. If you are fighting someone you will never get the other cuff on. I hung on for life to that left arm and cuff. He fought like a tiger. Trying to pull away, trying to turn, reaching back for my gun, trying to poke my eyes. He was taller and outweighed me and there was no way I was going to wrestle with him so I did the only thing I could. I pushed him forward and onto the hood of the car, then I pinned him down with my weight and continued to hold onto the cuffs and his left arm while he tried with his right arm to reach back and get my gun. I had control of him, but for how long? WHERE was my backup? While this went on for what felt like forever I knew I couldn’t do it indefinitely. I was starting to tire and would eventually no longer be able to control him. So I began thinking, what is the next step? No backup, I will have to see this through. I decided then that I would hold until I could no longer control him, then at that moment completely let go, take about five fast steps backwards, draw my sidearm, and order him to stop. If he advanced on me it would be for one reason: to get my gun, kill me, and who knows who else. If he advanced I was going to kill him. I had already made the decision and was just holding out for as long as I could when suddenly, at the last second and like a Guardian Angel, I saw a patrol car pull up behind mine. My beat partner arrived, and we still struggled to get this guy’s hands together and both cuffs on. By now he was screaming, kicking, and had bitten his lips so frothy saliva streaked with blood was coming out of his face. I literally dragged him backwards to my car, but he would not get in. He stiffened up and I was unable to force him in. At the time we were authorized and trained to use the Carotid Artery hold, which I did. This was where you put your right arm (from the back) around the subject’s neck and squeeze the Carotid artery in the neck with the forearm and bicep. It cuts off blood flow to the brain and renders the subject unconscious for up to 10 seconds. It worked like a charm. I got him into my car and slammed the door shut. My beat partner would tow his car; I got the info and headed off to Jail, about 25 minutes away. The interesting thing was, by the time we drove off, my prisoner had completely settled down. He was quiet, and calm. As we were driving along he calmy says to me “You know, you are way too aggressive!” I replied, “You have no idea what almost happened out there!” Then, as we continued, his attitude started to change. He got more and more agitated, telling this was all bullshit and that when we got to where we were going, and the cuffs came off, he was going to “kick my ass”. I got on the radio and advised Dispatch to call the jail and let them know I was bringing in a fighter. When I got there four Deputies, in green jumpsuits, were waiting and handled him from there, bringing me the completed booking paperwork. We got a blood test, and it came back 0.22 alcohol and PCP. I had a tiger by the tail from the start without knowing it. Thank God nobody was killed that day because it was to that point, and it was going to one of us.
In the months following, all the advisories were coming out. Don’t take these PCP users on by yourself, you can break bones, and they’ll still come at you, they don’t feel pain. I even heard of some being shot in the body and still not stopping, superhuman strength, etc. I was blessed that it worked out and though it still stresses me to remember it, I knew I did the right thing and very, very likely someone else’s life was saved on that highway that day by removing this extreme danger.

[MOstang]

Scary situation, for sure. And congratulations for finding the old photos, they are excellent!

[Steve]

Thanks Mike, Bill, Jon, and Cobra for your comments!

[ImEvil1]

Great pics and thanks for sharing your story as well. Thank you for your service, too.

[Cobra Jet]

@Steve

Those in-service pics you posted the other day of the CA SSP are awesome, so clear and neat to see the vehicle in such pristine condition, plus being able to see some of the equipment through the windows…. So cool!

I agree with you as well as far as THIS being the platform for SSP discussions, tech, old photo sharing, restoration topics, help and support. The other “social media” platforms don’t have it, never will and there is no retainer of info and no way to circle back on historical things like we can do in these forums. I just wish more folks would come back here and promote this site over the other format(s).

I’m always here checking things out and posting, so I enjoy it when I see new posts and really interesting posts like your own. Thanks for sharing!

And post photos of your Classic Mustang in the briefing room, I’m sure others wouldn’t mind seeing what else you’re working on.

[Steve]

Thanks Cobra for your positive comments, and Mike (ImEvil1) although I don't think you are actually evil
Sometime I may post more stories, as I remember them. Not all may be SSP stories but they are real and are a window into the job and the past, through the eyes of a kid (to me now someone in their early-mid 20s is a kid). So they may be interesting from that viewpoint. My wife usually never heard those stories as they happened, like the PCPer in 1980, and I never said anything about them at the time because to me it was just part of the job. There was only one, and I did have a serious talk with her about it, because I was first on the scene of a solo fatal crash about 2 am and the driver was decapitated. She had been a very attractive 21 yr old, from her license photo, and she was driving drunk. I was dating my future wife at the time and I knew she went out with her friends from time to time. I told her how upsetting that case was and if I ever found out she was drinking and driving our relationship was over. I did not want to get dispatched to a crash and find her there.