Sad example of why to carry

GaryTx · Post by **GaryTx** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 9:40 pm

Texas Pizza Delivery Man Beaten to Death
Monday , July 02, 2007

Fox News

A 23-year-old pizza delivery man was just doing his job this weekend, delivering pizzas to hungry Texans in southeast Houston.

Then, for reasons unknown at this point by cops, one of the tires on Courtney Spect's car went flat. With hot pies in his car still undelivered, Spect began to change his tire.

But Spect never finished â€” a passerby soon stopped, got out of his car, and beat Spect to death before hopping back in and driving off, the Houston Police Department alleges.

Cops said they believe the suspect was angered by Spect's driving.
Police are looking for a Ford Explorer in connection with the case. The SUV is gold or brown in color, and the plates begin with with 8-5-6, and end with a 2.

phddan · Post by **phddan** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:07 pm

Geez, beat to death.

Wonder what the story behind this is.

Dan

propellerhead · Post by **propellerhead** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:15 pm

Always... always call the Texas Roadside Assistance number on the back of your drivers license when you have to stop like this. Not only will they help you change the tire if you need help, their truck being there will lessen the chances that someone robs you or crashes into you. It's a free service just for being in Texas. :)

Mithras61 · Post by **Mithras61** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 5:14 am

propellerhead wrote:Always... always call the Texas Roadside Assistance number on the back of your drivers license when you have to stop like this. Not only will they help you change the tire if you need help, their truck being there will lessen the chances that someone robs you or crashes into you. It's a free service just for being in Texas. :)

Yeah, but I think they could have come up with a better program name...

Tx Roadside Assistance Program - TRAP for short...

I think I'll stick with my AAA Premium for now...

stevie_d_64 · Post by **stevie_d_64** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 7:45 am

http://www.click2houston.com/news/13605971/detail.html

This is just down the way from where "Wife-Unit" and I work...

This is not a very "good" area to do anything but drive through and not stop for anything...period...

I feel bad for the victim...Someone obviously working, and doing their best, and not be a burden to anyone...

Obviously the person that murdered them knows the heat is on...And its only a matter of time...People in that area don't wander too far off the beaten path...That partial plate and description is going to net results pretty soon...

LedJedi · Post by **LedJedi** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 7:54 am

wow.

I live in the heart of SE Houston. Sadly, this doesn't surprise me a bit. Folks around here have no respect for life, property or civility. It wasn't THAT bad when we moved here in 1999, but it's gone straight down the toilet since then.

When our lease is up, we're moving.

I really feel for this guy.

No wonder I can't get a pizza delivered after dark.

propellerhead · Post by **propellerhead** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 8:35 am

Mithras61 wrote:Yeah, but I think they could have come up with a better program name...

Tx Roadside Assistance Program - TRAP for short...

I think I'll stick with my AAA Premium for now...

Why? Something wrong with a state funded roadside assistance program?

GaryTx · Post by **GaryTx** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 8:58 am

I've never used them...do the State guys respond reasonably quick?

dpatterson · Post by **dpatterson** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 9:09 am

I was almost robbed several times while delivering Pizza's when I was younger. Both times it involved several people (gang) and I was only aware of one of them and figured out the other after the fact.

First time was on the Projects of my small home town. Had already delivered and was walking back to the truck. Bad part was this housing was setup so that there were houses in the middle with no vehicle access. I probably had to walk 50 yds inside the property, not to mention I had no idea which house it was or exactly where it was. Anyway, on the way out I was stopped by about 10 people. I kept walking back to the truck as the surrounded me. Several were asking how much money I had, if I had any more pizzas in the truck, etc. Finally, they completly surrounded me and I had to stop of run into them. One of the guys stepped up and told me to give him the money. I looked around and actually saw a guy I recognized and started talking to him like nothing was wrong. The one guy kept asking but I guess since I recognized the one guy he told them to back off and they let me leave. Needless to say I did not deliver to the area anymore.

The second time was a pure setup, figured it out after the fact. There was an apartment complex that was hidden from the road. One way in and one way out. Delivery went smooth. However, a couple hours later the other delivery driver comes back with a black eye. Come to find out he had just been robbed at the same apartments. Manager called the Police, etc etc. Couple days later at my high school I started hearing about some guys I played football with had robbed a pizza delivery guy. So I confronted them and asked them what they would have done if it was me?? They said the first time it was me. They decided not to do anything because they liked me and more importantly I could identify them pretty easily. Needless to say they were caught pretty quick due to another robbery that they were not as successful in pulling off.

At 16 yrs old I could not carry nor did I think about it. All I had to my defense was a smaller baseball bat and a CB Radio in the truck. No cell phones at the time but I did have several friends around town that had CBs so I had some help around if I could get back to the truck.

So many more stories to tell about delivering pizza's in a small town. I could not imagine doing it in Houston.

DP (Sorry its so long)

CHL/LEO · Post by **CHL/LEO** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 9:27 am

I've never used them...do the State guys respond reasonably quick?

Depends on where you're at and what time of the day it is. Rush hour in Dallas and you could probably change all four of your tires before they showed up. Still, it's a free service and during rush hour even AAA takes a long time.

propellerhead · Post by **propellerhead** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 9:31 am

A co-worker had a flat on I-30 in Fort Worth going to work one morning. The TXRA truck was there in less than 30 mins. The truck parked 2-3 car lengths behind my co-workers car and changed the tire for him while watching oncoming traffic the whole time. No charges. Nothing. Their goal is to get you off the freeway as soon as possible to avoid accidents and traffic jams.

austin · Post by **austin** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:05 pm

I delivered Pizza in Los Angeles for a while.

One of the drivers was a tall, tough Mexican kid. One day someone tried to rob him at gunpoint and he ran back to his car. They chased him and his car for a bit. Carlos had had enough and turned around and chased them through the neighborhood until he ran one of them over.

If I thought something was a setup, I'd call back a second time, then when I arrived, I'd park in one area, then walk in via an indirect, different way. The one time it WAS a setup I came in behind three guys looking around a corner for me.

LedJedi · Post by **LedJedi** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:08 pm

austin wrote:I delivered Pizza in Los Angeles for a while.

One of the drivers was a tall, tough Mexican kid. One day someone tried to rob him at gunpoint and he ran back to his car. They chased him and his car for a bit. Carlos had had enough and turned around and chased them through the neighborhood until he ran one of them over.

If I thought something was a setup, I'd call back a second time, then when I arrived, I'd park in one area, then walk in via an indirect, different way. The one time it WAS a setup I came in behind three guys looking around a corner for me.

and then...?

pbandjelly · Post by **pbandjelly** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 3:52 pm

"Everyone was Kung Fu fighteeeen"

DSARGE · Post by **DSARGE** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 7:51 pm

propellerhead wrote:Always... always call the Texas Roadside Assistance number on the back of your drivers license when you have to stop like this. Not only will they help you change the tire if you need help, their truck being there will lessen the chances that someone robs you or crashes into you. It's a free service just for being in Texas. :)

Man, Thanks! I had no idea this existed. Gonna tell my wife about this as she drives through a bad area enroute to work.