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Selma teenager has harrowing time during holdup in Fort Deposit
Published Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Four teens on Bates Cut Off Road near Fort Deposit experienced something most only see on film.
Friday night the three Fort Deposit teens and one local teenage female were forced off the road by a black SUV authorities said.
“The vehicle maneuvered the victim’s car to run off the road,” Lowndes County Sheriff Chip Williams said. “The victims reported four males got out the car and began shooting at their vehicle.”
A mother of the teen from Selma spoke Wednesday about the terrifying events, which lead to the arrest of four suspects, in hope it would provide a warning to all drivers.
“This all happened after my daughter and three of her friends left a gas station,” Kim Harris said. “She called me at 11:30 p.m. and this happened five or ten minutes after the call.”
Harris’s daughter, whose name was not released due to her age, drove the car the four suspects allegedly ran off the road.
“When the four men got out of the SUV, they had guns in their hands,” Harris said. “They stepped back and began shooting. When they did, my daughter ducked and tried to drive off, but ran into a ditch.”
The wreck broke the back window of the victim’s car and allowed two 16-year old males to escape. However, the two females were stuck in the car –because the door was blocked and because of gunfire.
“The two boys ran off into the woods,” Harris said. “They thought the girls were behind them, but didn’t realize they weren’t until it was later. It ended up saving the girls’ lives.”
One boy was able to call 911.
During that time, the four suspects allegedly approached the girls and demanded money. A car passed by and one of the passengers knew one of the girls and stopped, but the suspects reportedly shot at him. The male drove off, but the suspects knew their time was counting down until authorities showed up.
“[The offender’s] car had stalled and they couldn’t get it started,” Harris said. “They made my daughter get her car out of the ditch.”
The suspects left the scene in the victim’s car, but also left the black SUV at the scene. The girls made their escape unharmed.
Authorities recovered the victim’s car shortly after midnight and also had a suspect in custody.
Deputies arrested Jihad Walker, 18, and interviewed him about the incident.
“We obtained warrants [Tuesday] and arrested the other suspects [Wednesday],” Williams said. “Right now we are interviewing the suspects and they have given no other reason other than robbery for the crime.”
Authorities also arrested Torie Wilson, 22; James Steiner, 19, and Wayne Ware, 24, and charged all four suspects with two counts of robbery first degree, one count of theft of property first degree and shooting into an occupied vehicle.
The suspects now face two class-a felonies, which are punishable by 20 to 99 years in prison if convicted, and two class-b felonies, which could mean imprisonment between10 to 20 years if found guilty.
“I hope this makes people more aware of their surroundings,” Harris said. “This could happen anywhere. These girls just had angels protecting them.”
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Comments
Posted by noneofurbus (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 5 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This has nothing to do with unity, and President Obama. This has something to do with ethics and morals.
Posted by dixiegirl (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 5:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree. President Obama can only do what Congress will allow him to do. What needs to happen is that these boys need to be put in a vehicle and let people shoot at them for a while.
Posted by getitreal2008 (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 7:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
whodat....President Obama is going to stop Selma crime? Are you kidding me? Who do you think Obama is, God? Get a grip, you have apparently taken the whole Obamamania to a whole new height. He may be good, but noone is THAT good other than God. So stop with your stupid remarks and let the people here have sane, realistic conversations that are not clouded with your lunacy.
Posted by eyeonyou (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 8:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This shooting is ridiculous. In Ft. Deposit? There's nothing in this place. I hope they stick these punk thugs under the jail. To have no consideration for peoples lives is disgusting.
Posted by countrygirl08 (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 8:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I thank God that ALL the victims are safe and unharmed (even though they will have to re-live that event for a long time in their minds....they are permanently scared). GOD did provide for them an angel to watch over them....THANK YOU GOD!!
Posted by catchem (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 9:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Several years ago a Nun was put in the trunk of her car and shot not far from this area. My wife and I were chased from Oak Hill to near McWilliams (6 miles), same neck of the woods, three years ago when a group attempted to run us off the road at speeds of over 80 mph. We rolled down our window doing 80 and my wife let them see a large gun, at which time they hit the brakes and turned around. The problem traveling between Selma and Greenville or Evergreen, is there are a lot of telephone blackout zones and no law enforcement. These kids were very lucky.
Posted by noneofurbus (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 9:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If the law know these things happen, why don't they have more patrol in that area?
Posted by mccrary36703 (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 9:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The President has nothing to do with the crime in Selma and the surrounding area. These kids are blessed to be alive to tell their story. This is horrible. I don't own a weapon and has never shot a weapon. As a black man I am still on that old school rule " You live by the sword you will die by it" Now I really must dust myself off and get with it and learn how to use a weapon in the right way. Lord knows I don't plan on harmming somebody thug child, but I can see that I am force to go to extreme measures to protect myself.
Posted by Newswatcher (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 10:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Personally, I think "whodat" made the Obama statement to get some drama started, as usual, but thankfully no one has fallen for his or her tactics. We're all on the right track....thanking God for protecting these kids. Obama has nothing to do with the crime in this area. It was a simple-minded statement to make. We also appreciate the fact that the thugs were stupid enough to leave their car at the scene. We pray that the victims get some counseling because this was a very traumatic episode....for anyone...especially that young.
Posted by noneofurbus (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 10:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree mccrary36703, I do not have one either, but I have been rethinking that idea, I might just need one just in case.
Posted by keepnitreal (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 10:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
These people should be locked up in a prison that is really bad. Dont put them in county jail. Let them experience hard core PRISON! I thank God that the victims were not shot. This will be something that they will have to deal with for the rest of their lives! It doesn't matter to me if they are black, white, mexican or whatever! Nobody deserves to be treated this way. Please see that those individuals are punished to the fullest degree of the law.
Posted by S_O_S (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 11:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This really is disturbing. Reminds me of the Wild West. I'm afraid this is becoming the norm, more than the exception.
Posted by tomt01 (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 2:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not knowing anymore than what was told, I would just about bet there is more to this story. Somebody running there mouth back and forth at the gas station, and one thing lead to another.
Posted by getitreal2008 (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 2:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Is that an excuse for what was done, tomt01? Several years ago in Montevallo, an elderly gentleman stopped at a gas station with his wife, when he went in and paid, a man was there and saw inside his wallet. He then proceeded to get in his truck with his 3 friends and follow them out to a road nearby where it was somewhat deserted. They ran them off the road and made them stop, then proceeded to get out and beat the couple with a chain. Someone driving by is the only thing that saved the woman. The man died. All over money in a wallet that was seen at a gas staion. You can drive down that road and see the cross there on the side of the road. Somehow, I did not EVER come to the conclusion that the old man was running his mouth. I just came to the conclusion that some people are crazy and mean. Just because those kids were younger, does not mean they were running their mouth. Did you ever stop to think maybe they initially wanted more than money from them? It is shameful for you to cast ANY amount of blame on those poor kids without knowing. That is a time when you should keep your opinion to yourself.
Posted by sis009 (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 4:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I have sat here and read everyones comments, I am the sister to one of the young girls( the one that was driving) and I appreciate everyone's concern and thoughtfulness towards this horrible experince that my sister and her friends have had to encounter. The men that have done this horrible act of violence are in custody and if there is ANY justice at all in this world or even this town those men will not see the next years of their lives outside the prison walls. The teens have gone through alot and will need time and most of all a piece of mind knowing that what has happended to them will not go unpunished. Those men knew exactly what they were doing when they followed my sister and they knew what they were doing when they held those guns in their hands, and most of all when they held my sister at gunpoint... the punishmnet should fit the crime. Instead of having a wedding shower the next day, we could have been having a funeral for four wonderful teens who did nothing to deserve what they had to endure. The police are doing a great job handling this situation and I hope that it continues that way. I thank God eveyday that my sister is here with me. These men have done something that has uprooted these kids lives and they will never be the same, they need the same thing done to them!!!!!!!!
Posted by sis009 (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 4:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh and another thing.. I have nothing against Obama, but he has got nothing to do with this situation, he was getting ready for a "ball" at the time of this horrible experince!!
Posted by sis009 (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 4:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
TOMt01, my sister went in to get a MT. Dew and a bag of chips ...why would she talk to a bunch of men she did not know.. my sister and her friends dont talk to strangers you need to back off, before you get your damn feelings hurt sweety, These girls are caring,young, loving girls that mind their own business and they would never had started an agruement with people that they did not know, get your story straight before you start talking *$#@!
Posted by getitreal2008 (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 5:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
sis009, it sounds like you are a caring sister and she is lucky to have you and you her. I am truly sorry your family has had to go through this and I wish you all nothing but peace.
Posted by fleur (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 6:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Just goes to show that most criminals can not be mistaken for rocket scientists.
How dumb can you get????
Posted by billyetaylor (anonymous) on January 23, 2009 at 10:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Tallahassee is reading your news and we give Thanks for the saving GRACE and MERCIES bestowed upon our FURTURE Leaders.ONE never knows why these Precious YOUNG adults were spared from a terribly ordeal which would have rested on the hearts of their Love ones.I have learned the meaning of "suffering."It is an HONOR to do so.I wish I could hug these four young adults and tell them,"GOD has a strong ministry connected to their lives."AND believe it or not, for the Perpetrators, too.To the parents of all victims and perpetrators,PRAY without ceasing for your children. When my children (now adults)are out partying, hubby and I are home praying.IT works.Start a prayer vigil for the Children of Selma..Obama would approve.
Posted by tomt01 (anonymous) on January 26, 2009 at 6:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ok sis009, go back to my comment. I said somebody running their mouth. Not saying your sister started anything. The bad guys may have said something, and she may have went back with something. I don't know. gititreal2008: Yes there are crazy people out there, that is one of the reasons a 16 year old girl and those poor kids should be at home at that time instead of out in the middle of nowhere, where crazy people hang out. And yes, that place is out in the middle of nowhere. Yes those kind of people should be locked up and keys thrown away, but to many liberal people say that is against their rights and they should put back on the street after a slap on the hand and a little couseling. Go back to capitol pushishment and see how the crime rate will drop.
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