Road Rage, no winners (with video)

[Bill Mattocks]

Seems this guy is a victim and a suspect in a different crime. Looks like he might also be trained in martial arts, judging by his stance and some of the kicks he threw before he got beat down.

Long story short - road rage is a bad deal. For everyone.

http://laist.com/2012/06/21/turning_tables_victim_of_i-5_road_rage.php

Turning Tables: Victim of I-5 Road Rage Beating Arrested
Following last night's arrests of the two 5 Freeway road rage suspects, the victim in the battle, Jerry Patterson, has also been arrested today.
But Patterson's arrest stems from a different case, one unrelated to the June 12 beating. The 50-year-old was arrested just before noon today in Altadena in connection with a previous DUI, hit-and-run and battery case. Nancy Pratt of the Long Beach Police Department told City News Service Patterson was involved in a hit-and-run collision at a Long Beach intersection on May 25. Patterson allegedly fled the scene and was followed by a witness, who made contact with Patterson.
"I wouldn't let him get back in his car," witness James Poole told NBC4. "First I demanded his driver license number and a lot of people started seeing us yelling and screaming at each other. I was looking at his driver license when he hit me."
Patterson "was arrested for DUI, non-injury hit-and-run and battery," said Pratt. He failed to show up for his June 6 arraignment, hence the warrant, and was scheduled to be booked at the Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station.
The tables have turned for Patterson, who was previously the victim of a brutal beating along the I-5 after he accidentally cut off another driver. The enraged motorist pulled in front of Patterson and stopped, causing both cars to come to a halt. A passing motorist stopped to film the verbal confrontation between Patterson and the three occupants of the other vehicle and continued to capture the dispute as it escalated into punching and kicking. Patterson was knocked to the ground by Edres Ramirez, 27, and David Mendez, 21, and the men repeatedly kicked the victim in the head.

 

[Cirdan]

Pretty brutal. However I fail to feel particularily sorry for him since it looks like they decided to slug it out. Not smart in most scenarios and in particular when he has friends and you don`t.

 

[Rich Parsons]

I wonder if it would have stopped if someone would have stepped up and said "Stop!" Or "Look a video Camera!" They could have been watching someone being killed and done nothing.

 

[seasoned]

Thanks for showing this, Bill. We can all learn from others mistakes, and at the same time saving us the hassle of stupidity.


As a side note, kick was to high, more to ward off the other person then do any damage.

Because we are martial artist there is something we can all learn from this situation. With a 3 on 1 NEVER pick the middle guy to attack.

 

[Haakon]

Brutal. Man the guy with the camera is a damn moron though. Guy is lying on the ground after being kicked in the head multiple times "get up dude" "get up dude" and pull him up? Idiot.

The video supports a couple of points that get made on martial arts forums often:
1) fights go to the ground
2) you don't want to go to the ground if the guy has friends/multiple attackers

 

[EddieCyrax]

Guy needs to know his limits. 3 on 1 rarely if ever turns out well for the 1.

And fighting all 3 at once makes it even worse.

Guy is lucky they didnt carry it further as in the end he was defenseless.

 

[jks9199]

Ignoring everything else, I have one simple question.

Why the hell didn't the idiot with the cell phone camera, who was stopped in traffic himself, stop simply recording it somewhere, oh, like when the victim was being kicked repeatedly while apparently unconscious, AND USE THE PHONE TO CALL 911!

I'm not suggesting he should have stepped in directly. Recording the plates was great. The video is evidence. But at some point, make the damn call, rather than recording it.