Case Closed

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gentsvmax

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July 11 last year I was paying in store for gas and chatting with the attendant, 11:10 P.M.
I was at a really busy Conaco at Colorado Blvd. and Colfax ave. in Denver. Right at 11:13 P.M. their camera's capture a car circle the pumps really fast, my bike sat at the third island of pumps.
This guy circled the pumps a second time, went straight for my bike, smashed into it from about
the 10 o'clock position.
People ran in and shouted to me what had happened that had been hanging out when I pulled in.
I could see the guy reverse off my bike, the car raised up, tilted and leveled, it had been ON MY BIKE!!!
I ran out the same time a guy in a Dodge pick-up was heading this nut off at an exit to Colorado Blvd. north.
There was about a one foot retaining wall between the lot and the street that this guy smashed over to keep from getting pinned by the Dodge.
I caught up to the back of the car and ran around to the side not knowing what I was going to do but knowing I wanted to get my hands on this guy and KILL him, same time I didn't want to get shot or ran over.
I carry an HK OTF knife, it went into service, paint job, tire's what ever I could get, but this guy didn't care, he meant to get out of there no matter what and he did.

I went back across the lot, and could not believe what I saw.
My bike was ****** mangled, oily and steaming. I could see where it had been ground into the white cement under the weight of the car.
I was in shock! I got the bike up, put the key in and turned on the ignition, got dash lights, turned on to run and could hear the fuel pump. I looked for gas, none leaking but I had lost oil and antifreeze, I kept thinking that guy has to die.
I live less than a mile to the east of the station, in my state of shock I attempted a start, it fired right off, stuck in 2nd, the clutch line leaking and not able to turn left I made it to my garage.
I was used to flicking down the side stand and getting off to the left, the stand was gone.

I grabbed a pen and the notes section of a manual to try and write down what I could remember about the car and as much as could of the *******, my hands were shaking so bad I could barely read it.
A 2017or 18 burgundy or red Toyota Rav, Oregon plates, black dude with short dreds.
I am sure as hell about this and will be able to identify the driver......
I locked up the garage and jumped in my Buick, this guys got at least two flat tires, he couldn't have gotten far, he had to be drunk ,maybe trying to change a tire some where close. I'm going to get to him before the cops do.
I came to my senses about fifteen minutes into the hunt, didn't want or need to catch a case and went home.
I didn't tell or call anybody and somehow was able to sleep but was up early, I wanted to drive around again and had a feeling, just had a feeling the guy had to park the car, it was too late to get flats fixed, maybe he abandoned it close, but with Oregon plates he would be trying to get back on the road early. I will have to call the cops soon though.
I was up and out at 7, now in my pick-up, went to the Circle-k I always get my coffee at less than two blocks from home.
As I pulled to the pumps I see this black dude, he's sitting in his car, directly in front of me, its driver side facing me, his feet were outside the car, he was just sitting there thinking. I thought to myself how much he looked like the guy that smashed my bike and I laughed about how we "all look alike."
The Circle-k share's the lot with a Big-O tires, its Sunday and their closed.
I went in and got my coffee, plotted my course and was ready to go.

I went around the car, still parked in front of me but the guy was gone.
As I rolled around the back of the car I thought that guy and this car had had a rough night, two flats and pretty "keyed" up.
I'm rolling out and then hit my brakes hard, reversed and took a second look, OREGON PLATES!!!!

Those were my knife marks, it actually did have two flats, I know I did with my knife!
This is the ****** car, the guy is gone because he probably recognized me!

I'm now calling the cops alot sooner than I had planned. I shot up to the Conoco to take pictures of where my bike had been mashed into the cement and where the car had hit the retaining wall.
When I got over to the wall I found a chunk of his fog light surround along with my mirror and belly pan plastic, I was nauseous.
Carry, an attendant at the Conaco is how I found out they had this clown on film plowing my bike,
she ran out and told me she watched it over and over, wondering if it really was my bike.

So now I have a car, a chunk of it from the scene and some film, I just need a cop.
I went back to Big-O where the car was still parked an waited across the street out of site in case the guy shows back up.
I have called the cops, I'm waiting about 45 minutes now, its early Sunday morning, they can't be that busy, where are they?

Suddenly a tow truck pulls in really quick across the street at the car. I crossed over as fast as I could, jumped out of my truck really glad to see this guy and told him that I'm who called the cops, the owner of the bike he hit.

This tow truck driver wasn't there for me or the cops, told me he wasn't waiting "fir no ****** cops"
He yanked the car up the ramp faster than I have ever seen it done and told me it was a rental and it was headed back to D.I.A.
I was thinking my evidence is rolling out of here and started taking as many pics as I could, now this tow driver is shouting for me not to take pics of he, his truck or the car.

I was loosing it, my bike just got smashed! I didn't stop taking pics, started taking pics directly in his face, I wanted him to try and stop me, then the car really wouldn't be leaving!
He jumped in the truck and without chaining the car down took off to the west, just as a Denver police Sargent pulls in from the east side of the lot, rolled up and got out asking whats-up with that, why is he tearing out of here like that, while I'm trying to keep my cool and tell him that that was the car I reported that smashed my bike, please stop that truck.

Well the pieces started to fall into place, the cops and I went to the Conaco, they too had called them, we looked at the CCTV, again I was nauseas, saw my bike get plowed, clearly saw the car but couldn't make out the driver or the plate.
The piece of fog light surround matched perfectly, no doubt this is the car.
However, this was not a 2017 or 19 Toyota Rav, it was far from the burgundy color I would have sworn to.
It was a Navy blue Dodge Journey! far from a Toyota,
So now the Sargent finally asked about the bike, this happened around 11 P.M. previous night,
where is it, and why didn't I call.
We all went to my garage, when I opened it they(there were five cops) sort of gasped, my girl friend showed them before pics, but with or without pics they could see the bike was ******-up.
That was when I told why I didn't call, that I had hoped to find the guy myself, we of course agreed that wouldn't have been smart.

They took their own pics, statements, we chatted about bike's, then they told me the hard fact that guy who rented the car had already gotten a replacement and was out of California,
this would be a long shot to prosecute, how rental agency's don't readily give info to cops and the fact that they had been given this much info was unusual. They said they'd do the best they can, I told them I appreciated it and meant it, we said our goodbyes.

An Officer called me and asked that I not post pics, make statements or anything else related to the case on any social media until they actually close this case , that the guy that did it would know weather or not to hide out etc. Could take up to one year.

This morning I got an email from the D.P.D. stating that the case was officially closed.
I wanted to post here bad, I needed part's help at the very least
About two weeks later the clown that rented the car got arrested in California, in the car he rented here! A real winner this guy.

During this time my bike went through almost a 24hr a day rebuild marathon! I had to completely
dismantle the front of the bike, to look at the frame, only the back wheel, swingarm and gas tank were on the frame.
The rebuild took just under a month!

I got a call from a detective the third week of August 2020 to come look at mug shots, see if I could "pick out the perp."

I in fact rode the bike to look at the mug shots, invited the cops out to look at it and the one that had seen it in the mangled state couldn't believe his eye's, even asked to take pics and told me jokingly that this wasn't helping my case any to have the bike looking so good already.

I immediately pointed out the guy, I felt rage and it felt good!
That not only wasn't him, but it was one of their cadets in the line-up!
We agreed that it was probable that the guy that actually did this to my bike and the guy that rented the car were not the same.
The detective didn't need to tell me that unless this guy were to come out and confess to this they won't find him.
I asked them not to waste anymore resources on this longshot case, thanked them for their time.

It feels good to have been able to finally tell about what happened, of course other people in my life knew this happened but to share with my bros of VMOA is the final closure.
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#1: You weren't in the saddle when the felon parked on-top of the bike.
#2: It was fixable
#3: There was evidence on video of the crime
#4: You didn't get hurt dealing with the tow truck driver

Probably the best thing to do for your personal sanity is to say, "I lived through this, I wasn't hurt," and to go on your way. If it was a rental car, the agency would have sought recovery for damage from the renter. What he said about how the damage happened would be interesting to hear. To get that info would probably be a very-expensive process, with attorneys probably in multiple states.
 
First....glad you are alright and didnt get hurt. Second....glad you got your machine back together and back to your satisfaction.

Lastly....The cops reaction to this all seems suspicious. OK....I know cops use other cops in the line ups to help weed out people who dont remember correctly. But....a cop doing this isnt unsurprising. That thin blue line is very real and it is us vs them. If you arent them, then they are against you. Rental car companies fold immediately when faced with the prospect of their cars being used in felonies. I have gotten information just as a civilian asking. So a cop asking should have garnered more response. And if you admitted to damaging the car, that insurance company would be all over you for money to repair. That would be your in to get the info you need about the renters of that vehicle.

"About two weeks later the clown that rented the car got arrested in California, in the car he rented here! A real winner this guy."

Who was this guy and did you get to see this guy? A court will send a subpoena if you have a person who was arrested that was associated with this vehicle. I would get ALL the info about the guy arrested, head down to the court house and file a lawsuit. Get that ball rolling. By doing nothing, you let this guy walk to do it again.
 
Wow, that's some story.

Not the best ending but you're in one piece albeit a little bit poorer and the bike is back together.

But it goes to show how easily an event like this can take over rational thought. It is not unfeasible that the perpetrator, had you got to him, had a firearm, knife or other weapon and you either ended up dead, severely injured or be facing a long prison sentence.

I know we like our bikes but in the end they are just things, that can be replaced or repaired, unlike us humans.

If you are able to to get legal people on your case then go for it else it's take a deep breath, appreciate what you have and move on.

But one hell of a story for the grand kids.
 
If you do track him down, get a judgement against him, for your financial losses. I'm no attorney nor an accountant, but periodically you have to re-new the judgement to keep it against him. What that will do is ruin his credit, prevent him from getting a loan for a car, school, or whatever. He's 'on the hook' until the judgement is satisfied and released.
 
What that will do is ruin his credit, prevent him from getting a loan for a car, school, or whatever. He's 'on the hook' until the judgement is satisfied and released.
From what I infer, he doesn't sound like a person who is particularly concerned about his credit score.

Makes you wonder why, were you singled out for a reason?
 
If you do track him down, get a judgement against him, for your financial losses. I'm no attorney nor an accountant, but periodically you have to re-new the judgement to keep it against him. What that will do is ruin his credit, prevent him from getting a loan for a car, school, or whatever. He's 'on the hook' until the judgement is satisfied and released.


You are correct. I have a judgment on some idiot that rear ended my truck about 10 years ago. In New Mexico, the judgment expires in 10 years unless I renew the judgement. From what I was told, the judgement will be paid through whatever assets he has at the time of his death should he not pay before then. Cause face it, the deadbeat driver was in a stolen car with no license, no insurance, no registration and high as a kite. I am a vindictive dick and I will make sure that judgement follows him to the grave. I know I will never see a penny from him. But he wont be able to ever make his life better(not that he is anyway).
 
Thank you guy's for reading the story and offering some great, sound, sane and sobering advice.
Had I went ahead and posted right away I could have really used, (still can)
this wisdom.
I was in a state of quiet rage for quite some time after it happened. Negative energy is quite a drain, let me tell you.
We had the fork's, front wheel, handle bar's and some other pieces in a scrap trailer out back.
When I finally took it to scrap it was like dumping a bunch of scar emotion, felt good to get it out of sight, it was then that I did like a few of you described.
I counted my blessings and had ten for every one scar, realized how things could potentially have gone and gladly cut that **** loose!
Thanks again
Gent
 
I had to take a second. I was just sooo very angry on your behalf. There is a Bay Area Riders Group where I am living here in Tampa and it has like 10,000 members and it doesn't matter what time of day, if I posted something like this, you can bet your sweet ass Id at least half a dozen riders come out to **** this guy up. And we stay strapped here in the south so if things go that way thats fine too. Attacking a man's bike is like attacking family. I feel for you man.
 
I had to take a second. I was just sooo very angry on your behalf. There is a Bay Area Riders Group where I am living here in Tampa and it has like 10,000 members and it doesn't matter what time of day, if I posted something like this, you can bet your sweet ass Id at least half a dozen riders come out to **** this guy up. And we stay strapped here in the south so if things go that way thats fine too. Attacking a man's bike is like attacking family. I feel for you man.
Man! When its said "We look out for each other" its for real!
Coast to coast, thank you.
Gent
 
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