Paranoid Alabama Survivalist Kills Man, Abducts Child

[Wendigo]

So. Alabama. Out in the sticks. A conflict brewed between the driver of a school bus (Charles Poland, 66) and the retired owner of a piece of property he stopped near every day (Jimmy Lee Dykes, 65). Jimmy Lee apparently resented that the bus came near his property to turn around.

Things came to a head earlier in the week, as Mr. Dykes boarded the bus, demanding that a child or children be surrendered into his custody. Mr. Poland, a kind and gentle man, stood in his way while the kids ran out the emergency door in the back. For his trouble, he was killed, and Dykes retreated to an underground bunker he'd built on his property.

Here are some reports of the ongoing hostage crisis:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/01/us/alabama-child-hostage/index.html
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/02/01/alabama-standoff-enters-third-day-as-official-says-child-held-hostage-in-bunker/
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/30/16775172-hostage-suspect-was-loner-missed-court-appearance
http://abcnews.go.com/US/alabama-hostage-standoff-alleged-kidnapper-stayed-bunker-days/story?id=18365069
http://abcnews.go.com/US/alabama-hostage-standoff-jimmy-lee-dykes-court-date/story?id=18374414

It seems that the underlying motivation for all this trauma is that Dykes, a Vietnam veteran, believes that the government everybody is out to get him. Hence the bunker, which he built himself, and has stocked with provisions. Reports say that Dykes has been known to live in that bunker all by himself for over a week.

So, the crux of the issue. How do we anticipate and prevent further acts of violence by paranoids like Dykes? Would more robust V.A. care have stemmed the tide of his mania? Would more neighborhood barbecues have assuaged his violent temper? I leave this question open, I suggest no particular answer, I leave that to you folks.

[Noogie]

Euthanasia for all people over 60, and then work it back till you've got your crazy age. Nothing could possibly go wrong.

[God Emperor Akhenaton]

Or in other news, why crazy people shouldn't have guns.

[Wendigo]

Further details, such as there are, about Dykes:

Quote:

"As far as we know there is no relation at all (between Dykes and the hostage). He just wanted a child for a hostage situation," said Michael Senn, a pastor who helped comfort traumatized children after the attack.

Sheriff's deputies had arrested Dykes on Dec. 22 and charged him with menacing for a Dec. 10 complaint, court records show. He spent four days in jail before posting the $500 bail.

...

Neighbors said Dykes had lived for about a year at the residence in Midland City, population 2,300. Before that he spent time in Texas and in Panama City, Fla., The Dothan Eagle reported.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement records show he was arrested in Panama City in February 1995 and charged with improper exhibition of dangerous weapons or firearms, a misdemeanor. The charge was dismissed four months later.

...

Neighbor Mike Smith said Dykes once threatened to shoot his children when the family's dogs entered his property.

Neighbor Ronda Wilbur said Dykes was known to go out in the middle of the night to shoot birds and rabbits. She said Dykes had cut down nearly all the trees on his lot, erected a wire fence and "would go berserk" if a dog strayed onto his land.

She said her dog died of injuries after Dykes beat it with a lead pipe.

http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/360493/28/Child-believed-unharmed-as-Ala-hostage-ordeal-drags-on

The complaint for "menacing" relates to his displaying his firearm and popping off "warning shots" at a neighbor, her son and her grandson as they were passing by in their vehicle. That's the one for which he recently missed his court date. Haven't seen details on the Panama City complaint. Apparently a long history of threatening folks.

[Less Than Liz]

God Emperor Akhenaton

Or in other news, why crazy people shouldn't have guns.

Dude was a Vietnam vet who reportedly has PTSD. Reason no. 8474628 why we need to offer our veterans some more comprehensive mental health assistance.

[Lord Cameron]

So that's what preppers have been preppin for all along. A two week pleasure cruse with a kindergardener before offing himself and possibly an autistic kid too.

Aslo wtf since when has having a bunker in hurricane ally make you crazy?

Clearly we need to ban prepping and guns instead of looking into solutions for mental health issues
which he totally had.

also LOL at an entire army brigade for not being able to rescue a aspie from an crazy

[Wendigo]

Lord Cameron

Aslo wtf since when has having a bunker in hurricane ally make you crazy?

He's not in tornado alley. Midland City has the same frequency of tornadoes as I do, along with Ohio and New York. He's at bigger risk for hurricanes, against which a hole in your yard would be an undesirable form of defense. (Better off with a fortified safe room somewhere. Although since he lives in a camper, that'd be tricky.)

This one has some details on the bunker:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/alabama-hostage-suspect-jimmy-dykes-regard-human-life/story?id=18374414

The 'speed bump' he was threatening people over was made of heaped red clay, the same material as the street.

[Old Blue Collar Joe]

This reads like a bad script. Seriously. He's threatened to shoot neighborhood kids and dogs (supposedly).
I say supposedly because they never called the cops on him?
He's had quite a few issues, including beating a dog to death (again, supposedly) with no law enforcement involved?
This keeps returning to the apparent attitude that 'well, he hasn't REALLY done it yet, he's just brandished a firearm and fired warning shots in the air, so it's all good'.
Bunch of ******** idiots. This should have never reached this point. The guy is obviously mentally off, and yet...everyone just plays ostrich?

[Wendigo]

Old Blue Collar Joe

I say supposedly because they never called the cops on him?

He recently missed his court date for shooting at his neighbor while she was driving. You don't get a summons to court without somebody complaining about your behavior to the authorities.

He was also charged with similar behavior in Florida in the mid-'90s, the details haven't been forthcoming. Those charges were, evidently, dropped after a few months.

[Old Blue Collar Joe]

Wendigo

Old Blue Collar Joe

I say supposedly because they never called the cops on him?

He recently missed his court date for shooting at his neighbor while she was driving. You don't get a summons to court without somebody complaining about your behavior to the authorities.

He was also charged with similar behavior in Florida in the mid-'90s, the details haven't been forthcoming. Those charges were, evidently, dropped after a few months.

I'm trying to figure out how in the hell his firearms weren't confiscated. ANY violent charge, especially one involving discharge of a firearm in this area (and we're Alabama's neighbor) they take all your firearms until the case is over.

[Wendigo]

Old Blue Collar Joe

I'm trying to figure out how in the hell his firearms weren't confiscated. ANY violent charge, especially one involving discharge of a firearm in this area (and we're Alabama's neighbor) they take all your firearms until the case is over.

I'm not all that familiar with Alabama law enforcement. However, the offense in question is apparently a misdemeanor with a possible six month jail term attached. Which sounds light to me, personally, since he was basically threatening his neighbors' lives. Maybe the state/county/city approaches this kind of thing with a point of view sympathetic to the discharger over the dischargee; I don't know.

[Old Blue Collar Joe]

Wendigo

Old Blue Collar Joe

I'm trying to figure out how in the hell his firearms weren't confiscated. ANY violent charge, especially one involving discharge of a firearm in this area (and we're Alabama's neighbor) they take all your firearms until the case is over.

I'm not all that familiar with Alabama law enforcement. However, the offense in question is apparently a misdemeanor with a possible six month jail term attached. Which sounds light to me, personally, since he was basically threatening his neighbors' lives. Maybe the state/county/city approaches this kind of thing with a point of view sympathetic to the discharger over the dischargee; I don't know.

From what I can find, they can take his guns.
I have no idea why they didn't.

[Wendigo]

Seems that the law is this here:

Section 13A-6-23 - Menacing.

(a) A person commits the crime of menacing if, by physical action, he intentionally places or attempts to place another person in fear of imminent serious physical injury.

(b) Menacing is a Class B misdemeanor.
(Acts 1977, No. 607, p. 812, §2110.)

That class of misdemeanors carrying these penalties:

Class B Misdemeanor
Maximum jail time: Up to six months in jail (either a county or city jail)
Maximum fine: Up to $1,000

Doesn't seem to make a difference whether or not a deadly weapon was involved, although some places that'd turn it into a felony.

[Heimdalr]

Death threats as misdemeanors? I will drag the nav-route to circumvent the entire state.

[azulmagia]

God Emperor Akhenaton

Or in other news, why crazy people shouldn't have guns.

Too bad all that bluster about mental health issues bruited about by the NRA recently, is well, a diversionary measure at best, and bullshit at worst.