Being convinced that drunk driving is one of America's most catastrophic social problems and therefore, desiring that citizens become more seriously involved in its eradication, I loved this story from Fredonia, Wisconsin.When three motorists encountered a driver traveling recklessly on an Ozaukee County highway this week, they all had the same thought: This guy needs to be stopped.
And stop him is exactly what they did, using their vehicles to box him in at a stoplight.
Police say the driver they boxed in was heavily intoxicated, with a blood-alcohol content four times what the state considers evidence of intoxication.
None of the three motorists communicated with each other in any way, they said. They just came together and made sure the driver could go no further...
Blumenberg and Niffenegger followed the pickup until it stopped for the traffic light at Highways H and 57. At that point, Blumenberg took over. Blumenberg raced in front of the pickup and turned his truck partially sideways to block the pickup's path, according to a picture layout drawn by Podewils. "I have an old truck, and I didn't want that pickup to go any further," Blumenberg said.
Niffenegger said she watched Blumenberg block the pickup from the front, "and I blocked him from the rear. Then, my daughter called 911." The third driver positioned his vehicle to the right of Niffenegger.
Blumenberg opened the pickup truck's door and pulled out the keys from the ignition. When the pickup driver took out a second ignition key, Blumenberg grabbed that one, too.
Police arrived a short time later and took Gil-Flores into custody.
The accompanying illustration, by the way, is "Vigilante Ways" painted by Olaf C. Seltzer (1877-1957).
