Bald eagles and vehicle pursuit - what a day.

[Faulkner]

Part 1:

My wife and I decided to take a drive over to visit some friends on their farm in the next county. My wife received an email from them stating that there was a pair of bald eagles that had built a nest in a tall oak next to the pond on their farm. My wife, ever the photographer, wanted to go for a visit and see if she could get a few pictures of the eagles. Though the bald eagle population has increased in recent years, they are still not a very common sight in the Arkansas Ozarks.

We got up early Saturday morning and loaded up my pickup for the trip. She'd brought her camera equipment and I grabbed my Nikon DSLR and 70-300mm zoom, and I went ahead and cased my Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 with my newly installed 5mW green laser and brought it along to show my buddy. As we hit the road I noticed the skies were completely cloudy with temps in the mid 40's, but at least the wind wasn't blowing.

We arrived at our friend's farm a little after 9:00 am and after a short visit, we all jumped back in the truck to go see the bald eagle nest in a remote section of their farm. Maybe we'd even see the eagles too. As we drove down the edge of large pasture next to a tree line we could see the eagle's nest. With the binoculars I pulled out of my duty bag we could see one eagle on the nest and the other roosting in a nearby tree, obviously keeping an 'eagle eye' on us. We drove to about 200 yards of the nest and I angled the truck so my wife could roll down the windows and get some pictures without getting out.

After about 15 minutes of observing and taking pictures, I opened the driver's side door and stepped out so I could get my camera out of the bag for a few pictures. That was obviously an action the roosting eagle didn't take too kindly to. He, I assume it was a he, took flight and headed straight for us and screeching all the way. I grabbed my camera and was able to snap a few quick shots as the majestic bird made a couple of loops around us to check us out. My buddy said that was a pretty typical response any time they worked in the field with their farm equipment within a couple hundred yards of the nest.

 

[Faulkner]

Part 2:

After enjoying the visit with our friends through lunch we headed back to the Faulkner homestead. My wife was reviewing the pictures she'd taken in the view screen of her camera and was excited about several of the really good shots she was able to get of the second bald eagle sitting on the nest. As I often do as a matter of habit, I reached in the console and pulled out my handheld radio and turned it on to see if anything was happening on the sheriff's department net.

Surprisingly, there seemed to be a great deal of radio traffic. After a few minutes of sorting it out my wife looked over at me and asked what's going on.

"Some kind of a pursuit."

"Where at?" she asked.

"Still trying to figure that out, but sounds like it's headed this way."

"Just wonderful," she says. "Don't forget I've got to get back so I can go to that baby shower at church this afternoon."

"Yeah, okay . . . " I say as I'm still trying to figure out from the radio traffic what's going on.

It seems that the vehicle being pursued is leading them on a wild goose chase. I determine there is a state trooper and one sheriff's unit involved, but most of the other patrol units are way out of place to participate though a couple of them are headed in the general direction. I pulled over to a country store/gas station, pulled out my cell phone and called dispatch.

"County dispatch." I recognized the voice.

"Cheryl, this is Faulkner. I'm just entering the county in my POV (personal owned vehicle) on Route 16 and it sounds like the pursuit may be heading this way. Why are they chasing him?"

"Domestic disturbance. The suspect beat up his girlfriend and when her teenage brother intervened the brother got shot. Unit 12 is on the scene of the shooting. The subject fled but we got a description and direction of travel. Unit 9 spotted him and when he tried to pull him over he ran. Gotta trooper backing up Unit 9."

"Okay," I said, "I'll set up a road block on Route 16 at the crest of Ball Hill in case they come this way. Let the pursuit vehicles know."

"Will do," and she hung up.

I looked over at my wife and she said, "Is this where I get out?" This does not happen often, but we've been through this exercise before. Being a deputy sheriff's wife and on the job for nearly 20 years in a rural county, she knows stuff happens from time to time.

"If I've not come back or called you in 30 minutes call someone to come get you."

"Okay, be careful honey!" She grabbed her camera bag and purse, got out, and went inside the country store.

I put the truck back in gear and as I pulled out I heard the dispatcher over the radio.

"SO to Unit 9. Be advised that Unit 4 is in his POV and will set up a roadblock on Route 16 on Ball Hill."

"Unit 9, 10-4. Subject is a couple of miles from Route 16. If he turns right he'll be heading back to town. If he turns left he'll be heading straight for Unit 4." I could hear the siren in the background of the transmission, but the officer sounded cool and collect. Good.

I was only a half mile from Ball Hill and was there in short order. I placed my truck sideways in the middle of Route 16 and pulled my portable blue light out of my duty bag, plugged it in the cigarette lighter, and placed it on top of the cab. I already had my Glock 23 on under my Carhart jacket and I got an extra magazine out of my duty bag and placed it in my pocket. I then glanced in the back seat and there was my cased M&P 15-22. Dad-gummit, we'd gotten so involved watching the bald eagles I'd forgotten to show it to my buddy earlier.

I unzipped the case and pulled out the little .22 LR caliber AR. I grabbed a pre-loaded magazine and slapped it in and chambered a round, then checked to make sure the M3 tactical light and the laser were functional. They were.

About that time I heard a radio call directed at me.

"Unit 9 to Unit 4, suspect turned left . . . he's headed in your direction!"

I picked up my handheld out of the front seat. "Unit 4 . . . I'm set up. There is room on either side for him to go around me."

"10-4!"

A few short minutes later I could hear the sirens coming in my direction. Fortunately, there had been no other traffic on the highway. In my position at the crest of the hill I could see at least three quarters of a mile in that direction and momentarily I could make out the blue lights and then the pursued vehicle in front. I stepped back behind the cab of my truck and drew down across the bed with my little .22 rifle. I had no intention to shoot unless fired upon, but I could certainly light him up with the tactical light and laser. As they neared I could tell the suspect had his little 4 cylinder car to the floor, so at about a quarter mile I turned on the light and laser aimed right at the where I suspected the steering wheel to be.

He kept on coming, and it seemed to me that he was going to go around by way of the front of my truck. I could make out the drivers features by now so I just placed the laser right on his chest. To my surprise, at about 25 yards distance he locked the brakes and stopped the car with tires smoking. Man, I hope the units behind him don't ram him.

Keeping aim right on him I called out on the radio . . . "back off, back off, he's stopping . . . be ready for a runner!"

But he didn't run. He rolled down the window and stuck out his hands and shouted, "please mister, don't shoot me."

Unit 9 and the state trooper positioned themselves behind the suspect's car and conducted a felony takedown. Once they got him into custody I unloaded and cased my little .22 rifle and looked at my watch. It had been about 13 minutes since I'd dropped off my wife.

"Hey guys, you got this? I gotta go back and pickup my wife so she can get to a baby shower or I'll never hear the end of it."

"Sure Faulkner," Unit 9 replied, "just stick a supplemental report in my box in the morning?"

As I pulled back into the parking lot of the little country store my wife came out and climbed back in the truck.

"That didn't take long. Anything exciting happen?" She asked.

"Not too much, they caught him."

 

[BrianE]

Now that's an awesome day! Now I see why you have a batman avatar! Good on you sir! Stay safe.....

 

[paplinker]

Great story. Now tell us which made you more nervous.
The speeding felons car coming your way, or the flying screaming bird with huge talons circling you?

 

[bearfoot]

the other day a tv station, KDKA/ channel 2/ Pittsburgh,Pa. had video of an eagles nest in Hays, Pa. they have 3 eggs in the nest and an eagle repelled a racoon that tried to steal/ eat the eggs. it seems the game commission mounted video cams. i'm sure if someone wants to see the egales try the http: KDKA.com--if that doesn't work, IM me and i'll research the http.

 

[BaldEagle1313]

Great story. Now tell us which made you more nervous.
The speeding felons car coming your way, or the flying screaming bird with huge talons circling you?

Probably most nervous about Mrs. Faulkner missing the baby shower. Truck gets hit, it can be replaced. Eagle isn't likely to attack you unless you threaten it.

But a P.O.'d wifey? That can last a looonnng time.

 

[Faulkner]

Here's a picture of momma eagle sitting on the nest my wife got. Not a bad shot from around 200 yards away.

 

[nicky4968]

Keep calm and call Batman.

 

[Faulkner]

Probably most nervous about Mrs. Faulkner missing the baby shower. Truck gets hit, it can be replaced. Eagle isn't likely to attack you unless you threaten it.

But a P.O.'d wifey? That can last a looonnng time.

You got that right!!

 

[Hillbilly77]

Is the brother that got shot ok?

 

[Faulkner]

Is the brother that got shot ok?

He was shot in the hand, interestingly enough, by a .22 LR handgun during a struggle between he and the suspect.