Car Crash and Police Shoot Taser Gun

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

04/14/2008 04:31:10 AM · #1

Hi all,

While out photographing around the Huntington Beach pier late Sunday afternoon, I saw some events take place that could be newsworthy. Iâ��ve sent them to the local newspapers, as well as Reuters wire service.

Anyway, a black late-model Mustang convertible crashed into a fire hydrant at the intersection of Coast Highway and Main Street (at the entrance to the city pier). Water was gushing wildly a hundred feet into the air, while a large crowd gathered. Police had blocked Coast Highway and was diverting traffic. Firemen were just arriving at the scene to turn off the water.

After the water had been shut off, a suspect was being questioned. At that point another suspect began running away from the scene. I donâ��t know how the two suspects are related, if in fact, they are related at all. After a police foot pursuit down the beach, the suspect was arrested. Others confronted the police and I assume they were acquaintances of the arrested suspect. There was shouting and police batons were pulled out. At this time, one officer pulled out his Taser gun and shot one of men arguing with them. At this time another man kept arguing and I believe he was arrested (but am not 100% sure on this). The crowd was yelling at the policeman with the Taser gun to stop â��taseringâ�� the man, who was now down on the ground.

A police officer has since contacted me and asked me to send him the photos for possible use for evidence. The officer had asked for my contact information at the scene. Here are some details:

Date: Sunday, April 13, 2008
Location: Car Crash: Intersection of Coast Highway & Main Street Huntington Beach, CA; Taser Shooting: On beach boardwalk behind the Life Guard HQ building
Car crash photos: were taken at around 6:28 p.m. with the water finally getting turned off at approximately 6:37 p.m.
Foot pursuit: starts at approximately 6:42 p.m.; suspect apprehended at 6:44:05 p.m.
Taser shooting: at 6:44:36 p.m.

Here is the link to the photographs:

Art Roflmao

Canon EOS-6D Mark II

04/14/2008 05:11:16 AM · #2

Whoa! Great action stuff, Les! Hope you get them published. Great shots!

To the cops, I say "Tase away!".

eschelar

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

04/14/2008 05:30:21 AM · #3

Hey les, very sweet shots.

Shot with Taser three, you make a comment about 'high voltage wires'... have you though about including a zoom-in bubble on the lower right corner? It's a bit hard to see with your watermark, but I suppose that if you sell the images, that would be less important.

glad2badad

Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic

04/14/2008 07:57:34 AM · #4

Dang! I'll bet that was a bit of an adrenaline rush, eh?! Way to stay composed and gather some great shots Les.

Apple iPhone 5

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

04/14/2008 10:26:15 AM · #5

He obviously forgot to wear his 'Don't tase me bro' t-shirt.

pineapple

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

04/14/2008 10:28:06 AM · #6

Glad to see the police didn't shoot you too. These days one can't be sure.

kandykarml

Nikon D80

04/14/2008 10:44:58 AM · #7

AWESOME... How close were you??? Looks like you were in the mix of it.. Great shots.. My hubby loves the COPS, taser episodes.. He'll get a chuckle out of seeing these..

Strikeslip

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

04/14/2008 10:48:37 AM · #8

Wow, well done! :-O

Eyesup

Nikon D300

Sigma 70-200 /2.8 APO EX DG Macro HSM II

04/14/2008 11:01:39 AM · #9

Originally posted by pineapple:

Glad to see the police didn't shoot you too. These days one can't be sure.

I would say this is another reason I'm happy I live in Canada... but then our police killed a guy with a taser just a few months back... worst part was his only crime was being lost in the airport.

04/14/2008 11:22:24 AM · #10

Originally posted by kandykarml:

AWESOME... How close were you??? Looks like you were in the mix of it..

I was actually right there in the mix. In one of the outtakes, the guy without a shirt was backing up away from an officer and he almost knocked into me. I had to back up as well.

At first, at the car crash scene, I had my ultra-wide angle lens on (Canon 10-22) because I was shooting something totally different (pleasure shooting). I had to quickly changed into my "Canon 28-135 IS" lens if I were to get any good car crash/water shots without getting wet. I also donned my media badge in order to get through the police line. So, luckily, when the foot-chase happened, I was already equipped with the right lens.

Had I had my ultra-wide lens on, I would have had to ask the police and suspects to move even closer for me. LOL!

Originally posted by kandykarml:

Great shots.. My hubby loves the COPS, taser episodes.. He'll get a chuckle out of seeing these..

The only COPS-required item that was missing was that the suspects weren't wearing those white "Wife Beater" shirts.

Tom

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

04/14/2008 12:07:00 PM · #11

Nice stuff Les. Let me know if you're ever shooting around LA and we can meet up

PhotoCatcher

Pentax K10D

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

04/14/2008 12:47:40 PM · #12

Excellent shots.

To bad the bad guys left the top down on the car... ;-)

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

04/14/2008 01:40:55 PM · #13

Hereâ��s a follow-up to the Taser shooting. My photos were published in the Orange County Register newspaper today.

Go to //www.ocregister.com. From that home page, click on my photo, which will bring you to the news article and photos. If the newspaperâ��s home page has changed by the time you read this, simply click here.

If interested, hereâ��s the link to my original set of photos on Flickr:

//www.flickr.com/photos/gainous/sets/72157604526385064/

Message edited by author 2008-04-14 13:41:08.

Nullix

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

04/14/2008 01:45:31 PM · #14

Originally posted by AperturePriority:

...I also donned my media badge in order to get through the police line....

Press Hat?

or maybe a pro camera with a big lens.

glad2badad

Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic

04/14/2008 01:49:11 PM · #15

Congrats on the publication Les. Very cool! Do you shoot for a local paper? Wondering about the "media badge"...

Spork99

OM System OM-1

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

04/14/2008 01:53:56 PM · #16

I don't get it. The idiots playing in the water flooding the street who wouldn't stop when ordered by the police? WTF? It's not like Huntington Beach is located in the desert ar anything. There's a LOT of water to play in. It's called the Pacific Ocean. Maybe they should have hooked the taser to the guy's head and tried jump starting his brain.

04/14/2008 03:18:36 PM · #17

Originally posted by Nullix:

Originally posted by AperturePriority:
...I also donned my media badge in order to get through the police line....

Press Hat?

or maybe a pro camera with a big lens.

Originally posted by glad2badad:

Congrats on the publication Les. Very cool! Do you shoot for a local paper? Wondering about the "media badge"...

I have press credentials. When I was invited to shoot the inaugural landing of the Airbus A380 last year, I was issued an LAX media badge (with no expiration date). Yes, I also shoot for the local newspaper, like in these photos. (go to page 11 to see three of my photos). Currently, it's all volunteer--and not only am I having fun, I hope to change my "volunteer" status soon. ;-)

trevytrev

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

04/14/2008 03:21:50 PM · #18

congrats on making the paper, very cool! Read the comments under the article, they are too funny.

PapaBob

Sony Alpha a7 IV

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

04/14/2008 03:33:46 PM · #19

Originally posted by AperturePriority:

Originally posted by Nullix:

Originally posted by AperturePriority:
...I also donned my media badge in order to get through the police line....

Press Hat?

or maybe a pro camera with a big lens.

Originally posted by glad2badad:
Congrats on the publication Les. Very cool! Do you shoot for a local paper? Wondering about the "media badge"...

I have press credentials. When I was invited to shoot the inaugural landing of the Airbus A380 last year, I was issued an LAX media badge (with no expiration date). Yes, I also shoot for the local newspaper, like in these photos. (go to page 11 to see three of my photos). Currently, it's all volunteer--and not only am I having fun, I hope to change my "volunteer" status soon. ;-)

I'll bet having a DPC camera strap would work just as well as having a media badge........

C_Steve_G

Apple iPhone 12

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 35-135mm f/3.5-4.5

04/14/2008 03:56:04 PM · #20

and a big "yay" for Katie Gainous and her team!

04/14/2008 05:26:09 PM · #21

Originally posted by C_Steve_G:

and a big "yay" for Katie Gainous and her team!

LOL! Thanks.

FireBird

04/14/2008 06:00:27 PM · #22

I like that first shot on your flicker page Les. All the images
were very good. Keep up the good work. They have anti-taser shirts
now. You might want to wear one when you're using the 10-22! LOL