My drama for the day! WHEW!!

Well, it started out to be a beautiful day. Boy, did I not know the drama that was about to happen. For those of you who don't know, I am the neigborhood taxi driver. I make 3 trips to 2 different schools, taking 3 other neighborhood kids to school with my kids. First stop is Dominique at 6:50 am, she is an 8th grader at my daughters middle school (Sig Rogich Middle School). Second stop to Rogich M.S., is at 7:30am with my daughter and Justin (Dominique's brother).

After dropping Justin off today (Emilie stayed home sick again), I was on my way home when I noticed a car that had a bashed in front hood and his windshield was all smashed up. I wondered how in the world was he able to drive this car? I made a mental note to look for a brick wall or something that he might have crashed into. A few seconds later, I made a turn (almost to my house) when I noticed a car on the side. Then there was a man across the street talking to another guy in a car. I pulled over and asked them if they were just in an accident. The guy, in a hysterical manner, said yes and the guy just hit me and run. It's a hit and run!! So I immediately told him I know where the guy is and am going to follow him. I made a u-turn and called 911. Shortly after the 911 operator answered, I caught up to the hit and run driver. I followed him for about 3 miles. He ran a red light and ran through a stop sign. I followed him running the red light and stop sign myself, but making sure to tell the 911 operator first, and cautiously going. He proceded to drop off his son at Rogich Middle school, then made an ILLEGAL u-turn in front of the school. I proceded to do the same, telling the operator first. The guy then heads back in the direction, where the accident was. I told the operator it looks like he may of just wanted to get his kid to school, then come back to the scene of the accident. Well, the idiot proceded to run ANOTHER red light and then looked like he was going to make a right hand turn (away from the accident), but then ended up making a left hand turn from the right hand turn lane, and drove right past the guy that he had hit. UNBELIEVABLE!!!! He drove right by him. He did pause to see the damage, but did NOT stop. The driver was going slow (the speed limit) but was swaying sometimes in the lane. So I wasn't sure if it was his car acting up or what. Anyway, I waved to the victim and told him I am on the phone with 911 and following the suspect. At this point, I am getting a little scared and wondering where the cops were. It has been a good 10 minutes, and still no sign of a cop. There was a white car behind me from the school, that kind of looked like an undercover cop, but he did not let me know and we had already driven about another 3 miles back to the scene of the accident.

Since the shooting and murder of a Palo High school student last week, there has been cop cars all over the area of the high school and middle school, since they are within a half mile (heck maybe even a quarter of a mile) distance from one another. I told the 911 operator that I had just seen a cop about 30 minutes ago (when I dropped off Dominique), that they have been patroling a lot since the shooting, and now there was no one there to help me?

ok, I know I am rambling here, but I need to get this off my chest.

So now, the suspect has driven past the victim, and we drive past my little subdivision. As we passed the victim, I rolled down my window, waved to him and told him I've got him and am on the phone with 911 - cops are on the way. I followed him about another mile, and he ran another red light on a major intersection. By this time, I had told the operator that it looked like there was another white unmarked car that just made a u-turn and is following us now. I told her that I am also running this red light, as there was no cars around. I was not 100% positive that it was a cop, because I couldn't see a uniform, so I continued following the suspect. Shortly after we ran the red light, he pulled over. At this point I am starting to get really nervous, because what if he had a gun and was going to come at me? I asked the operator again, and she said there is a motorcycle cop trying to find us. The guy never got out of his car, but I know that HE KNOWS that I am following him. Shortly after that, he pulled into a gated community, and the 2 white cars behind me (that I thought were undercover cops) waved at me and pulled in between me and the suspects car. As the suspect drove into the gated community, the 2 white cars followed him with their lights on. I followed slowly as well. The suspect was not stopping, and I am starting to freak out! The cops had their lights and sirens on at this time, and the suspect is still going. I am thinking OMGOSH this is going to become a chase! Then appeared 2 black and white cop cars behind me, then there were 4 cops following him with lights and sirens on. The suspect finally stopped. I pulled up behind all the cops and pulled over, still talking with the 911 operator.

I just sat there shaking. I needed to call my kids, as I wasn't sure if I'd be home in time to take Bradley and Erica (another neighborhood kid) to their elementary school. A cop approached me and just asked me to fill out a form, with a brief description as to what happened. He did ask me if I witnessed the accident, but told him no that I saw the suspect just after the accident happened and had been following the suspect ever since. They took the guy out of his car and had his hands on the cop car then handcuffed him. I gave the cop my form, then left. At this point, the neighborhood people were out and wondering what was going on, and if it was safe to leave with their children to take them to school. I told them it was safe, and that he was a hit and run driver.

The sad point of this whole situation is that NO ONE stopped to help the victim. I had stopped 3 more times to talk with him, but then had to take kids to school in between times, and yadda yadda yadda, but NO ONE stopped to help him. So after I left the cops and the suspect, I went back to the victim. He called his wife on my cell phone, as he had just left his house when the accident happened and he didn't have his phone on him. It was an hour past the time the accident happened, and the guy was out there alone. People were just driving causiously by, and no one was stopping to help. No cops were around. When I was taking Bradley and Erica to school, we had to drive by him again, and I saw a cop on his way there. I thought to myself WHEW, at least there will be someone there with the victim. When I dropped off the kids and was headed back home, I noticed the victim was still out there alone. I stopped again, and asked him where the cop was, and didn't he stop? He said he stopped but said someone else would be there to help him. I could NOT BELIEVE THIS!!! Where were the cops to help the victim? No where to be found!! It took 5 cops (the motorcycle cop finally made it to the scene of the suspect just before I left)to handle the suspects situation, but no one went back to help the victim. I called 911 again to ask where the cops were to help the victim? It was so unbelievable. Anyway, finally, an hour past the time of the accident, a cop finally pulled up to help the victim. The victim was complaining to me that 3 years ago he had broken some ribs, and the suspect hit him so hard that he felt that something might be wrong and he was rubbing his neck too. I was about ready to call an ambulance for him, because we didn't know if there might be some internal bleeding. He was up walking and looked to be ok, but we just didn't know of any internal injuries.

The victim and his wife (who had called me on my cell phone, because he had called her on my phone) were so nice. I am just so glad the cops got the bad guy, and I hope and pray that the victim is going to be ok. He had an unusual name Giarolomo Sesto (or something like that- his last name I am correct with but not sure on the first name).

The reason I am so shocked is that no one stopped to help Mr. Sesto. He was out there for an hour before the cops came to his aid. CAN YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT? I am in pure shock and can't believe that it took the cops that long to help the victim.