Deadly Force Not Authorized For Bike Theft

Intentionally running into a bicyclist with our van is deadly force. Deadly force is legally justifiable to stop some crimes. Bike theft isn't one of them. And, you look particularly bad when the person you run down in an illegal use of deadly force is just some innocent dude who didn't steal your kid's bike.

This all seems very clear in the Mile High City. But, down in Colorado Springs, not so much.

A Colorado Springs man was arrested Monday after deliberately striking a bicyclist with his Dodge van, police said.

Timothy Hombs was driving his Dodge Caravan around 2:15 p.m. near Palmer Park Boulevard and Wooten Road when he spotted an "unknown party" riding on what he thought his son's stolen bike," according to the Colorado Springs Police Department crime blotter.

Hombs "intentionally" struck the bicyclist with his van to stop it, got out of his vehicle and approached the person he believed to be a bike thief.

The bike, however, wasn't his son's, the blotter said.

The victim, fearing he was going to be assaulted again, punched Hombs in the face.

The victim suffered minor injuries to his leg, was treated at the scene and released, police said.

Hombs was treated at the scene for a facial injury and was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault.

Needless to say, the creep in the van deserved the punch in the face and is so shameless in his ignorance of appropriate behavior that he feels no need to lie.