Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Indy Not Even Safe For NASCAR Drivers

NASCAR Busch series driver Steve Wallace, 19, learned this week that the streets of Indianapolis are more dangerous than the race tracks he drives on every weekend. He was jumped by three men as he left a Broad Ripple convenience store early Monday morning. He finished 17th in this past weekend's Kroger 200 at O'Reilly Raceway Park. Wallace drives for his father Rusty Wallace. The Star reports on the attack:

According to a news release from his team, Wallace was jumped by at least three men as he left a store in Broad Ripple. Earlier, those men had commented on his watch, a gift from a sponsor for winning his second career pole in June.

After being unsuccessful in robbing Wallace, the men fled.

A police report said officers became aware of the assault when they were flagged down by Kyle Cook, one of Wallace’s friends, at 62nd Street and Guilford Avenue about midnight Monday. Cook said he had gotten a phone call from Wallace’s cell phone, and the caller claimed that he was going to beat Wallace unless Cook went to 52nd Street and Keystone Avenue.

Wallace had left Broad Ripple and gone to the Brickyard Crossing Golf Resort and Inn, according to the police report. Officers said they spoke to Wallace by phone, and he said he had been hit and kicked in the face by a man at 62nd and Guilford.Police went to 52nd and Keystone and found [Mark] Tharpe in a parking lot. Wallace was taken by officers to that lot, identified Tharpe as the man who allegedly assaulted him, and Tharpe was arrested.

A .40-caliber Ruger handgun, ammunition and $3,947 in cash were found in Tharpe’s car, which was towed by police.

Police said that Tharpe was shot and wounded in the right leg at 21st Street and Mitthoefer Road on Jan. 9.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Welcome to Indy

Anonymous said...

I'd bet we could ask the drivers about the "World Class City" that Bart has created.

Anonymous said...

There have been ongoing stories
in the Chicago newspapers this
week about an armed home invasion
against an NBA player's household
in the NBA player's Chicago area
home. This is the second such NBA player suffering an armed robbery at his home within the last year or so. I'm waiting for you to somehow now spin the NBA victim-player's Chicago area armed robbery as being Bart's fault?

Anonymous said...

DOn't blame Bart...if anyone, it's all those cops who need to start taking responsibility for doing their jobs!!!

Anonymous said...

THat sucks. But really, this could hardly be said to be a sign of increased crime. I've lived in BR almost 20 years, and I've had several personal acquaintances get "mugged" or had purse snatched in some form going back to the early 90's. It's fairly common because the criminal element predisposed to this behavior has a whole lotta targets who are usually drunk late at night and not particularly cautious walking to their cars or into the VP for cigs or snacks after the bars shut down.

It sucks for sure, but it's pretty commonplace.

Anonymous said...

and also: Is his friend Kyle Cook the Matchbox 20 guitarist Kyle Cook, Indy native whose dad David Cook is chief Public Defender?

Anonymous said...

Don't Blame Bart?????? Are you kidding me???? What part of the 25th floor are you from???????

Anonymous said...

Why did the incompetent police officers only initially charge the assailant with battery instead of the more serious charge of attempted robbery? I hope Brizzi's office files the correct charges here.

Anonymous said...

Police said that Tharpe was shot and wounded in the right leg at 21st Street and Mitthoefer Road on Jan. 9.

The far east side is quickly becoming more and more dangerous. The area of about 38th-46th and Post Rd. has gotten really bad with all the government housing. The city just authorized more government housing on the far east side near Washington Sq. Mall. Needless to say, my visits to that mall will likely go from 12 per year to maybe three. Even though I live about four miles away, it is worth the drive to areas that are not so run down. The Subway at 21st and Mitthoefer has been robbed at least twice. The gas station across the street at least twice as well. We got to that Domino's for pizza. My wife now refuses to go to that area because of all the trash just loitering around.

Anonymous said...

If Bart would budget to properly staff the police department, we may have enough police to do the job, but when you don't allow any to be hired for over 2 years...guess what happens.

-And, if there were enough police for our city, the criminal still would be released in a few short hours from the revolving door 'Arrestee Processing Center' without even having to post bond.

This is what happens with Democrat liberalism....

...but the rich get richer with tax abatements, new stadiums for millionaire athletes to play in etc.

Take the Colts stadium away from them and, instead creat a mega-jail. Find judges willing to lock up criminals and require proper bonds to assure appearance in court.

The current system is laughed at by criminals....get a warrant? OK, you'll get arrested and when you appear at the 'Arrestee Processing Center' the liberal left-wing 'judge' will release you on your own recognizance (promise to go to court). Now, what sense does that make? If you were arrested because you didn't go to court, why would any reasonable person think you would come to court again without posting a bond to assure you have a reason to come to court?

Anonymous said...

Here is the answer from The Machine:

"Tax and Spend" on a crony or adding a bunch of patronage employees...perhaps another Co-Director of Public Safety with a big salary and luxury city-owned car. He'd need a staff pof patronage employees, too!

Don't be surprised if The Boss asks his executive "Public Safety Consultant" what to do...and is suggested to hire a staff of 25 life-long Democrats to explore the reason why Gleaners was victimized!

It would be true-to-form Machine...


...And, of course, they would need some office space. Let's see, I bet they could pay tax money from the city budget to the Center Twp Trustee to rent an entire floor in one of the three giant office buildings owned by that TAXing entity! (See how the machine works, give TAX money from one TAXing entity to another unnecessary TAXing entity,)

-and it's all part of The Machine!

Anonymous said...

Anderson and Peterson are saying "Crimes down 20% in Indy" yea right! Tell that to Steve Wallace.

"DOn't blame Bart...if anyone, it's all those cops who need to start taking responsibility for doing their jobs!!!"

You are joking, right?

The police had the mugger very fast. Read the story.

naptownmark said...

Hello
To everyone who had something to say about Indy not being safe for nascar drivers is false. Im the guy that your talking about and none of this happened the way you think it did. Mr Wallace smacked me with his wallet which contained a fake police badge and a fake Id all because his friend was rapping and a group of people was around him listening and Steven thought it was a problem so he took his wallet out flashed his badge and made way to the front of the circle was and smacked me. But im not saying I didnt put my hands on him cause I did I just want everyone to know he was underaged in the club and all the lies that you belive are tru were made up to keep Steven out of trouble and to keep the club out of trouble. but I never tried to rob the man everything happened cause he smacked me and disrespected me robbery was not on my mind at all.