The Simmons Collection: THE ATTACK

It was a dark and stormy night!

August 24, 1968. Ernie Simmons was awakened by a clap of thunder. He looked outside into the intermittent darkness and spotted what he had always known would happen......several thieves were loading his precious motorcycles onto the back of a truck.

His years of suspicions had been vindicated.

"I grab Remington 3 1/2 pump, race in my sleeping underwear to lane, I yell halt and I shoot. I tell fellow on ground to get up and walk and he say he can't....."

Five men and a woman were apprehended, and subsequently, charged. Ernie's two shotgun blasts had wounded three persons, one of them seriously. After a lengthy trial, charges against three of the culprits were dropped. The others were given a two year suspended sentence with probation. Charges pending against Ernie were dropped. In those days it was still  legal to defend one's property.