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South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Police: Man steals hearse during funeral service
By Macollvie Jean-Francois

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

4:10 PM EST, December 17, 2008

WEST PARK

A Hallandale Beach man "tagging along" at a funeral service stole the hearse while mourners said their goodbyes, and led police on a brief chase, Sheriff Al Lamberti said this afternoon.

The man nearly met his end, when a deputy shot him in an attempt to stop the wild ride.

"Just when you think you've seen it all, this is obviously a first for me," Lamberti, a 30-year law enforcement veteran, said. "We've had hearses stolen before, but not in the middle of a service.

"It's obviously a very strange situation," Lamberti said.

The incident unfolded about 11:30 a.m., at Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church, at the corner of Pembroke Road and Southwest 52nd Avenue. The man, whose name the Sheriff's Office has not released, accompanied a relative who works for Eric George Funeral Service, Lamberti said.

After the casket was moved from the hearse and into the church, the man got into the hearse and headed to his home in Hallandale Beach. There, the man told his mother and others what he had done.

"He told relatives he had stolen the hearse, grabbed a Bible and a cross, and asks anybody if they want to go for a ride," Lamberti said.

The man then headed back toward the church in West Park. Meanwhile, police had issued a bulletin for the black hearse, and Hallandale Beach police spotted it about 14 blocks east of the church. They pursued it.

At some point, Sheriff's deputies cornered the hearse and approached the man on foot. He then floored the accelerator and tried to run over a deputy, Lamberti said.

That's when the deputy opened fire, striking the man in the right thigh, just above the knee, the sheriff said. The department did not release the deputy's name.

Despite being wounded, the man continued driving and made it back to Gethsemane. He parked the hearse, and ran into the church. BSO deputies, joined by Hallandale and Hollywood police officers caught up to him there, and took him down inside the sanctuary.

Paramedics then took the man to Hollywood Memorial Regional Hospital. His injuries do not appear to be life-threatening, Lamberti said.

Neighbors who watched the drama as it occurred were shocked, and outraged by the brazen theft.

"They need to sentence him to the highest degree, because that's immoral," witness Jasmine Thomas said. "That's completely disrespectful for some one who lost a loved one to have to deal with."

Detectives are investigating, and could not yet say whether the man in mentally ill or under the influence of any narcotics.

The funeral home had another hearse brought over to take the casket to the cemetery for burial, Lamberti said.

"I have to give a lot of credit to the congregation that was here," Lamberti added. "They were very cooperative… even though the sanctity of the funeral service was disturbed."

Copyright © 2008, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

babynoz said:

that what I highlighted HAS to be the only logical explanation for this..

Did he observe all yield signs?

Mars23 said:

Apparently not.

I'm still trying to figure out why he went back to the church.

babynoz said:

Badass!!

They shot him??