A state trooper in Tyler, Texas defines the phrase “lucky to be alive.”
On March 22, Steven Stone was shot several times at point blank range during a traffic stop by the two occupants of the pickup truck he pulled over.
On The Early Show Friday, Stone told co-anchor Harry Smith he “originally stopped them for speed(ing). When the suspects finally do stop, I ask the driver to get out, and he leaves his door open. That’s a pretty busy road. I didn’t want someone to pass by and hit his door. So I go back there to close it. When I do, I see an open bottle of alcohol in the vehicle. I confiscate that, ask the driver if he has any weapons on him. He tells me he has a pocketknife. I take that from him or get that away from him. He gives me a Mexican driver’s license, and I was going to go back and run it (through the computer), but I wasn’t real comfortable. I start patting him down, and I find drugs (marijuana) in his coat.
“At that point, I was going to place him under arrest, and as I’m putting the handcuffs on him, I notice a pistol magazine in his pocket, and the passenger steps out, and things got real bad from there.”
As seen on the video, the two started shooting handguns at Stone. He says the first one hit him in his bulletproof vest. In all, he says he was hit two-to-six times, and rolled down an embankment.
Asked by Smith how he managed to survive, Stone responded, “I wish I could tell you, sir. It’s by the grace of God that I’m here and have the ability to talk to you. After that first shot, my vision goes black. I didn’t know I had fallen or was rolling down the embankment or anything. I didn’t get my vision back ’till I was already down in the embankment, and I — at that time, I was looking up at them firing down on me.”
They kept shooting, Stone says, until they ran out of ammunition.
He just had surgery and told Smith he has “some physical therapy ahead of me before I have an opportunity to go back to work.”
Stone adds that he thinks his training also helped him stay alive.
“Everything happened so fast,” he told CBS News, “I thought about my family and soon-to-be-two-year-old daughter. We are taught in the training academy, just because you’re hurt, doesn’t mean you give up and die.
” … I honestly don’t remember how I got back to the patrol car. I don’t know if I walked or crawled. I just don’t know. I just remember reaching for the mike and calling for help.”
Two suspects were apprehended after a high-speed chase, authorities say.
Mexican national Ramon Armando Ramos, 38, pleaded guilty earlier this week to 14 counts of aggravated assault on a public servant with a deadly weapon and was sentenced to 14 life terms. Francisco Saucedo faces the same charges in a trial scheduled next month.
During Ramos’ trial, Stone testified that, as he was being shot, he thought he was going to die.
Stone told CBS News the judge dealt properly with Ramos. Said Stone, “Considering the injuries I sustained and the total disregard for citizens, I think it’s fair.”
Guy wrote:
those fuckers will learn the fucking hard way! Iam so glad to hear that the officer is okay. What a scary, scary, experience!
Posted on 04-Jan-07 at 7:42 am | Permalink
John wrote:
Always sorry to see a good officer shot, but he sure was careless.
Posted on 19-Feb-07 at 6:27 pm | Permalink
Randy wrote:
CARELESS !!! What exactly do you do for a living? Probably make cakes. Sure hope you are not an officer. It is easy to look back and see things that could have been done different, but real life comes at you fast bakerman. I wish he could go one on one with them myself.
Posted on 19-Feb-07 at 10:46 pm | Permalink
Jeremy wrote:
Man i could not even imagin what was going through your head as you were being fired at in such a coward act of those two men. They tried to kill you with all intent they did not succed but God will take care of it when it comes to it. You ARE lucky to be alive!! A shot at close range is very leathal and as i saw in the video it was VERY VERY point blank!!!, I hope you are still out to protect and serve! Just watch your back next time everyone makes mistakes!!!
Posted on 27-Feb-07 at 12:53 am | Permalink
Adrian wrote:
Should have the state put them down for that, pisses me off to see an officer crying for help.
Posted on 07-Mar-07 at 5:43 pm | Permalink
Katy wrote:
Man, I’m glad he’s okay.
Posted on 27-Mar-07 at 11:20 am | Permalink
justin wrote:
officer stone is a leagend!!!!!!
dose any 1 no how many years those dick heads got?
Posted on 04-Apr-07 at 10:26 pm | Permalink
Gvidas Stankevicius wrote:
Who is scraming that hard? The officer or people? Why officer is so scared I thought police never scared or something hahahha
Posted on 07-Apr-07 at 8:40 pm | Permalink
Miguel wrote:
Gvidas, you are pathetic. Get a life.
Posted on 20-Apr-07 at 9:28 pm | Permalink
shirin wrote:
Stupid criminals… why dident any one se that..?
Posted on 22-Apr-07 at 2:52 am | Permalink
LAPD SOON TO BE wrote:
I’m SO glad that he is alive and doing well.
Posted on 23-Apr-07 at 8:12 pm | Permalink
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Posted on 27-Apr-07 at 12:38 am | Permalink
MIKE wrote:
God Bless You Officer Stone. I am so glad that you survived something like that sir. You are a real HERO
Posted on 30-Apr-07 at 10:19 am | Permalink
mike wrote:
that pig wasn’t so tough anymore
“help! help!”
pussy bitch cunt pig
too bad they missed most of their shots
Posted on 08-May-07 at 10:29 pm | Permalink
Best. wrote:
Best….
Best….
Posted on 16-May-07 at 4:44 am | Permalink
SandiegoCop wrote:
public hang for both of the spics!
Posted on 21-May-07 at 11:42 pm | Permalink
wehewo wrote:
the cops shud tie them up and start peeing and crapping on them.
Posted on 06-Jun-07 at 11:06 am | Permalink
Another opinion wrote:
That was scary man, but you made it through it. that which dont kill us definetly makes us stronger. hope you have recovered phisically and mentally. AS for as #15 comment (mike). your one sick cockroach to make a statement like that. maybe as you grow hopefully you will change, otherwise your probably headed the same place these guys are.
Posted on 08-Jun-07 at 10:42 pm | Permalink
No Amnesty wrote:
This is what happens when you let illegals running around the country. Many times they are criminals!!!
Posted on 12-Jun-07 at 3:05 am | Permalink
john smith wrote:
Mike, you’re a queer fag cocksucker. You probably sell girlscout cookies for a living. Get a real job with high stress thatdeals with people like you everyday that requires extreme training and intelligence. Oh wait….then you’d have to be a police officer. Then who’ll sell your cookies ?
Posted on 18-Jun-07 at 12:16 am | Permalink
jetlxix wrote:
Thank you Trooper Stone. Every honest law enforcement officer is a hero.
Speedy recovery, God bless, and ignore all poor and tasteless remarks from those that can’t even begin to imagine what it must be like to stand on their own and make the world a better place.
Posted on 23-Jun-07 at 9:23 pm | Permalink
Eric wrote:
Mr. Stone I am glad to see you are alive and glad to see you are back in uniform. The only thing good that came out of this situation was 1) two idiots are behind bars and 2) Trooper Stone you learned a hard lesson that day to use backup. No one is superman.
Again Mr. Stone good to see you are back.
Posted on 14-Jul-07 at 9:33 am | Permalink
john wrote:
I worked at smith county jail at the time when Ramon Ramos and Francisco saucedo were incarcerated. they were both well respected men in the jail because of what they did to officer stone. They were both pieces of shit with no remorse from their actions. they were both put in segregated cells for 6 months until they each got 14 life sentences from judge cynthia kent. I am so glad those to idiots will die in prison for what they did. And i hope that big bubba fucks the shit out of both of them on a daily basis.
Posted on 18-Jul-07 at 1:31 am | Permalink
PTL SGT wrote:
John… I couldn’t agree with you more. Bubba may be a dirt bag criminal. But I want to put some money on his books for the service we all know he provides. HAHA!!!
Trooper Stone… Get well, stay safe.
Posted on 23-Jul-07 at 9:07 pm | Permalink
Anonymous wrote:
a.c.a.b.
Posted on 28-Jul-07 at 5:34 am | Permalink
Anonymous wrote:
help!!!!help!!!!help!!!!!
Posted on 28-Jul-07 at 5:36 am | Permalink
JOSE wrote:
HOLA A TODOS.SOY POLICIA ESPAÑOL Y ME GUSTARIA MUCHO HABLAR CON GENTE QUE SUPIERA HABLAR CASTELLANO.ME GUSTARIA SOBRE TODO HABLAR DE LA POLICIA AMERICANA.
UN SALUDO.
Posted on 05-Aug-07 at 10:29 am | Permalink
COPS ROCK wrote:
hey john smith, why don’t you put your own name in. i hope you need help from the police one day and they take their time getting to you. i bet you live in a trailer park and have nothing better to do cuz you’re too stupid to have a job. officer stone is a hero.
Posted on 14-Aug-07 at 3:45 am | Permalink
COPS ROCK wrote:
john smith, that wasn’t a dig at you. it was for mike.
Posted on 14-Aug-07 at 3:49 am | Permalink
FUCKERS wrote:
FUCKING MORONS. BURN IN HELL.
Posted on 06-Sep-07 at 8:10 pm | Permalink
FUCKDAPOPO wrote:
haha he screamed lika girrl
but thankgod hes alive
Posted on 21-Sep-07 at 12:44 am | Permalink
deputy wrote:
Fuckdapopo, you ever been shot? You don’t know what it’s like. Shut your trap.
Posted on 07-Oct-07 at 7:35 pm | Permalink
Sgt. Walman wrote:
I would just like to say to FUCKDAPOPO… What fucking drugs are you taking you knob, when you have been shot at point blank by a 9mm in the bpv let-a-lone the naked body you would be screaming and pissing you pants like a little girl. You are very very insensitive and you really should be ashamed at your self for mocking people that serve you and alow you to have a day out doors in this world.
I Thank God everyday i return to my 2yo child everyday and haven’t ever been caught up in that kind of situation, but i tell you now i would be screaming like a little girl if i was.
You are one lucky lucky officer.
Just one suggestion, maybe when on patrol by yourself you should from now on approach every car like a suspect take to risk, stay just outside the door well of you vehicle and shout orders to the occupants of the vehicle, get them detained first then conduct your investigation. NEVER PUT YOUR LIFE AT RISK WHEN YOU DONT HAVE TO
Posted on 09-Oct-07 at 2:30 am | Permalink
anonomys wrote:
Officer Stone I salute you for doing a job that many in this country won’t do, and to all officers out there thank you for what you do. Officer Stone I wish you a happy life with the ones you love and be safe
Posted on 12-Nov-07 at 8:21 pm | Permalink
Me wrote:
People, just ignore the little kids here posting ignorant drivel, it’s all they have in their insignificant lives. It’s a shame, really, they could be honorable or worthwhile humans, instead they choose to be a waste of cells, friendless, penniless, and living day to day with nothing to look forward to. Just your average teenage losers.
Posted on 13-Nov-07 at 11:11 am | Permalink
anonomys wrote:
you’re right FUCKDAPOPO is a useless immature spic
Posted on 13-Nov-07 at 8:31 pm | Permalink
anonomys wrote:
i know you didn’t say that but i thought i’d make the point
sorry for spamming just had to be sure i was understood
Posted on 13-Nov-07 at 8:32 pm | Permalink
none wrote:
John you deserve to be shot at to and if you died i couldcare less
Posted on 16-Nov-07 at 2:24 pm | Permalink
nick wrote:
u bastards are so mean
he fine and they are in jail
he should have called in for backup once he saw the license and/or the beer bottle. he learned the hard way and so did they
dont fuck with texas
cuz we will fuck you back
or get big bubba to
hahaha
Posted on 14-Feb-08 at 8:54 am | Permalink