logo
83-year-old attacked in fit of road road rage outside Kroger, Michigan cops say

83-year-old attacked in fit of road road rage outside Kroger, Michigan cops say

Miami Herald09-07-2025
Bystanders came to the aid of an 83-year-old man who Michigan authorities say was violently attacked outside a Kroger store.
The Dearborn Police Department said a fit of road rage led to the July 4 incident and the arrest of another driver.
According to a Facebook post, George 'Judo' Whittaker broke his hip and has a possible concussion after the attack.
Whittaker told WXYZ he pulled out of the Kroger parking lot but attempted to turn back into the lot to drop off mail, angering a driver behind him.
The other driver got out of his car and got in the face of Whittaker, who told WXYZ he was 'only an inch away.' As they began to fight, Whittaker fell hard to the ground.
Whittaker was taken to a hospital with injuries, according to police.
Police said the driver fled the scene in a pickup truck. Meanwhile, 'several concerned citizens' provided aid to Whittaker and gave officers information about the accused attacker.
The driver was identified due in part to local businesses, which provided surveillance footage to officers, according to police
The police department said the driver was taken into custody July 5.
He was identified by WWJ as 55-year-old John Kreitner and was charged with aggravated assault.
'This incident is a reminder that violence on our roadways will not be tolerated,' Police Chief Issa Shahin said in a statement. 'We are grateful to the good Samaritans and local businesses who quickly stepped up to support our investigation and bring the suspect into custody.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Woman uses bear spray to save husband from grizzly attack in Canada
Woman uses bear spray to save husband from grizzly attack in Canada

USA Today

time13 minutes ago

  • USA Today

Woman uses bear spray to save husband from grizzly attack in Canada

The Conservation Officer Service said the bears' reaction "was defensive in nature," and the couple likely surprised the two bears at the corner of the trail. A married couple that was e-biking along a Canadian trail startled two bears that attacked them over the weekend, requiring one person to undergo surgery, according to local officials. The incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. local time on Saturday, July 26, as the husband and wife were e-biking along the Kootenay River when two grizzly bears attacked them, according to information shared by the Conservation Officer Service (COS) in British Columbia. Officers interviewed the couple, assessed the area and spoke to a carnivore specialist, who stated the bears likely acted in self-defense. Two days after the ordeal, the Conservation Officer Service said the bears' reaction "was defensive in nature," and the couple likely surprised the animals at the corner of the trail, which has thick brush around it. The service found no evidence that the bears were stalking or hunting the couple, and there have been no recent reports of bear activity or aggressive bear behavior in the area before the attack. "These people were well-prepared," COS Insp. Dave Webster said in a Facebook post. "They had bear spray, had it readily accessible, and knew how to use it. We'd like to recognize these actions and encourage anyone hiking, biking or recreating in bear country to take similar precautions." What happened that day? The woman told officials she heard her husband scream, then she saw a grizzly bear running toward her. As she grabbed her bear spray, she noticed a second bear attacking her husband. "She again used bear spray and both bears ran off," Webster wrote, noting that the husband suffered "significant injuries." He is expected to recover, the service later said. The couple called for help, and once emergency services arrived, the husband was taken to a hospital where he underwent surgery. That day, officers swept the area but found no bears, and three major trails in the area were closed off with signs added. Officials also set traps, although no bears were captured. The following day, officers searched the area and found no bears. Trails remained closed, they said. Due to the bears acting in self-defense, the service will not capture the animals. The trails were closed as of July 28. USA TODAY contacted officials on Wednesday, July 30, about the reopening of the trails, but did not receive an immeidate response. What to do if you encounter a bear It's possible to run into bears along busy trails close to town or in the remote backcountry, according to Parks Canada. Parks Canada said situations in which bears stalk or hunt humans along a trail are rare. While bears try to avoid people, interactions do occur. Some ways to avoid bear encounters include: And if, by chance, you encounter a bear anyway, Parks Canada said some best practices include: Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@

‘Partially paralyzed' man stuck 9 hours in slowly sinking boat, LA rescuers say
‘Partially paralyzed' man stuck 9 hours in slowly sinking boat, LA rescuers say

Miami Herald

time40 minutes ago

  • Miami Herald

‘Partially paralyzed' man stuck 9 hours in slowly sinking boat, LA rescuers say

A partially paralyzed man spent hours trapped in a 'terrifying' predicament when his boat began sinking in a southeast Louisiana marsh, rescuers say. The discovery was made just after sunset Friday, July 25, in a remote area along the banks of Lake Borgne. 'When a 57-year-old crabber didn't return home from the East Pearl River, his family knew something wasn't right,' the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office wrote in a July 30 Facebook post. 'They told deputies he was partially paralyzed on his left side due to a previous medical condition, and that he hadn't been heard from since 10 a.m. By 5 p.m., he was officially missing.' Multiple agencies joined in the search, starting from the man's 'usual launch point,' officials said. The search ended three hours later, in 'a marshy area near Lake Borgne.' 'What they found was nothing short of terrifying. The man's boat was partially submerged. His motor had failed. His phone had gone underwater. And he was in the water … exhausted, alone, and without any way to call for help,' the sheriff's office said. 'Stranded for nearly nine hours, unable to move freely due to his medical condition, and surrounded by marshland, he was out of options.' The man was pulled from the marsh by Sgt. Chuck White and Deputy John Hrabley with the parish's Marine Division and taken for a medical evaluation, officials said. The man's identity has not been released. He was treated 'for heat-related issues,' then taken home that same night, officials said. Temperatures rose to 90 degrees that day in the parish, AccuWeather reports. 'This is what we do. And on this day, it saved a life,' the sheriff's office said. The situation started when the man's boat malfunctioned, and then his cellphone went 'dead,' the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries reports. Lake Borgne is just east of New Orleans.

Beloved lion killed by trophy hunter in alleged ‘unethical' hunt
Beloved lion killed by trophy hunter in alleged ‘unethical' hunt

USA Today

time2 hours ago

  • USA Today

Beloved lion killed by trophy hunter in alleged ‘unethical' hunt

A beloved lion named Blondie in Zimbabwe was killed by an American trophy hunter whose professional guide claims the hunt in the last week of June was "conducted legally and ethically." However, others allege the well-known lion was lured out of Hwange National Park and its protective zone where wildlife photographers helped make Blondie a household name in the park. Africa Geographic, which sponsored the GPS collar on Blondie, reported that 'despite wearing a conspicuous research collar and being younger than the recommended minimum hunting age of six years, this young lion was lured out of a photographic concession and killed in what many are calling a deeply unethical hunt.' Africa Geographic also reported that sources say the hunt took place legally with all required permitting in place, and the professional guide is allegedly a member of the Zimbabwe Professional Guides Association. One source told Africa Geographic that Blondie was 5 years, 3 months old and was the dominant male of a pride that included three adult females and 10 cubs. Zimbabwe hunting regulations mandates a minimum age of 6 years for lions trophy hunted, with hunts to focus on mature, non-pride males. 'According to reports from operators in the area, Blondie was last seen in his core range in June 2025,' Africa Geographic stated. 'Observations suggest that he was baited out of the photographic concession over a period of several weeks and lured into the hunting area, where he was subsequently shot. The entire pride reportedly followed him during this period. 'There are concerns that the Professional Hunter [i.e. the guide] involved in the hunt was aware that Blondie was collared and that he had dependent cubs. It has been reported that, two weeks prior to the hunt, the hunter confirmed seeing Blondie with cubs and lionesses. When approached by AG for his side of the story, the PH declined to comment, other than to say that the hunt was 'conducted legally and ethically.'' LionExpose, which investigates and exposes wildlife exploitation and abuse, on Facebook claimed Blondie was lured and baited intentionally. It named the hunter, the guide and guide service, and the owner of the land on which the lion was shot. 'As the sponsor of Blondie's research collar, we are dismayed and angered by this development,' Africa Geographic CEO Simon Espley said. 'That Blondie's prominent collar did not prevent him from being offered to a hunting client, confirms the stark reality that no lion is safe from trophy hunting guns. He was a breeding male in his prime, making a mockery of the ethics that ZPGA regularly espouses and the repeated claims that trophy hunters only target old, non-breeding males.' Also on FTW Outdoors: Covert operation uncovers illegal activities by fisherman The incident is reminiscent of Cecil the lion, who was said to have been lured out of the protected area of Hwange National Park and was then shot and killed with a compound bow by an American trophy hunter. Walter Palmer, a dentist, reportedly paid $50,000 to a Zimbabwean professional hunter/guide for the hunt. The hunter was never charged, but two Zimbabweans involved in the hunt were briefly arrested, though charges were eventually dismissed. Cecil, 13 years old at the time of his death in 2015, was well known in the park and generated thousands of dollars in revenue from wildlife photographers. He wore a GPS collar and was identified by his black-fringed mane. Cecil's death gained international attention, and as a result of the negative fallout, it was reported that significantly fewer hunters came to Zimbabwe in the months that followed. The Telegraph reported that the 'Cecil effect' left the park at risk of having to cull 200 lions due to an overpopulation of lions. Photos of Blondie by Owen Grobler of Searching for Spots used by permission.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store