Don't mess with him: Homeowner thwarts burglary of his house

After April 8, criminals like these won't be able to ignore laws and victimize with impunity, certain that their intended victims are unarmed. That's because after April 8, drivers and homeowners like Mr. Reed will finally be able to exercise their Constitutional right to bear arms for self-defense.

February 3, 2004
Chillicothe Gazette

A home invasion on Owl Creek Road was thwarted Tuesday morning by a feisty homeowner, leading to the arrest of two Chillicothe men.

After the men were stunned by the homeowner's aggression, they ran to a waiting Chevrolet Camaro and took police on a high-speed chase on city and county roads.

The pursuit ended in Chillicothe after the suspects hit a parked car on Sycamore Street.

Police arrested and charged Ronald D. Woolum, 31, of 237 Park St., and Erik Rouke, 37, of 459 Belleview Ave., with aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony. Woolum, the driver of the vehicle, was also charged with fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest and no operator's license.

Sheriff Ron Nichols said both men are in the Ross County Jail on $250,000 bond. Nichols said Rouke could face additional charges of parole violation.

The incident was like a television movie come to life for William Reed.

"Everything happened so fast," he said. "All I could think was 'Oh no, these men are not going to rob me.'"

It only infuriated the hard-working husband and father.

"These bums need to get a job. I put too much time and energy into making my life and my family's life better to let these bums rob me," he said.

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Reed said he was returning home from work when a man, identified by Nichols as Rouke, crawled under the garage door as it was closing and pointed a gun at him. Nichols said Rouke had a loaded .22-caliber gun when arrested.

Reed said he put his truck in gear, hit the gas and crashed into his garage door in an attempted to either get away or harm the intruder. Rouke dodged the truck and went to the driver's side door, where he again pointed the gun at Reed.

The homeowner did not stop there.

Reed grabbed the gun, and the two men grappled. Reed said he managed to get the gun away and pointed it back at Rouke.

"He was pleading with me to let him go and I was like, 'No, you are going to jail,'" Reed said.

While Reed held Rouke at gunpoint, Woolum appeared from outside and fired two shots into Reed's left arm with a BB-type gun, he said. Reed went to his vehicle, called 911 and the two fled in the Camaro.

Nichols said two deputies, who were in the area on road patrol, immediately went to the house and took over the chase.

After the suspects left, Reed said the reality of what transpired in his garage began to sink in.

"You read about these things happening in Columbus or some other big city. You don't expect it to happen in Chillicothe," he said. "My family was in the house sleeping -- I couldn't let anything happen to them.

"The security of my family is my first priority."