Post by Kassandros on Feb 28, 2009 4:15:26 GMT -5
I dont know why I posted... but its interesting news. Dont mess with truck drivers..
Greek driver held over killing of alleged truck hijacker
Feb 27 2009 By Rod Chaytor
A GREEK lorry driver was held on suspicion of murder last night for allegedly knifing a robber to death.
Another man and a 15-year-old boy were fighting for their lives in hospital.
The trucker, Versillious Michalakopoulos, said he was asleep in his cab when he woke up as the trio tried to hijack his lorry.
He told police he suffered a knock on the head during a struggle with the men and picked up a knife to defend himself.
All three attackers, bleeding heavily, fled in a blue Subaru Impreza from the industrial estate in Coleshill, Warwickshire.
Minutes later, paramedics received reports of a man bleeding heavily in a car 10 miles away on the M6 near Birmingham.
The injured trio called emergency services to say they were heading for the Sandwell General Hospital in West Bromwich.
A witness at the hospital said: "A blue car sped up the ramp and skidded to a halt.
"Two chaps jumped out of the front seats screaming, 'Help us, we've all been stabbed.' They were drenched in blood.
"One of the men lifted up his shirt to show stab wounds on his stomach.
"They went into the back seats where a third man was sitting. He was a big bloke and looked unconscious. They managed to drag him out, leaving huge pools of blood."
The 41-year-old driver had carried a cargo of clothing to the UK from Greece. He was due to pick up a load for the return journey when International Forwarding opened for business at the industrial estate yesterday.
IFL's Nigel Parsons said that as the driver waited for police, he told how he was set upon by baseball bat-wielding robbers.
The trucker claimed he only stabbed them after he was attacked. Mr Parsons said: "The Greek driver was waiting to offload his cargo when three men approached shining flashlights into the window. It looks as though they were trying to steal the actual lorry.
"He owns the lorry, which is why he was so keen to defend it, and he kept a knife in his cab for protection.
"The three men apparently had baseball bats and, possibly fearing for his life, he stabbed them.
"Immediately afterwards, he pulled into our yard in an agitated state and began screaming, half in Greek and half in English.
"He told some of our workers what had happened and they called an ambulance.
"When the medics arrived, he told them he had stabbed some people and that they needed to find them quickly."
A mechanic who works near the crime scene added: "The Greek chap has been here before and apparently was a nice guy."
Greek driver held over killing of alleged truck hijacker
Feb 27 2009 By Rod Chaytor
A GREEK lorry driver was held on suspicion of murder last night for allegedly knifing a robber to death.
Another man and a 15-year-old boy were fighting for their lives in hospital.
The trucker, Versillious Michalakopoulos, said he was asleep in his cab when he woke up as the trio tried to hijack his lorry.
He told police he suffered a knock on the head during a struggle with the men and picked up a knife to defend himself.
All three attackers, bleeding heavily, fled in a blue Subaru Impreza from the industrial estate in Coleshill, Warwickshire.
Minutes later, paramedics received reports of a man bleeding heavily in a car 10 miles away on the M6 near Birmingham.
The injured trio called emergency services to say they were heading for the Sandwell General Hospital in West Bromwich.
A witness at the hospital said: "A blue car sped up the ramp and skidded to a halt.
"Two chaps jumped out of the front seats screaming, 'Help us, we've all been stabbed.' They were drenched in blood.
"One of the men lifted up his shirt to show stab wounds on his stomach.
"They went into the back seats where a third man was sitting. He was a big bloke and looked unconscious. They managed to drag him out, leaving huge pools of blood."
The 41-year-old driver had carried a cargo of clothing to the UK from Greece. He was due to pick up a load for the return journey when International Forwarding opened for business at the industrial estate yesterday.
IFL's Nigel Parsons said that as the driver waited for police, he told how he was set upon by baseball bat-wielding robbers.
The trucker claimed he only stabbed them after he was attacked. Mr Parsons said: "The Greek driver was waiting to offload his cargo when three men approached shining flashlights into the window. It looks as though they were trying to steal the actual lorry.
"He owns the lorry, which is why he was so keen to defend it, and he kept a knife in his cab for protection.
"The three men apparently had baseball bats and, possibly fearing for his life, he stabbed them.
"Immediately afterwards, he pulled into our yard in an agitated state and began screaming, half in Greek and half in English.
"He told some of our workers what had happened and they called an ambulance.
"When the medics arrived, he told them he had stabbed some people and that they needed to find them quickly."
A mechanic who works near the crime scene added: "The Greek chap has been here before and apparently was a nice guy."