The “stolen car vigilante” was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Friday. People living in the vicinity of Milwaukee, Wisconsin have been closely following the case since 2021. He wasn’t on the job as a freelance vehicle bounty hunter when he shot two teenagers during a road rage incident, paralyzing one of them.
Sentenced to prison
Jerod Brumfield is going to prison. The judge didn’t give him one of those slap on the wrist sentences that corrupt federal officials and other violent career criminals tend to land.
The judge gave him a full 15 years. He actually got off reasonably light for what he was charged with. Brumfield was looking at up to 120 years.
Brumfield made a career out of taking the law into his own hands but that isn’t what got him sent to prison. Not directly. Since police are powerless to stop car theft, or any other crime, there was a huge demand for his location and retrieval service.
On the fateful day, he was just another ordinary citizen with road rage. Who happened to have a handgun and no control. He didn’t have any valid self-defense reason for firing because all he had been attacked with is eggs.
The victims, a 17-year-old and 19-year-old, “were driving around throwing eggs at cars and hit Brumfield’s vehicle.” He instantly started pursuit.
He could have called police with their location and plate number but he didn’t. As described by prosecuting attorney Grant Huebner, “he chases them down.” He’s going to prison for what happened next.
Shot in the spine
Chasing them down was only the beginning. An enraged Brumfield rammed their car with his own, then fired shots into the rear window. That was uncalled for.
“One of these shots goes through the trunk, through the rear seat, and through the hand of one of the victims and into the spine of a 17-year-old girl who is now paralyzed.” That deserves a prison sentence.
To his credit, Brumfield “pleaded guilty to first-degree reckless injury and second-degree recklessly endangering safety.” That saved the taxpayers enough aggravation to be worth mitigating his prison stretch a little.
The girl who was unfortunately paralyzed seems to have recognized her assailant. “Williams told police she yelled out to Brumfield that the Hyundai they were driving ‘wasn’t stolen,’ since Brumfield locates and chases down stolen cars for work.”
Her chance for the career of her choice was ended by Brumfield’s bullet. She was a talented and aspiring basketball player, until she went out egg-throwing. Things got serious in a split instant.
She relates seeing “one gunshot, ducked down, and was hit by a second round.” She had a chance at the WNBA and pretty much had a college scholarship all sewn up with her skills on the court. Brumfield will get out of prison in 15 years at the most. She’s never going to get out of her wheelchair.
