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A Rookie Cop Pulled Over The Hells Angels By Mistake — His Dashcam Captured A Chilling Encounter — Transcript

by The Hell's Ledger · 4,046 words · 732 segments · language en · Watch on YouTube

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0:00Red and blue lights flashed across the
0:02desolate canyon walls, illuminating 30
0:04leather-clad outlaws surrounding a lone
0:08police cruiser.
0:09Sweat stung rookie officer Wyatt
0:11Lawson's eyes as he hovered his
0:14trembling hand over his service weapon.
0:17He hadn't just made a routine traffic
0:19stop, he had cornered a nightmare.
0:22Highway 93 stretches like a jagged scar
0:25through the barren high desert of Owyhee
0:27County. It is a lonely, unforgiving
0:30ribbon of asphalt flanked by sheer rock
0:33faces and endless seas of dead
0:35sagebrush.
0:37For a seasoned cop, the isolation of the
0:39graveyard shift out here is a peaceful
0:42escape.
0:43For 23-year-old Deputy Wyatt Lawson,
0:46barely 6 months out of the academy, it
0:49was an agonizing test of endurance.
0:52Wyatt was a local boy, a former high
0:55school linebacker who joined the force
0:57with a head full of ideals and a
1:00desperate need to prove himself. His
1:02shift supervisor, Sergeant Thomas
1:04O'Reilly, had warned him about the
1:06psychological toll of the canyon
1:08patrols.
1:10"Out there, the silence plays tricks on
1:13you."
1:14O'Reilly had said, tapping a thick,
1:16calloused finger on the dispatch map.
1:19"You're 30 miles from the nearest
1:21backup. Whatever happens in the canyon,
1:23you handle it yourself until the cavalry
1:25arrives.
1:27And the cavalry is always late."
1:29It was a brisk Tuesday in late October.
1:32The dashboard clock on Wyatt's Ford
1:34Explorer cruiser glowed 11:14 p.m.
1:39The dashcam, an unblinking digital eye
1:42mounted to the windshield, recorded
1:45nothing but the hypnotic rhythm of the
1:46yellow center lines disappearing under
1:49the hood.
1:50Wyatt had just poured his third cup of
1:53lukewarm thermos coffee when the radar
1:56gun mounted on his dash chirped
1:58violently.
1:59The digital readout flashed red, 87 mph.
2:04Wyatt slammed his coffee into the cup
2:05holder, his pulse spiking. A single
2:08headlight tore through the darkness in
2:10his rearview mirror, approaching at a
2:13terrifying speed. As the vehicle blew
2:15past his idling cruiser, the concussive
2:18roar of a modified V-twin engine rattled
2:21Wyatt's windows.
2:23It was a lone Harley-Davidson
2:25motorcycle, completely blacked out,
2:27swerving aggressively into the oncoming
2:30lane to take the sharp canyon curves.
2:35Wyatt barked into his shoulder mic,
2:38adrenaline finally clearing the fog of
2:40exhaustion from his brain.
2:42"I've got a single rider westbound on 93
2:46near mile marker 42, clocked at 87 in a
2:4955, initiating pursuit." Static crackled
2:53in his ear before the weary voice of
2:55Brenda, the night dispatcher, broke
2:57through.
2:59"Copy that, unit four. Use caution.
3:01You're entering the dead zone. Radio
3:04telemetry might get spotty past the old
3:06mining ridge." "10-4." Wyatt replied,
3:10throwing the cruiser into drive and
3:12flicking on his light bar. The strobe of
3:14red and blue painted the canyon walls in
3:17frantic strobing colors.
3:19He punched the accelerator, the heavy
3:20SUV surging forward. It took Wyatt 2 mi
3:24of dangerous high-speed cornering to
3:27finally catch up to the solitary biker.
3:29The rider didn't panic. He didn't try to
3:32outrun the cruiser. Instead, he smoothly
3:35rolled off the throttle, guiding his
3:37heavy chopper toward the narrow shoulder
3:40just beneath the shadow of an abandoned
3:42copper mining facility.
3:45Wyatt pulled in behind the motorcycle,
3:47angling his cruiser outward to protect
3:50them from oncoming traffic, a textbook
3:52maneuver.
3:54He threw the vehicle into park and
3:56exhaled a heavy sigh.
3:58Just a guy with a heavy throttle hand,
4:01he thought.
4:02A routine ticket. The dash cam footage
4:05from that exact moment would later be
4:07studied by state investigators, FBI gang
4:10task forces, and police academies across
4:13the country.
4:15In the video, Wyatt can be seen stepping
4:17out of his vehicle, his right hand
4:20casually resting on his belt, his
4:22flashlight in his left.
4:24He looks completely relaxed.
4:26Then the audio on the dash cam picks up
4:29a strange, low-frequency hum.
4:32Wyatt paused, his boots crunching on the
4:35gravel.
4:36He turned his head toward the
4:38pitch-black road ahead. The hum
4:40deepened, vibrating in Wyatt's chest
4:42cavity like the beating of a massive
4:44mechanical heart.
4:46It wasn't the wind.
4:48From the rusted chain-link gates of the
4:50abandoned copper mine, directly adjacent
4:52to the traffic stop, a pair of
4:54headlights flicked on.
4:56Then another pair.
4:58Then five more.
5:00Wyatt froze. His breath plumed in the
5:03freezing air.
5:05A deafening roar erupted from the
5:07darkness as 24 heavy motorcycles rolled
5:11out of the mine's access road.
5:13They didn't just pass him, they poured
5:16onto the highway like a mechanized wolf
5:18pack, moving with terrifying military
5:20precision.
5:22In a matter of seconds, they circled
5:24Wyatt's cruiser, cutting off his escape
5:26route.
5:27They formed a tight, impenetrable
5:29horseshoe around the police SUV and the
5:32solitary biker Wyatt had just pulled
5:34over.
5:35The blinding glare of two dozen
5:37headlights pinned Wyatt against his own
5:40driver's side door.
5:42Squinting through the harsh light, he
5:44finally saw the backs of their leather
5:46cuts.
5:47The winged skull, the red and white
5:50lettering,
5:51the top rocker that read Hells Angels.
5:55Wyatt's stomach plummeted into his
5:57boots.
5:58He hadn't pulled over a lone speeder.
6:01He had clipped the scout of a heavy
6:02convoy, and he had just driven himself
6:05straight into the center of the world's
6:07most notorious outlaw motorcycle club.
6:10The dashcam video of the encirclement is
6:13a master class in psychological warfare.
6:17For 30 agonizing seconds,
6:19nobody moved. The bikers kept their
6:21engines running, revving their throttles
6:24in a staggered chaotic symphony that
6:26drowned out the sound of Wyatt's radio.
6:30The noise was a physical weight designed
6:32to disorient, to intimidate, to make the
6:35young deputy acutely aware that out here
6:38in the dark, the badge on his chest was
6:41nothing more than a piece of tin.
6:44Wyatt's hand drifted away from his
6:46flashlight and hovered instinctively
6:49over the grip of his Glock 17.
6:52His heart hammered wildly against his
6:54ribs. Don't draw, his academy training
6:57screamed in his mind. If you draw, you
7:00escalate.
7:01If you escalate against 20 armed men,
7:04you die.
7:06Suddenly, as if operated by a single
7:09hive mind, the bikers cut their engines.
7:12The sudden suffocating silence that fell
7:14over the canyon was worse than the
7:17deafening roar.
7:18The only sounds were the pinging of
7:20cooling exhaust pipes and the rhythmic
7:23flashing of Wyatt's police lights
7:25bouncing off the chrome of the
7:26motorcycles. The biker Wyatt had
7:28originally pulled over kicked down his
7:30stand and casually leaned back lighting
7:33a cigarette.
7:35From the center of the blockade, a
7:36behemoth of a man dismounted his custom
7:39chopper.
7:40This was Jim Wheeler, known in federal
7:42indictments simply as Big Jim.
7:45He stood 6'5 carrying 300 lb of muscle
7:49and bad intentions.
7:51His leather vest strained against his
7:53massive frame displaying the
7:55sergeant-at-arms patch. Jim walked
7:58slowly toward the front of Wyatt's
7:59cruiser crossing his tree trunk arms,
8:02his face obscured by a greasy bandanna
8:05and the harsh backlighting.
8:07He was acting as a physical barricade,
8:10but it was the man who dismounted next
8:13who made the hair on the back of Wyatt's
8:15neck stand up. He was leaner, older with
8:18striking silver hair pulled back into a
8:21tight queue.
8:22He wore a crisp, clean leather cut with
8:25the president patch over his left
8:27breast. This was Declan Fitzpatrick,
8:30universally known on the streets as
8:32Ghost.
8:34Ghost didn't swagger like Big Jim. He
8:36moved with the smooth, terrifying grace
8:39of a predator that knows it has already
8:42won.
8:44Ghost walked directly toward Wyatt,
8:46bypassing the front of the cruiser.
8:49He stepped right into the halo of the
8:50police spotlight, his cold, pale blue
8:53eyes locking onto the young deputy.
8:56Evening, officer.
8:58Ghost said, his voice shockingly calm,
9:01cultured, even.
9:02It carried easily in the crisp night
9:04air. Wyatt swallowed hard, forcing his
9:07hand to stay steady.
9:08Good evening. Step back to your vehicle,
9:10sir. This is a lawful traffic stop.
9:14Ghost smiled. It wasn't a friendly
9:16smile. It was the bearing of teeth.
9:20A traffic stop? Out here in the middle
9:22of nowhere? You must be lost, son.
9:26Your rider was doing 87 in a 55.
9:29Wyatt said, his voice cracking slightly
9:32before he corrected his pitch.
9:34He reached for his shoulder mic,
9:36pressing the transmission button.
9:38Dispatch unit four, I have a 10-50
9:41multiple subjects. Requesting backup at
9:44Static. Wyatt pressed it again.
9:47Dispatch, do you copy?
9:49A burst of white noise hissed through
9:52the speaker, followed by absolute
9:54silence.
9:56The dead zone.
9:57Brenda couldn't hear him. The cavalry
9:59wasn't coming. Ghost took another step
10:02forward, violating the standard 6-ft
10:05safety perimeter officers are trained to
10:07maintain.
10:08Looks like Brenda is on her coffee
10:10break. Ghost murmured.
10:13Wyatt's blood ran cold. How did he know
10:16the dispatcher's name? I'm going to ask
10:18you to step back, sir.
10:21Wyatt commanded, unfastening the thumb
10:24break retention strap on his holster.
10:27The sharp snap of the button echoed
10:29loudly.
10:30To the right of the cruiser, a younger,
10:32hyper-aggressive biker with a jagged
10:35scar running down his jawline began
10:38pacing.
10:39This was Ricky Shovel Henderson.
10:42Ricky laughed, a high grating sound.
10:45Look at him, Ghost. The kid's shaking
10:47like a stray dog. He's going to wet his
10:49slacks.
10:50Quiet, Ricky.
10:53Ghost said softly, never breaking eye
10:56contact with Wyatt.
10:58Ghost stopped just 3 ft from the deputy.
11:01You're Deputy Lawson, aren't you? Thomas
11:03O'Reilly's new pet project. You drive
11:05this desolate stretch every Tuesday and
11:08Thursday.
11:09Sometimes you sit by the reservoir to
11:11eat a turkey sandwich at 2:00 a.m.
11:14Wyatt's breath hitched. They had been
11:17watching him
11:18for weeks.
11:19They knew his routes, his supervisor,
11:22his habits. We don't want any trouble.
11:26Deputy Lawson, Ghost continued, his
11:28voice dropping to a low hypnotic
11:31register.
11:32My brother over there, he had a heavy
11:33hand on the throttle. He was just eager
11:36to get home to his family.
11:38We're all just eager to get home.
11:41So, here is what is going to happen.
11:43You are going to get back into your
11:45heavily financed SUV. You are going to
11:48turn off those obnoxious flashing
11:50lights, and you are going to drive away.
11:53We will consider this a verbal warning.
11:56I can't do that, Wyatt said, though his
11:59knees felt like water.
12:01He broke the law. I need his license and
12:03registration.
12:05Ricky stopped pacing. He stepped out of
12:07the glare of the cruiser's headlights
12:09and moved into Wyatt's blind spot on the
12:12right side of the vehicle.
12:14"I'm getting sick of this kid's mouth,
12:16Ghost." Ricky snarled.
12:18On the dash cam footage, the tension in
12:21the frame reaches a breaking point. The
12:2330 bikers in the background shift their
12:25weight simultaneously. Hands slip into
12:28heavy leather pockets.
12:29Big Jim uncrosses his arms.
12:32"Listen to me carefully, Lawson."
12:35"Ghost." whispered the polite veneer,
12:37vanishing, leaving only a cold, venomous
12:40threat.
12:42"There are 24 of us.
12:44There is one of you.
12:46Your radio is dead.
12:48If you draw that weapon, you might get
12:50one of us.
12:51Maybe two if you're a marksman.
12:54But before your third casing hits this
12:56gravel, we will tear you apart.
12:59They will find pieces of you scattered
13:01from here to the Nevada border." Wyatt's
13:04thumb rested on his Glock. It was the
13:06ultimate standoff, duty versus survival.
13:10Suddenly, Ricky lunged from the shadows.
13:13"Screw this." he barked, reaching his
13:15right hand deep inside his leather vest.
13:19Wyatt's training took over. He drew his
13:21weapon in a fluid motion, bringing the
13:23heavy steel of the Glock up and pointing
13:26it squarely at Ricky's chest. "Drop it.
13:29Show me your hands." Wyatt screamed, his
13:32voice tearing through the quiet night.
13:35Ricky's hand jerked violently out of his
13:37vest, pulling a heavy metallic object
13:40into the light.
13:41Ricky's hand jerked violently out of his
13:43vest, pulling a heavy metallic object
13:46into the light.
13:48Wyatt's finger tightened on the trigger,
13:50taking up the slack.
13:52The pressure was a hair trigger away
13:54from breaking.
13:56"Drop it."
13:57he roared, his voice echoing off the
13:59sheer rock faces of the canyon.
14:02Ricky didn't drop it.
14:03Instead, he threw his head back and
14:06laughed a cruel, wheezing sound. He held
14:09the object up to the glare of the police
14:11spotlight. It wasn't a weapon. It was a
14:14bulky, heavily modified, chrome-plated
14:17Uniden police scanner.
14:20Unit 7 responding to a noise complaint
14:22on Elm.
14:24The scanner crackled, broadcasting a
14:26dispatcher from a neighboring county
14:28oblivious to the standoff happening in
14:31the Owyhee dead zone.
14:33Relax, Trigger. Ricky sneered, lowering
14:36the scanner. I was just checking the
14:38local traffic. You cops are all so
14:40jumpy. Before Wyatt could process the
14:42surge of relief washing over him, Ghost
14:45moved. The Hells Angels president didn't
14:48yell,
14:49but his physical presence was suddenly
14:51overwhelming.
14:53He stepped into Ricky's space and
14:55delivered a vicious open-handed strike
14:58to the back of the younger biker's head.
15:01The crack of leather against bone was
15:02loud enough to make Wyatt flinch. Ricky
15:05stumbled forward, his arrogant smirk
15:07instantly vanishing. I said, "Quiet,
15:11Ricky."
15:13Ghost hissed his tone, dropping to a
15:15dangerous absolute zero. "You pull a
15:18stunt like that again, I'll strip your
15:20patch and leave you for the coyotes.
15:23Fall back."
15:24Ricky rubbed his jaw, his eyes cast down
15:27submissively.
15:29"Yes, boss."
15:31He backed away, melting into the wall of
15:32silent, staring outlaws.
15:35Ghost turned his attention back to
15:37Wyatt.
15:38His demeanor shifted instantly back to
15:40the smooth, terrifyingly calm patriarch.
15:44"My apologies, Deputy Lawson. Ricky
15:46lacks discipline, but I strongly advise
15:49you to holster your weapon.
15:51If you fire that weapon out of fear, I
15:53cannot guarantee my men won't fire back
15:56out of reflex.
15:57And as we've established, math is not on
16:00your side tonight."
16:02Wyatt's arms were trembling with lactic
16:05acid build-up, the Glock 17 suddenly
16:07feeling like it weighed 50 lb.
16:10He looked at the 24 men surrounding him.
16:12He looked at the dead radio on his
16:14shoulder. Slowly, deliberately, he
16:17lowered his weapon and secured it back
16:20into its holster, fastening the thumb
16:22break. Smart boy.
16:24Big Jim rumbled from the front of the
16:26cruiser. Why are you doing this? Wyatt
16:29asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
16:32If you don't want a dead cop, why the
16:34ambush? Why trap me?
16:37Ghost reached into his leather cut,
16:39pulling out a silver Zippo lighter and a
16:41slim cigar.
16:43He struck the flint, the orange flame
16:46briefly illuminating the deep lines of
16:48his face. He took a slow drag before
16:51exhaling a thick plume of smoke into the
16:54cold desert air.
16:57We didn't trap you, Wyatt.
16:59Ghost said softly.
17:01We used you.
17:02The rider you were chasing, that was
17:04bait. We needed your cruiser.
17:07We needed those pretty red and blue
17:09lights flashing across the highway.
17:12Wyatt frowned, his mind racing to catch
17:15up.
17:15My lights?
17:18You're standing on our property.
17:20Ghost explained, gesturing vaguely to
17:22the asphalt.
17:24Highway 93 is Hells Angels territory.
17:28We keep the peace. We keep the real
17:30garbage out of the county.
17:32But recently, a certain syndicate out of
17:34Nevada, the Los Calaveras Cartel,
17:38decided they wanted to use our highway
17:41to run weapons up to the Canadian
17:43border.
17:45They've been taxing our routes,
17:47disrespecting our borders,
17:49and they just stole half a million
17:51dollars in club cash from a safe house
17:53in Reno.
17:54Ghost took another drag of his cigar,
17:57his pale eyes narrowing.
17:59We don't call the police when we get
18:00robbed, deputy.
18:02We handle our own business.
18:04You set up a road block. Wyatt breathed,
18:07the horrifying realization finally
18:09dawning on him.
18:11An official road block, Ghost corrected.
18:14If 20 Hells Angels block the road, a
18:16cartel convoy will just plow through us
18:18with heavy armor.
18:20But if they see a police cruiser with
18:22its lights going pulled over on a
18:24routine traffic stop, they'll hit the
18:26brakes. They'll slow down to avoid
18:28drawing heat.
18:30And that
18:31Ghost smiled a chilling predatory grin.
18:36is when we have them.
18:38>> [clears throat]
18:38>> Suddenly the modified Uniden scanner in
18:40Ricky's hand crackled with static
18:42followed by three sharp bursts of a
18:44radio click.
18:46Ghost's head snapped toward the sound.
18:49Talk to me, Ricky.
18:50Scout says they're coming.
18:52Ricky reported all previous arrogance
18:55replaced by cold militant focus.
18:582 miles out. Two blacked-out Chevy
19:01Tahoes. Heavy. Moving fast.
19:04The atmosphere in the canyon transformed
19:07in a millisecond.
19:09The psychological warfare against the
19:11lone rookie cop evaporated. The outlaws
19:14shifted from a street gang to a highly
19:16coordinated paramilitary unit.
19:19Big Jim and four massive riders moved
19:22their choppers angling them to create a
19:24funnel that would force any approaching
19:26vehicle onto the narrow gravel shoulder.
19:29Ricky and three others scaled the rocky
19:32embankments on either side of the
19:33highway pulling long rifles from hidden
19:36scabbards strapped to their bikes.
19:39The rest of the pack took cover behind
19:41the concrete pillars of the abandoned
19:43mining gate. What do I do? Wyatt asked,
19:47panic finally piercing his professional
19:49composure.
19:51He was standing in the middle of a war
19:52zone in a reflective police uniform.
19:55Ghost stepped up to him grabbing the
19:58young deputy by his ballistic vest.
20:00The older man's grip was like iron. You
20:03are going to crouch behind the engine
20:05block of your Ford Explorer. You are
20:07going to keep your head down. If you
20:09stay put, you go home to eat your turkey
20:11sandwiches. Do we understand each other?
20:13Wyatt nodded dumbly. He backed away
20:16taking cover behind the front tire of
20:18his cruiser drawing his sidearm once
20:21more.
20:22The sound reached them before the
20:23headlights did. The deep, guttural roar
20:26of high-displacement
20:28V8 engines tore through the canyon's
20:31silence.
20:32Wyatt peered over the hood of his
20:34cruiser.
20:35In the distance, cutting through the
20:37pitch-black night, two sets of halogen
20:39headlights appeared, devouring the
20:41asphalt at an alarming speed.
20:44Ghost had been right. As the vehicles
20:46rounded the bend and spotted the
20:48flashing red and blue lights of Wyatt's
20:50cruiser, you could hear the distinct,
20:53heavy squeal of anti-lock brakes
20:55engaging.
20:56The two black Chevy Tahoes slowed from
20:5980 mph down to a crawl.
21:02They crept toward the traffic stop,
21:04clearly intending to slowly bypass the
21:07police presence without drawing
21:09attention.
21:10They never made it past the abandoned
21:12mine. As the lead Tahoe pulled parallel
21:15to Wyatt's cruiser, Big Jim stepped out
21:18from the shadows of the barricade, a
21:20massive 12-gauge pump-action shotgun
21:23resting casually against his hip.
21:26He didn't say a word.
21:27He just leveled the barrel at the
21:29Tahoe's engine block and pulled the
21:31trigger. The roar of the shotgun was
21:33deafening, a concussive blast that shook
21:35the dust from the canyon walls. The
21:38heavy slug tore through the grill of the
21:40Tahoe, instantly blowing out the
21:42radiator in a geyser of hissing white
21:45steam.
21:46Chaos erupted. The doors of both Tahoes
21:49flew open. Men clad in tactical gear
21:52spilled onto the highway, raising
21:54automatic weapons.
21:56The Los Calaveras Cartel had not come to
21:58negotiate. A hail of gunfire lit up the
22:01night. Sparks flew off the asphalt and
22:04pinged off the metal of the motorcycles.
22:07Wyatt threw his arms over his head,
22:09pressing his face against the cold tire
22:11of his cruiser as bullets shattered his
22:14windshield and tore through his light
22:16bar.
22:18The high-pitched crack, crack, crack of
22:20the Cartel's rifles contrasted with the
22:22booming, rhythmic thud of the Hells
22:25heavy caliber handguns and shotguns.
22:28Flank right! Flank right!
22:31A voice screamed in heavily accented
22:34English from the cartel side.
22:36Wyatt peeked through the spokes of his
22:38tire. The Hellsangels were fighting with
22:40brutal terrifying efficiency utilizing
22:43the darkness and their superior
22:45positioning. Ricky's rifle cracked from
22:47the ridge pinning the cartel members
22:49behind their steaming vehicles.
22:52But then Wyatt saw a horrific tactical
22:55flaw.
22:56While the angels were focused on the
22:57front line, a lean cartel enforcer had
23:01belly crawled through the drainage ditch
23:03on the far side of the highway.
23:05He was completely hidden from Ghost and
23:07Big Jim. The enforcer rose up behind the
23:10concrete pillar where Ghost was standing
23:12raising a compact submachine gun aiming
23:15directly at the back of the Hellsangels
23:17president's head.
23:19Wyatt didn't think.
23:21The academy drills took over.
23:23Target acquisition, front sight focus,
23:26trigger press.
23:28Wyatt stood up from behind the engine
23:30block. He extended his arm centering his
23:32Glock on the cartel enforcer's chest. He
23:35squeezed the trigger twice. Bang!
23:38Bang!
23:39The hollow point rounds struck true. The
23:42enforcer jerked backward his submachine
23:44gun firing wildly into the empty sky
23:47before he collapsed into the dust.
23:50Ghost spun around at the sound of the
23:52close quarters gunfire.
23:54He looked at the downed cartel member
23:56then looked across the highway at the
23:58rookie cop standing over the hood of his
24:01smoking cruiser his gun still drawn.
24:04For a fraction of a second the outlaw
24:07and the lawman locked eyes.
24:10Ghost gave a single curt nod. The
24:12firefight lasted exactly 90 seconds
24:15though. To Wyatt it felt like hours.
24:18Outgunned, outmaneuvered, and caught
24:20completely off guard the surviving
24:23cartel members threw down their weapons
24:25raising their hands in surrender.
24:28An eerie silence returned to the canyon,
24:31broken only by the hissing radiator of
24:33the Tahoe, and the groans of the
24:35wounded.
24:37Ghost calmly walked to the back of the
24:39second Tahoe, popping the trunk.
24:41He hauled out two heavy black duffel
24:43bags, tossing one to Big Jim. He left
24:46the rest of the cargo bricks of illicit
24:48narcotics and unregistered weapons
24:50untouched.
24:52"Mount up." Ghost barked to his men. The
24:55Hells Angels moved like phantoms. Within
24:58seconds, the rifles were stowed. The
25:00injured, if any, were hoisted onto the
25:02backs of bikes, and 24 heavy engines
25:05roared to life in unison.
25:08Ghost walked past Wyatt's cruiser one
25:10last time.
25:11The young deputy was still gripping his
25:13pistol, staring at the carnage. "The
25:16cavalry is coming, deputy." Ghost said,
25:19tapping the hood of the cruiser.
25:21"I hear the sirens. You just
25:23single-handedly took down a major Los
25:25Calaveras weapons
25:27You're a hero. Enjoy the medal." With a
25:30roar of exhaust, Ghost swung his leg
25:33over his bike and tore off into the
25:35darkness, the rest of the pack following
25:38in a thunderous, perfect formation.
25:41Sergeant Thomas O'Reilly arrived on the
25:43scene 12 minutes later, leading a convoy
25:46of four backup cruisers. They found
25:49Deputy Wyatt Lawson sitting on the
25:51bumper of his bullet-riddled Explorer
25:54sipping lukewarm coffee from his
25:56thermos, surrounded by four zip-tied
25:59cartel members and a mountain of illegal
26:02weaponry.
26:03When state investigators pulled the SD
26:05card from unit four's dashcam, they
26:08expected to see a straightforward
26:09shootout. What they found became
26:12legendary within law enforcement
26:14circles. The dashcam evidence timeline.
26:17Timestamp event, recorded on unit four
26:20dashcam, 23:14. 02:00, Deputy Lawson
26:25initiates a pursuit of solitary
26:26motorcycle.
26:2823:19:45.
26:3124:00, Hells Angels encircle the police
26:34cruiser.
26:3523, 23, 10 Ghost steps into frame.
26:39The tense verbal standoff begins. 23,
26:4328:15,
26:44cartel Tahoes arrive. Firefight
26:47commences.
26:48Dash cam audio peaks.
26:5023, 29.
26:5210, Deputy Lawson fires two shots saving
26:56the Hells Angels president. 23:30:05,
27:00Hells Angels depart the scene with
27:02duffel bags leaving cartel for arrest.
27:05The FBI gang task force attempted to use
27:08the footage to indict Declan Ghost
27:10Fitzpatrick, but the charges never
27:12stuck.
27:13Technically, the video showed a civilian
27:15motorcycle club assisting a police
27:17officer during an ambush by a known drug
27:21cartel.
27:22It was a legal gray area that no
27:24prosecutor wanted to touch. As for Wyatt
27:27Lawson, he received the department's
27:29Medal of Valor for bravery in the face
27:32of overwhelming odds.
27:35He never told his superiors about the
27:37conversation with Ghost, nor did he
27:39explain why he shot the man who was
27:42about to kill an outlaw.
27:45Some lines, he realized, were blurred
27:47out in the desert.
27:49Three months after the shootout, Wyatt
27:51walked out to his cruiser for the
27:53graveyard shift. Sitting on the driver's
27:55seat was a brand new high-end Uniden
27:58police scanner wrapped in a red and
28:00white bandana.
28:02There was no note.
28:04There didn't need to be.
28:06Wyatt smiled, tossed the bandana into
28:08the passenger seat, and drove off into
28:11the canyon. What would you do if you
28:13were trapped on a desolate highway
28:16forced to team up with the world's most
28:18notorious biker gang to survive a cartel
28:22ambush?
28:23Deputy Lawson's incredible night proves
28:26that sometimes the line between outlaws
28:29and allies is written in survival.
28:32If this intense, real-life dash cam
28:35story kept you on the edge of your seat,
28:38hit that like button, share this video
28:40with your friends, and subscribe to our
28:43channel for more unbelievable true
28:46encounters.

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