A truck driver who used his semi truck to stop a fleeing alleged murderer last month says his insurance claim has been denied, leaving him in a tough position financially.
The incident happened on the evening of April 6th in southern California, after officers began pursuing 35 year old Michael Caleb Reed, who was accused of shooting and killing a man at a home in Oildale on March 28.
Reed led police on a high speed chase for over two hours, until trucker Ahmed Shaaban noticed what was happening and decided to take matters into his own hands.
“I was thinking just to block the intersection so he cannot pass. I did not think he would gun his truck the way he did. … He hit me pretty hard,” Shaaban said.
Since then, Shaaban has filed a $22,000 claim with his insurance company to pay for truck repairs, but the company says they will not pay for the damages. According to a letter from the company, Shaaban’s actions were “deliberate,” so the company “must deny any and all liability for the loss,” reported KY3 News.
“I saw what happened and I took the decision to stop it, because if I didn’t, this person could have killed someone,” Shaaban said.
“Either way, I know I did the right thing,” he continued. “I don’t regret my decision.”
Still, Shaaban says the now-wrecked truck is his only source of income, and his bills are stacking up. Luckily, his community has already set up a GoFundMe to help pay for bills until Shaaban is able to get his truck repaired.
“It’s racking up on me really hard and really fast,” he said. “I’m kind of stuck here.”
Since the GoFundMe was started last month, the page has already raised almost $90,000 for the cause.