Yep, He Killed Himself
Posted: Sunday, April 25, 2010
by Jack H. Schick
Well, I won my bet. I don't know who I should see about trying to collect on it, though.
The Road Rage guy I was talking about the other day did kill himself before his hearing Friday. They showed pictures of them carrying a body out of his house on a stretcher. I don't know how he did it. They must have taken his guns away after his latest drive by shooting incident. Maybe he took pills; or maybe hanged himself.
I appreciate those of you who did read that last article. Several comments mention the scariness of road rage perpetrators, especially ones who carry guns. Severalreaders told me about frightening incidents they'd had "on the road." A couple readers asked me to follow up and find out what happened. I said I would. Yep, I was right, he killed himself.
I had a heck of a time finding out about it. I don't watch local news; hardly any TV news, actually. I don't get a newspaper on Saturday. I don't get the Philly papers at all. Philly seems like a remote, foreign land full of crazy people. It's too depressing to read about the goings on in the City on a regular basis. I only listen to radio while I commute to work. I guess, really, I'm sort of out of touch with the world. I don't mind that, much. I get depressed enough with my minimal exposure.
I have to admit, I wasn't really that interested, either. I was so sure, I was willing to bet he killed himself. So, it wasn't really news when I found out he actually did. I guess I've numbed a little in my advancing age. I don't really care. I'm not much interested in the motivation behind any suicide, especially by somebody that goes around shooting at cars while driving down the highway. I realize he had psychological problems and needed anger management classes, obviously. I know we should try to help people like that. Unfortunately, I don't really care why he was angry, and am almost glad we don't have to go through with the trial.
I finally found the story on an Internet site. His name was John Andrew Yannarell. He was fifty. He was in big trouble for shooting that 31 year old woman in a fit of road rage back on April 9th; but, two additional charges are what really turned the key to his lock-up. He was picked out of a line-up as the guy who threw a full Gator-aid bottle at a car on the same stretch of highway back in September. He was charged with another similar incident, too (Road Rage is a defined psychological ailment these days, I hear. He sure had it).
Mr. Yannarell's lawyer, Saul Solomon, told him that there was little chance for bail, this time. He told reporters that the attempted murder and aggravated assault charges for the shooting incident were bad enough, but the additional, new charges caused his client to become very depressed (I would guess so). Yannarell didn't want to go back to jail (I bet not).
The assistant D. A., John Gradel, was appropriately upset about the death, but said Yannarell was a dangerous man, a loose canon, who had to be taken off the highways. If he had showed up to his preliminary hearing Friday, instead of killing himself, there was no way they were going to let him go home. He was going to be in jail a long time, starting Friday.
So, yes, I guessed right. I won my bet. John Andrew Yannarell, the man who shot and wounded a woman in a road rage incident, six months after he threw a bottle at another car that made him mad, killed himself. He left an ex-wife and a 17 year old daughter. He had three siblings. I'm sure some of them care, and will miss him. Many other people won't.
He couldn't face going to jail again. He didn't want to lose his right of self-expression and his liberty to freely travel the highways of America. He valued those 'rights' more than he valued the lives of other people. He valued his freedom more than his own life. It was easier for him to murder himself than to face justice for his behavior.
I can't understand it. I have to admit, I wouldn't have had the courage to do any of the things he did. I sort of appreciate the tragedy of the whole thing. I can't hope to explain it, though. I'm not sure I care enough to spend the energy to try.
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Top-level comments on this article: (5 total)I feel sad that a man's life would amount to this.Thanks for this article, Jack, even though it broke my heart.Friend JenniferThanks for your continued support. Friend, Jack
What gets me is, they keep turning these maniacs loose on us again and again, when they're supposed to be protecting us from them- it seems they're not.- it's almost become every man for himself anymore.- Interesting article Jack- Always- Ella
Thanks for reading and commenting, Ella. Friend Jack
I sit shaking my head. Anger is overtaking and destroying many these days. And I just sit shaking my head. thanks for your article Jack.Thanks for readign and commenting
Jack.Thank for keep us inform, It is very sad what happen, but people desire their our fate.Thanks for readign and commenting
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