GTA Baton Rouge: Man Claims Game Inspired His Crime Spree

[Karloff]

GTA Baton Rouge: Man Claims Game Inspired His Crime Spree

He's been charged with theft of a motor vehicle, nine counts of hit-and-run, and simple kidnapping.

Zachary Burgess, 20, of Hoover, Alabama claims that Grand Theft Auto inspired his crime spree. He was in Baton Rouge for a football game and, when he saw a man leave his truck parked with the motor running outside a bar, Burgess got in the truck and drove away, not realizing that there was someone in it. The female passenger was forcibly restrained by Burgess as he tried to get out of the parking lot, but Burgess only managed to crash into nine parked cars - giving the passenger time to escape - before fleeing the scene on foot.

Burgess was restrained by several witnesses to the incident, and the police picked him up soon after. During questioning, Burgess allegedly claimed that he wanted to see what it was really like to play Grand Theft Auto, according to BR police spokesman Cpl. Don Coppola Jr. Burgess has been charged with theft of a motor vehicle, nine counts of hit and run, and simple kidnapping. He's since been released on an $80,000 bond.

There's no shortage of nuts, willing to claim the Devil - whoever the Devil is this week - made them do it. Maybe the Devil came out of a bottle or maybe Burgess is just that dumb, but whichever it is, here's hoping the book gets thrown at him.

Source: NBC 33 [http://www.nbc33tv.com/news/crimetracker/auburn-fan-accused-of-ste]


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[Elate]

Not again. Come on guys, don't use games as an excuse for your bat shit stupidity. This is getting ridiculous.

 

[Stabby Joe]

Grand Theft Auto...? Which?

Seriously though, these excuses as correctly pointed out are no different from claiming it was the Devil. The only difference is video games are a psychical form based within reality that millions of people enjoy without problem.

We'll get the usual "FOX NEWS REPORT!" and move on like nothing happened. This man will still get the same trial whether he said this or not.

 

[Easton Dark]

I can see that as a legitimate reason, but, examining everything, "the parking lot of a local bar".

Had he been drinking at all and will anyone talk about that on news sites?

 

[sid]

The world's sloppiest car thief does not deserve to be tagged to gta. 9 car crashes? Really?

Also, does he have a criminal record, did he need money, was he drunk? Facts, people

 

[CriticalMiss]

here's hoping the book gets thrown at him.

Let us hope that it is a large, heavy book with pointy corners.

And it seems like this guy was probably drunk or is incredibly stupid. He wanted to see what a videogame was 'really like' by stealing someone's car? That's not a legitimate excuse for crime as he should know that stealing cars is generally frowned upon in the real world. At least now he can see what going to prison is really like.

 

[kordo]

It's idiots like this asshole why we can't have nice things.

 

[The Hungry Samurai]

Of course he'll say that. As long as the media continues to make psychos famous with wild headlines, saying something like that is an instant ticket to nationwide recognition.

 

[shrekfan246]

I can see that as a legitimate reason, but, examining everything, "the parking lot of a local bar".

Had he been drinking at all and will anyone talk about that on news sites?

None of the present information states that he had actually been in the bar, just that the owner of the vehicle had pulled into a bar and left the truck running.

So, I'm going to go with "Possibly" and "Not at all".

That said, this is one of those stories that makes me laugh while facepalming. Just hilariously, gloriously stupid in every way possible.

 

[mechalynx]

Ha! I did something similar in Saints Row 2 recently. I guess I can blame it all on Volition next time I must nick a SWAT truck for a chop shop IN REAL LIFE.

 

[tzimize]

Hahahahahahahahaha.

What a complete failure.

 

[seditary]

I kind of want to make a joke about his GTA skills but it just seems petty to go after a complete moron.

 

[Aikayai]

Using the video game defense works. It gets people to argue with each other. Besides, if he did play GTA V he'd know getting caught is the last thing you want to do.

 

[alj]

Shame he did not try to "copy" saints row 4 and jump of off a building thinking he can glide.

 

[sleeky01]

Thanks to google I read that this incident happened at 2:30 Sat morning and he was released on an $80.000 bond Sun morning.

And where does a 20 yr old get this kind of money on such short notice? My guess would be rich parents. Perhaps this is where the focus should be? The self-entitlement of the rich youth is the prime cause of incidents like this. Bored kids with nothing better to do than.....blah blah blah.

See can play this pointless game.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

This has got to be the lamest setup for an Insanity Defense I have ever heard of.