PA Bill Number: SB945
Title: Consolidating the act of August 9, 1955 (P.L.323, No.130), known as The County Code; and making repeals.
Description: Consolidating the act of August 9, 1955 (P.L.323, No.130), known as The County Code; and making repeals. ...
Last Action: Third consideration and final passage (199-0)
Last Action Date: Apr 17, 2024
Iowa Self-Defense: Armed dad stops fugitive from stealing truck with son inside :: 07/03/2019
DES MOINES, Iowa - A Des Moines dad stopped a wanted man from stealing his truck while his son was still inside, according to police.
Brad Ratkovich told KCCI Wednesday that he went into his garage before leaving for a fishing trip and spotted a man, later identified as Steven Wayne Six, trying to break into his truck.
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"He's kind of down low, goes to pull up, looks in (and) sees my son," Ratkovich said. "I come around the corner without any hesitation from my Alien Gear Holster pulled and told him to get on the ground."
Ratkovich pointed his gun the moment he spotted Six trying to get inside his pickup truck.
Logan, his 10-year-old son, said he locked the truck's doors when he saw Six coming toward the driveway from across the street.
"He was walking exactly to me," Logan said. "I locked the doors when he was just entering the driveway and my dad came from inside the garage and defended me with his gun."
Ratkovich said Six claimed the men knew each other after he pulled the gun.
"He's like, 'Hey, I'm Steve. don't you remember me? I'm Steve,'" Ratkovich said. "And I was like, 'Dude, I've never met you in my entire life.'"
Ratkovich said he told Six to get on the ground.
"He did get on the ground. Then he got back up. Then he got back down," he said. "He tried to escape at one point. He came at me multiple times where I could've then defended myself with my firearm."
While the response time was only minutes, Ratkovich said it felt like hours waiting for police to show up. His iPhone automatically calls 911 after pressing the side button five times.
Police said Six has a long criminal history and that Ratkovich handled the situation well.
"The privilege of carrying a handgun comes with a lot of responsibility," Des Moines police Sgt. Paul Parizek said. "That's where the police department always puts their emphasis and (Ratkovich) checked all the boxes."
Six is charged with attempted burglary in the case.
Authorities said he has been convicted of burglary in the past and was wanted for walking away while on work release.
Ratkovich said he and his son went fishing after they finished talking with police but caught nothing more than a small bluegill.
