Authorities say Benicia homeowner wounded man who broke in through sliding glass door
TRUE HATCH.
Courtesy BPD
The injured man, identified by police as True Hatch, 24, is being treated at a nearby hospital. “Police are still trying to determine Hatch’s residency status,” Greene said.
Hatch said he had mistaken the house for his own.
Greene said the homeowner, who lives in the 100 block of Panorama Drive, called police at 4:30 a.m., saying someone was attempting to break into the house.
The man told police he saw someone standing in his back yard and banging on a sliding glass door.
The homeowner told police he had opened a window, identified himself and told the person several times to leave.
But the person didn’t respond, and instead shattered the sliding door and entered the home, Greene said.
“The homeowner was armed with a handgun as he feared for his safety and that of his elderly wife,” Greene said.
He said once Hatch was inside, the homeowner continued yelling, telling him to leave. The intruder refused and began walking around the house.
The homeowner then shot the intruder, firing once and hitting him in the torso, Greene said.
He said Benicia police arrived shortly afterward. They took the intruder into custody and had him transported to the hospital, where his wound was determined not to be life threatening.
“Police detectives have since interviewed Mr. Hatch, who indicated he consumed a considerable amount of alcohol throughout the night at a friend’s home in Benicia,” Greene said.
He said at some point Hatch decided to leave his friend’s home, saying he wanted to return to his own residence.
Instead, Greene said, the man mistakenly arrived at the house on Panorama Drive.
“Believing he had locked himself out of his home, Hatch chose to break the sliding glass door,” Greene said.
Hatch is being charged with trespassing, vandalism, prowling and public intoxication, Greene said, adding that since the incident is still under investigation, no other information was being released at this time.
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I’m sure the home owners were scared and felt their safety and life was in jeopardy. I feel for them. Kudos to the home owner for securing his safety first and foremost.
True’s story does not ring true.
No doubt. True is on probation for a past DUI. Maybe this will sober him up a bit.
This is the third unfortunate accident in this town in 3 weeks caused by idiots getting drunk and making bad decisions. This incident, the car that plowed into the house on Hastings and Rose and the drunk jaywalker on 5th street. Sober up folks!