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Two teens arrested in suspected dragging death
CTV.ca News Staff
Police in British Columbia arrested two youths on Tuesday after a gas station attendant was dragged to his death under a fleeing car.
Grant DePatie, a 24-year-old gas station employee, jumped in front of the car late Monday night, trying to stop it from taking off with the $12.30 worth of gas its driver hadn't paid for.
But the vehicle didn't stop.
"His intervening resulted in him being run over by the vehicle and dragged under the vehicle a considerable distance," said Cpl. Bernie Smandych of the Ridge Meadows RCMP.
The incident happened around midnight PT during DePatie's overnight shift at an Esso gas station in Maple Ridge.
His naked body and what was left of his shredded clothing were found seven kilometres from the station.
The RCMP have arrested a 16-year-old Maple Ridge youth and a 15 year old youth from Pitt Meadows in connection with the incident.
The car involved, a white 1990-model year Chrysler LeBaron, was stolen. It was eventually found earlier Tuesday at a strip mall with its gas cap still dangling and the DePatie's sweater reportedly still attached.
DePatie's roommate Shawn O'Shea described the 24-year-old as an "all around good guy. He was young and he was just trying to get ahead.
Gas station co-worker Kim Crossley told CTV Vancouver that DePatie was "an awesome worker. He never did anything wrong and he wanted his shift to go perfect all the time, and it cost him his life."
Anyone with information about the case, or anyone who may have spotted the white Chrysler LeBaron car that night, is asked to either call CrimeStoppers or get in direct contact with Maple Ridge RCMP at 604-463-6251.
CTV.ca News Staff
Police in British Columbia arrested two youths on Tuesday after a gas station attendant was dragged to his death under a fleeing car.
Grant DePatie, a 24-year-old gas station employee, jumped in front of the car late Monday night, trying to stop it from taking off with the $12.30 worth of gas its driver hadn't paid for.
But the vehicle didn't stop.
"His intervening resulted in him being run over by the vehicle and dragged under the vehicle a considerable distance," said Cpl. Bernie Smandych of the Ridge Meadows RCMP.
The incident happened around midnight PT during DePatie's overnight shift at an Esso gas station in Maple Ridge.
His naked body and what was left of his shredded clothing were found seven kilometres from the station.
The RCMP have arrested a 16-year-old Maple Ridge youth and a 15 year old youth from Pitt Meadows in connection with the incident.
The car involved, a white 1990-model year Chrysler LeBaron, was stolen. It was eventually found earlier Tuesday at a strip mall with its gas cap still dangling and the DePatie's sweater reportedly still attached.
DePatie's roommate Shawn O'Shea described the 24-year-old as an "all around good guy. He was young and he was just trying to get ahead.
Gas station co-worker Kim Crossley told CTV Vancouver that DePatie was "an awesome worker. He never did anything wrong and he wanted his shift to go perfect all the time, and it cost him his life."
Anyone with information about the case, or anyone who may have spotted the white Chrysler LeBaron car that night, is asked to either call CrimeStoppers or get in direct contact with Maple Ridge RCMP at 604-463-6251.
Attendant dragged to death over $12 theft
By PETTI FONG
Tuesday, March 8, 2005 Updated at 11:47 PM EST
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
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Vancouver — A gas station attendant earning minimum wage on the overnight shift was dragged seven kilometres to his death after he tried to stop a driver from stealing $12 worth of gas.
Police said the thief ran over Grant De Patie, a 24-year-old employee around midnight and Mr. De Patie then became lodged underneath the vehicle for the long, winding journey in rural Maple Ridge, about an hour east of Vancouver.
Hours later, a thin line of blood was still visible along sections of the road.
The gas station attendant, who had been on the job since October, tried to stop the thief through the driver's side. The vehicle had been reported stolen earlier in the day.
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Ridge Meadows RCMP arrested two teen-agers late yesterday, a 16-year-old boy from Maple Ridge and a 15-year-old boy from the nearby community of Pitt Meadows. The abandoned vehicle was recovered yesterday morning.
A video camera positioned at the gas station pumps may have captured images but police are not saying whether any have been recovered.
About a half a dozen employees were seen crying and consoling each other inside the gas station and flowers were left in the hedge by the pump where the $12.30 amount of gas was still up.
Gas station owner Barj Dhahan said the death has shocked Mr. De Patie's colleagues.
"We work closely as a team and are deeply affected by this terrible and senseless loss," Mr. Dhahan said.
Tammy Knipe, who was a friend of Mr. De Patie and lives around the corner from the station, said she heard screeching tires around midnight Monday.
"I looked out and saw this car roaring past," Ms. Knipe said. "I didn't know what was happening at the time."
The gas station is on the corner of an isolated part of Maple Ridge in the Fraser Valley.
Neighbour Brian Shay said his friend, Mr. De Patie, had expressed concerns about the gas station's location and the customers who come in at night, but was glad for the steady income from his minimum- wage job.
"I think for $12 worth of gas he should have just let him go. It wasn't worth this price," Mr. Shay said. "He's the kind of guy who wouldn't take any crap from anyone. From someone trying to steal gas to underage kids trying to buy cigarettes."
Imperial Oil company spokesman Hart Searle said all employees at the Maple Ridge station, which was independently owned, would have been offered training by the company.
But because training is not mandatory for independently owned stations, Mr. Searle said, he does not know whether the attendant received instruction on how to deal with thieves.
"Front and centre in the training is do not put you or anyone else in harm's way," Mr. Searle said.
The company also does not have a policy of making gas station attendants pay out of their own pocket for stolen gas, but Mr. Searle said individual owners can set their own policies.
By PETTI FONG
Tuesday, March 8, 2005 Updated at 11:47 PM EST
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
Advertisement
Vancouver — A gas station attendant earning minimum wage on the overnight shift was dragged seven kilometres to his death after he tried to stop a driver from stealing $12 worth of gas.
Police said the thief ran over Grant De Patie, a 24-year-old employee around midnight and Mr. De Patie then became lodged underneath the vehicle for the long, winding journey in rural Maple Ridge, about an hour east of Vancouver.
Hours later, a thin line of blood was still visible along sections of the road.
The gas station attendant, who had been on the job since October, tried to stop the thief through the driver's side. The vehicle had been reported stolen earlier in the day.
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Budget 2004ad1
Click Heread1
Ridge Meadows RCMP arrested two teen-agers late yesterday, a 16-year-old boy from Maple Ridge and a 15-year-old boy from the nearby community of Pitt Meadows. The abandoned vehicle was recovered yesterday morning.
A video camera positioned at the gas station pumps may have captured images but police are not saying whether any have been recovered.
About a half a dozen employees were seen crying and consoling each other inside the gas station and flowers were left in the hedge by the pump where the $12.30 amount of gas was still up.
Gas station owner Barj Dhahan said the death has shocked Mr. De Patie's colleagues.
"We work closely as a team and are deeply affected by this terrible and senseless loss," Mr. Dhahan said.
Tammy Knipe, who was a friend of Mr. De Patie and lives around the corner from the station, said she heard screeching tires around midnight Monday.
"I looked out and saw this car roaring past," Ms. Knipe said. "I didn't know what was happening at the time."
The gas station is on the corner of an isolated part of Maple Ridge in the Fraser Valley.
Neighbour Brian Shay said his friend, Mr. De Patie, had expressed concerns about the gas station's location and the customers who come in at night, but was glad for the steady income from his minimum- wage job.
"I think for $12 worth of gas he should have just let him go. It wasn't worth this price," Mr. Shay said. "He's the kind of guy who wouldn't take any crap from anyone. From someone trying to steal gas to underage kids trying to buy cigarettes."
Imperial Oil company spokesman Hart Searle said all employees at the Maple Ridge station, which was independently owned, would have been offered training by the company.
But because training is not mandatory for independently owned stations, Mr. Searle said, he does not know whether the attendant received instruction on how to deal with thieves.
"Front and centre in the training is do not put you or anyone else in harm's way," Mr. Searle said.
The company also does not have a policy of making gas station attendants pay out of their own pocket for stolen gas, but Mr. Searle said individual owners can set their own policies.
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