Photo by Chris Tredway

CENTRAL LAKE - Sergeant James Van Alstine could have been describing a scene from Hollywood as he spoke before an audience of nearly 100 at Second Chance Armor April 8.

The facility, which manufactures bullet-resistant vests, was credited with saving their 1,000th law enforcement officer when Van Alstine was shot March 22, 2007 in Acworth, Georgia and lived to tell about it. Employees listened intently to a story with an ending they could be proud of.

Positioned along I-75, Van Alstine was observing cars near the Acworth exit when he got a call from a rookie he helped train months before.

Ê "He asked me if I wanted to grab something to eat," Van Alstine said. "It was 3 a.m. and he had been in the courthouse all day, wasn't feeling well."

But Van Alstine decided to stay put and check out a few more cars.

"I work in narcotics and I had made some drug-related arrests in the area," he said. "I had heard that some inmates were going to try and take me out. So it was personal."

A car passed with its high beams on and took the exit, according to Van Alstine, who had recognized the driver as someone he had arrested a number of times for drug violations. He did not recognize the passenger riding along. Following the vehicle into what he described as a back alley where no one has a good reason to go at 3 a.m., Van Alstine called for backup and made the stop.

"That sixth sense kicked it," he said, looking to Central Lake Police Chief Robert Clark and other officers present. "All you guys know what I'm talking about, when you know something's wrong."

As he approached the vehicle, Van Alstine said he was trying to "formulate a plan on how to do this."

"I stood on the driver's side and asked him if he had a driver's license," he told listeners. "He said, 'Ya, I got one,' and he reached across to get it with his left hand, which was odd."

The passenger in the vehicle was getting antsy and the driver kept trying to get out of the car, but Van Alstine repeatedly pushed the door closed, saying, "stay in the car, stay in the car."

The rookie that called earlier was arriving on scene as backup when the passenger got out.

Staying low at first as he ran behind the car, the passenger began sprinting while Van Alstine pursued on foot.

"I chased him 300 yards," he said.

During the pursuit, the rookie police officer passed Van Alstine in his car and pulled even with the fleeing passenger, who had a gun in his right hand. Attempting to warn Van Alstine, the rookie shouted into his radio, "He's got a gun! He's got a gun!"

The rookie used his door to knock the runner down, according to Van Alstine, who heard the radio after a three-second delay, leaving him little time to make a decision.

"We're trained to keep going," he said. "That's what they pay me to do, to protect the streets. They don't pay me to say, 'Oh, you're shooting, I guess I'll go home then.' They give me this badge and this gun and this vest to be out there making things safer."

With Van Alstine three feet away, the man turned and fired a nine millimeter round into his chest.

"I figured it had penetrated and that was it," he said. "But we're trained to keep going and I was mad. Once I got my hands on him I intended to dismantle him with my bare hands.

Immediately throwing punches upon arrival, Van Alstine said the scene was chaos.

He was yelling "help me!" repeatedly to the other officer, and "drop your weapon!" to the man who was managing to move the gun closer and closer to Van Alstine's head.

Finally, the end of a warm barrel made contact with Van Alstine's ear.

"I thought of every family member and friend I had ever met in that moment, and then I heard the click," he said.

Believing it to be the end, Van Alstine said there was a moment of calm.

"But then we were fighting again and I realized I had been given a second chance," he added.

The fight ended when a .40 caliber round from Van Alstine's Glock 22 entered the man's head.

Thanking the employees for giving him a "second chance," the Acworth Police Sergeant claims he never goes to work without a Second Chance vest.

"This is a great event that really motivates people," said Second Chance Operations Manager Jim Wujkowski. "It reminds us how important it is to protect those who protect us."

Chris Tredway can be reached at ctredway@michigannewspapers.com or by calling 231-533-8523.