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Officials: Son threatened father with poker before shooting

Woodbridge father not arrested, son remains hospitalized

By Layla Bohm
News-Sentinel Staff Writer
Friday, July 14, 2006 6:25 AM PDT

Before his father shot him in the leg Wednesday evening, Jason Roush allegedly threatened him with a poker and also had a court order not to harass his father.

Roush, 25, was wounded in the lower left leg when his father, Mel Roush, 55, fired a 9 mm handgun at him in the yard of his Woodbridge home, according to San Joaquin County Sheriff's deputies.

The younger Roush was treated at Lodi Memorial Hospital and listed in stable condition, but he was then transferred to UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. He remained there Thursday evening and was listed in serious condition, a hospital spokesman said.

Court records show that Jason Roush is scheduled next Wednesday to begin serving a 45-day jail sentence for vandalizing his mother's property, and that he was already on probation for battery against his father.

Sheriff's officials on Thursday continued their investigation in the shooting but made no arrests.

The case will be given to the District Attorney's Office to determine whether charges should be filed or if it was a case of self-defense, Sheriff's spokesman Les Garcia said.

"The son was intoxicated and started to brandish a poker at several people, threatening to kill his father. In an effort to protect himself, the father shot at his (son's) lower body," Garcia said Thursday.

Mel Roush remained at the North Lower Sacramento Road scene after the 4 p.m. shooting Wednesday, and Lodi Police officers detained him and confiscated the gun. They turned the case over to arriving Sheriff's deputies.

Court records show that the younger Roush has pleaded guilty to various charges in eight separate criminal cases since 2001. The charges, all misdemeanors, included vandalism, battery, possession of controlled drug paraphernalia, vehicle theft and driving with a blood-alcohol level of more than twice the legal limit.

He pleaded guilty to battery against his father on Sept. 30 and was sentenced to six months in jail and placed on five years of formal probation. Probation conditions included orders not to annoy, threaten, strike or harass Mel Roush, court records show.

Jason Roush was most recently in court June 21, three weeks before the shooting, because he had failed to serve a 30-day jail sentence for vandalism — a case that resulted in a judge ordering him to not harass his mother. A judge gave him 15 more days in jail and ordered him to appear at the county jail next Wednesday, a common practice for misdemeanor cases.

Contact reporter Layla Bohm at layla@lodinews.com.

First published: Friday, July 14, 2006

Reader Feedback

VOR wrote on Jul 17, 2006 9:50 AM:

" Our system doesn't have room for pre-emptive life sentences. They can't lock you up because you're a bad guy. You have to commit a crime, and punishment is meted out at appropriate levels. Due process is in place for a reason. In this case we see the downside of it. "

TLH wrote on Jul 17, 2006 3:37 AM:

" Jason is a drug addict and alcoholic who needs help. AND If he has been harrassing the father then why is the father still keeping a trailer on his property for Jason to live in? Cut the apron strings already and stop enabling his addictions and destructive behaviors. "

Ann wrote on Jul 14, 2006 8:59 PM:

" Jason needs to be punished by the courts for his actions and needs counseling to get off of his self destructive behavior. "

Ann wrote on Jul 14, 2006 8:59 PM:

" Why are you all complaining about the police? For anyone who knows Mel or his family, this is clearly a problem that stems from Jason harrassing his parents in an illelegal manner...and the current incident is Mel protecting and preserving his life with a legal protection order in place. "

long term humanoid wrote on Jul 14, 2006 7:29 PM:

" remember, police take reports and try to solve crimes that have ALREADY been committed. If you want to stay alive, you have to shoot first, defend your family. Let the police arrive later and take the report. "

ff wrote on Jul 14, 2006 6:46 PM:

" you punks who are bagging on the cops are real tuff guys more like lazy sissys who have nothing better to do. "

DAN ZIKKING wrote on Jul 14, 2006 6:30 PM:

" ALL THE WAY INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE WE SYMPATHISE WITH THE PARENTS OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN ADDICT FOR A SON. THERE IS A SOLUTION. "

to "heath" wrote on Jul 14, 2006 2:27 PM:

" You're right. the job is so easy.You should apply, I'm sure you could do better-it's just like on TV. "

in the know wrote on Jul 14, 2006 2:24 PM:

" Love how all the posters below complain about law enforcement. They arrest the kid over and over, the COURTS let him go over and over. "

FISCHGOTH wrote on Jul 14, 2006 1:56 PM:

" What does the assault on law enforcement have to do with this article? I'm sorry for the parents of this disturbed young man. They all need help and support from their community. "

Weezer wrote on Jul 14, 2006 1:13 PM:

" The 25-year old "kid's" a repeat offender, misdemeanors left and right. The dad did the right thing before his kid commits a major crime in his backyard. "

2XLT wrote on Jul 14, 2006 1:04 PM:

" Why are you all bagging on the LPD? Woodbridge is in the county and covered by the Sheriff. "

To Steve wrote on Jul 14, 2006 12:09 PM:

" Have you seen the LPD? They are not punks they are 22 year old girls who drive around on their cell phones playing iwth their hair. Yea, like that makes me feel safe. "

Steve wrote on Jul 14, 2006 10:41 AM:

" Which is the worst law enforcement entity - police, sheriffs, or highway patrol. I say police. Sheriffs and Highway patrol serve the law in less populated areas by themselves - police are like punk gangbangers "

Heath cont wrote on Jul 14, 2006 10:38 AM:

" Shame on the police who always whine about how tough their jobs and cry about pay and benefit increases, but can't seem to get off their butt when you need help. "

Heath wrote on Jul 14, 2006 10:37 AM:

" There are no guarantees how our children turn out. Heartfelt sympathies to the Roushes and may the younger Roush "get right" "

Blessings wrote on Jul 14, 2006 8:38 AM:

" to the Roush parents. What a very tough place to be with an adult child so reluctant to make adult choices. May you be safe! "

Consider this.. wrote on Jul 14, 2006 8:37 AM:

" Our left-leaning state is so liberal in the protection of civil rights, it ties the hands of law enforcement. Remember that civil rights applies to criminals just as much as law abiding citizens. Unfortunate, but true. "

Yes wrote on Jul 14, 2006 8:07 AM:

" Finally went to them and said we are going to go let the perp shoot us just so you can arrest him. Then they finally went after him. But, the hell you have to go through just to make them listen. "

Yes wrote on Jul 14, 2006 8:06 AM:

" My family has been harrased, stalked, and recieved death threats for two weeks now and P.D. did not do anything until we said we were not going to take it anymore. "

Yes wrote on Jul 14, 2006 8:05 AM:

" You have to wind up dead before they do anything!!! The police are just too BUSY to take us ordinary citizens seriously. "

Countrydoc wrote on Jul 14, 2006 7:58 AM:

" I still think that we must thank these fine folk for entertaining us over our morning coffee and for selling lots of ads in the newspaper. You can't make this stuff up! "

Chuck wrote on Jul 14, 2006 7:31 AM:

" Sounds like this punk kid needs to be in jail. Does his mother/father have to wind up dead before he gets locked up? What a system. Protect the guilty while innocent people get hurt. Chuck in Texas "

Comments on this story are now closed.