That Time a Meth Head Snuck into an Arms Depot and Stole an M60A3 Patton

Not kidding, this actually happened.

The Night of May 17th, 1995

On the evening of May 17th, 1995, former U.S. Army member Shawn Nelson managed to gain entry to the California Army National Guard Armory in San Diego and steal an M60 Patton from the depot, leading one of the most dramatic and widest police chases in history.

Shawn Nelson had been a member of the U.S. Army for two years and had learned to drive tanks while in the service, which came in very handy when he decided to steal the Patton. After two years in the service, Nelson was given an Honorable Discharge and became a plumber, which, by the way, plumbers make good money. He was married with a home, and life was pretty good. But that would soon change as a string of personal tragedies drove Nelson into the Bottle and eventually drug use, specifically meth.

The Downward Spiral

Within a few years, he lost his mother, his father, and his marriage. He was in a motorcycle accident that left him in constant pain, and to top it all off, he tried to sue the hospital he had been treated in and lost. Then he was counter-sued by said hospital for medical fees and legal expenses. Life had done a real number on him in less than five years, and Nelson just went deeper and deeper into his alcohol and drug abuse. If you think cocaine is bad, meth is even worse. Nelson was using it every chance he got, and it’s more than likely that was what made him snap and steal the tank.

The Rampage

For the next 23 minutes, Nelson drove the Patton through the streets of San Diego, destroying everything that got in his way. All the while, local law enforcement did what they could to clear civilians from his path. No one was really sure just what Nelson planned to do when he stole the tank, but it is believed he was heading towards Sharp Memorial Hospital, the very same hospital he tried to sue and lost.

The Dramatic Conclusion

But like stated before, police couldn’t do anything to stop the Patton, and they were even considering calling in the local Marine Corps base to perform an air strike. Nelson’s rampage would come to an end when he tried to cross the concrete median barrier and head into oncoming traffic. The tank was now stuck, and the police were finally able to board it and open the hatch with a pair of bolt cutters. Arresting officers tried to get Nelson to switch off the tank and surrender, but when that failed, one of the officers was forced to draw his weapon and shoot Nelson in the neck. Nelson would later die from his wounds at the very same hospital he had tried to sue and possibly destroy, Sharp Memorial Hospital.

Aftermath and Reflection

Now, obviously, there were a lot of questions that were asked, and heads did roll due to the fact someone was able to steal a tank off of a military facility. But there is no denying that Nelson was just a truly disturbed person who got dealt a very bad hand in life and ultimately made the grave error of turning to substances to help deal with it. Even his own brother said that he did not blame the police for doing what they had to do to stop him, as the person they killed was not the brother he knew.

~NC