Pocketful of Miracles Saves Man
A high school custodian escaped injury from a gunshot early Thursday when a bullet fired at him by a vandal hit loose change in his pants pocket and bounced off, police said.
Shortly after starting his 4 a.m. shift at Ocean View High School, William Romero, 45, saw a young man spraying gang graffiti on the outside wall of a social studies building, police said. Romero tried to stop the man, police said, and the two began to struggle.
The suspect, described as 16 to 18 years old, allegedly pulled a handgun and fired at Romero five or six times at close range. The gunman hit Romero once in a left pants pocket stuffed with change, which deflected the bullet, Officer J.B. Hume said.
The gunman then ran off.
“It’s this guy’s lucky day,” Hume said of Romero.
“This is a strange one,” he added. “Two guys out there at 4 a.m., and then one of the guys gets saved by a pocketful of change. That’s police work for you.”
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