Snakes steal from most vulnerable

Ten years ago, a bull named Snake stole Juan Gonzales' ability to walk.

Two weeks ago, some snake of a person further stole Gonzales' independence and mobility by taking his customized van from its parking spot in front of his home in Oakdale.

At least you can respect a snarling, snot-spewing 1-ton monster bred solely to buck.

Gonzales knew the risks in July 1998 when, as a 16-year-old with dreams of some day competing at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, he climbed atop Snake in a private arena in Acampo. The bull won, crushing Gonzales' fifth vertebra and paralyzing him.

There's nothing to respect, though, about a piece of filth who steals anything -- in this case a customized van -- from Gonzales, 25, who is a quadriplegic.

Theft in any form is despicable, but perhaps even more so when the victims have disabilities. The same week in which Gonzales' van disappeared, two teens jumped Elmer Kruid, 43, a physically and developmentally disabled Modesto man, and stole his bicycle. It was his only form of transportation. He had to walk several miles to his home using a cane. The Modesto police raised the money needed to replace his bike, but haven't yet caught the punks who assaulted Kruid.

Lonni Ashlock and Ronald Buhler were convicted of preying on emotional, vulnerable and even ailing homeowners facing foreclosure -- in some cases praying with them in their living rooms -- to con them out of the deeds to their homes. Or how about Tony Daniloo, an insipid little rodent who stole millions of dollars from unsuspecting clients, using their money to buy a huge home, boats, cars and playing big shot philanthropist while ruining their lives?

There's no depth to which thieves won't stoop, and they simply don't care whom they hurt.

A couple of weeks ago, it was Gonzales' turn. After attending classes Aug. 4 at Modesto Junior College, he arrived home and uncharacteristically parked his 1990 Dodge Grand Caravan in front of his house.

"I never park on the street," he said. "I did that day because it was so hot and I didn't want to get out in the sun."

Understand that paraplegics and quadriplegics don't simply pop out of their vehicles and mosey on inside.

It takes Gonzales several minutes to get his wheelchair out the van, onto the street or sidewalk, get himself into it and make his way to his house. Every moment requires maximum physical effort.

The van stayed parked there the rest of the day. When his cousin, who lives with him, came home with her boyfriend later that night, the van was still there. When the boyfriend left about 1:25 a.m., though, it was gone.

"At first, I thought it was my friends playing a joke on me," he said.

Three days later, police found the van in Manteca. It had been stripped and torched.

Reality set in. Gonzales wants to become a psychologist to work with young people who endure physical disabilities like his own. He was numbed by the incident.

"I still catch myself saying, 'Take my car,' " Gonzales said.

By that, he meant saying it to relatives and friends needing transportation, not to criminals who steal vehicles and strip them for parts to support their drug habits or further their gang activities.

"I can't even show any emotion about it," he said. "I have to laugh about it to keep from crying. You feel violated. Mostly, I'm just disgusted. After everything I've been through, what's next?"

His old van cost $17,500 to convert, he said. A newer used model costs about $19,500 to retrofit, and a brand new van, fully equipped with hand controls and wheelchair lift, can cost $52,000, Gonzales said.

He's at the mercy of his insurance carrier, waiting to see how much it will pay toward replacing his stolen, destroyed van.

In the meantime, he'll rely on public transportation to get to school, leaving earlier than he would if he drove himself.

The tradeoff?

"It costs me $1 to ride compared to $40 a week for gas," he said.

Still, it's all about independence -- the physical independence taken from him by a bull named Snake a decade ago, and independence taken from him again by the snake of a human who stole his van.

Jeff Jardine's column appears Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays in Local News. He can be reached at jjardine@modbee.com or 578-2383.