Asheville police investigate bus station shooting www.privateofficer.com

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ASHEVILLE NC Nov 102012 — A city man with a history of assaulting his longtime girlfriend shotand critically wounded her, then engaged police in a dramatic armedconfrontation before surrendering.
Patrick Earl Holliday, 32, was captured Wednesday nightafter police and witnesses said he shot his girlfriend at the Greyhound busstation on Tunnel Road.The victim, Regina Michelle Robinson, 31, was in critical condition Thursday atMission Hospital.
The incident happened at about 9:15 p.m. after Hollidaychased Robinson onto a bus and shot her, witnesses said.
Holliday also is accused of shooting at a cab driver whofollowed him after the shooting, then pointing a gun at Asheville police Lt. Wally Welch and anotherofficer when cornered behind Innsbruck Mall.
After being surrounded by officers, Holliday put the .22revolver to his head and pulled the trigger several times, but the weapon hadjammed. He then pointed the gun at the officers.
“He did attempt to take his own life, we believe, by puttingthe handgun at his head and pulling the trigger a few times,” Welch said.
Holliday finally threw the revolver to the ground afterseveral officers surrounded him with weapons drawn.
“He’s lucky the police didn’t shoot him,” the cab driver,Edgar Francis “Junior” Gillespie Jr., said in an interview today. “They wouldhave been justified.”
Gillespie witnessed the confrontation with police from a fewfeet away.
Holliday and Robinson had been involved in a long-termrelationship and have four children together.
According to court records, Holliday was convicted in Marchof assaulting Robinson and was sentenced to probation. Part of the terms of theprobation required him to have no contact with her, but on Oct 31, driving aBuick LeSabre, he tried to run over her in a Bank of America parking lot on Smoky Park Highway.
A warrant for assault with a deadly weapon was issued, butHolliday fled to South Carolinato avoid arrest.
On Wednesday night, he returned from South Carolina on a Greyhound bus and hadarranged for Robinson to pick him up. When Robinson arrived, driving the Buick,she was accompanied by three men.
“The three guys got out and started hollering at him,” saidGillespie, 50, who was sitting in his Blue Bird taxi a few feet away.
When Robinson got out of the car, Holliday shot at her,Gillespie said. She ran and climbed aboard a bus, with Holliday chasing. Hecaught up to her on the bus and shot her, Gillespie said.
Holliday fled on foot toward Innsbruck Mall nearby, butGillespie followed in his Toyota Prius.
“I just called police and started following him,” Gillespiesaid. “I didn’t want him to get away.”
Gillespie’s cab was about 10 feet from Holliday when heturned and fired. The bullet passed through the open driver’s side window andshattered the passenger window, narrowly missing Gillespie.
“I saw him raise the gun up,” Gillespie said. “I leaned backas far as I could, and he missed me.”
Gillespie sped past Holliday and turned around, then headedback toward Holliday, intending to block his path with the car. At that point,police arrived and were able to arrest Holliday after a few tense moments.
“My mother and father always taught me to stand up forwhat’s right,” Gillespie said of his decision to follow Holliday. “This justfelt right.”
Gillespie, who’s been driving a cab 32 years, grew up in Asheville but now lives in Marion. He moved because Asheville has gotten too rough, he said.
“It’s sad this town has come to the way it is,” he said.“When I was growing up, you could walk the streets and leave your doors open.”
Holliday was charged with two counts of attemptedfirst-degree murder, assault on a law enforcement officer by pointing a gun,assault with a deadly weapon, discharging a weapon into occupied property, andpossession of a firearm by a felon, according to warrants at the Buncombe County magistrate’s office.
He’s being held without bond at the Buncombe CountyDetention Facility.
Domestic violence experts say abusive relationships arecomplex and can be difficult to understand by those not involved. Women oftenhave a hard time severing ties with abusive men – for economic reasons or outof fear for themselves or their children – said Valerie Collins, executivedirector of Helpmate, an Ashevillenonprofit that operates an emergency shelter for abused women and theirchildren, a crisis hotline, counseling and court advocacy.
“In these situations, you’re afraid to stay and afraid togo,” Collins said. “The compelling reason to stay is the knowledge of howdangerous this person can be. The fear of not being able to take care of yourchildren and the fear of being homeless are factors.”
The first step for local women who want to get out of anabusive relationship, Collins said, is to call Helpmate’s crisis hotline at254-0516.
“We encourage anyone who is in this situation to reachout for help,” Collins said. “There is help to be had",

Source:Ashville Citizen Times