COURTS: MAN TELLS OF OVERPOWERING SUSPECTED GUNMAN

JACKSON, Mo. -- Christopher O'Connell's truck isn't a place criminals are welcome.

O'Connell appeared in court Thursday to testify during the preliminary hearing of Shamir Houston, 18, of Ullin, Ill., who allegedly pulled out a .25-caliber revolver in Schnucks grocery store after a failed shoplifting attempt on Aug. 17.

Associate Circuit Judge Gary Kamp bound Houston over for arraignment on charges of unlawful use of a weapon, stealing, resisting arrest, possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, attempted kidnapping, and armed criminal action.

Houston allegedly ran from the store and jumped into O'Connell's truck, which was parked at the drive-through of nearby Long John Silver's Seafood Shoppe.

O'Connell, a carpenter from Jackson, Mo., told the court that he had just paid the cashier for his order when she ran away from the window. He said he then heard his passenger door slam shut.

O'Connell said he turned to see Houston, who was pointing a gun at his head. He said Houston yelled at O'Connell to start driving and he yelled back an obscenity that made it clear he wasn't driving anywhere.

O'Connell said Houston then put the revolver barrel between his eyes and repeated his command to drive, and he repeated his obscenity. "I guess I startled him more than he startled me," O'Connell testified.

After O'Connell's second response, he said the reflection of red flashing lights suddenly became visible against the building. Houston turned his head for a moment to look. O'Connell reached up with his left hand to grab the gun while swinging his right fist at Houston's head.

"I knocked him cold," O'Connell said.