GTA cited as car-chase motive

New York man gets two charges after car chase with cops; thought he could outrun police because he did it in Grand Theft Auto.

From the life-does-not-always-imitate-art department, an Albany, New York, resident was sentenced to jail for second-degree assault and attempted first-degree assault, reports the online branch of Capital 9 News.

Tyrone McMillan was taken into custody last year after leading police on a car chase when officers attempted to pull him over for a parole violation. After slamming into two cars, McMillan told police that he thought he could outrun them because he played games from Rockstar's controversial Grand Theft Auto franchise.

McMillan, in his 30s, apparently thought that his gaming skills translated to the real world. His experience navigating the fictional streets of San Andreas and Vice City with a PlayStation 2 controller led to a 55-minute real-life car chase, part of which had his girlfriend's 11-year-old daughter and her 10-year-old cousin in the backseat. The girls leapt from the moving car while it was turning onto a highway.

But not even hours of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney could help him today, as a court judge slapped him with two concurrent seven-year jail terms. After serving time, he will be on parole for 10 years.

This isn't the first time Rockstar's top-selling franchise has been part of a criminal case. Devin Moore stands trial for the slayings of three Alabama police officers, an act which prosecuting attorneys say was influenced by playing Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

378 Comments

  • MaDsOuLgAmEr22

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 9:27 am PT

    R1, R1, O, R2, U, D, U, D, U, D Lower Wanted Level

  • Hameyadea

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 10:25 am PT

    he played GTA so he (thinks) can outrun the police? maybe he should put his car inside a paint shop, the cops will then forget all about him, right??? what a moron, he's clearly thompson's student LOL

  • Hester6

    Posted Oct 11, 2006 3:06 am PT

    What an idiot.
    ---
    GSF4LIFE

  • Midnightfalcon9

    Posted Sep 27, 2006 11:46 am PT

    And here i figured Need for Speed would've been a better role model for car chases.

  • GAMEADDICTX1

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 3:45 am PT

    I'd like to see this guy's IQ, what a dumbass.

  • DarknessOfFate1

    Posted Jul 31, 2006 1:07 pm PT

    Aparntly it didnt even enter their heads hes probbly lying to try and avoid some of the blame for his own reckless endangerment. Fool.

  • Spyrius15

    Posted Jul 26, 2006 5:47 am PT

    "Crime scene investigators were puzzled to find a Playstation 2 controller in the vehicle, with the plug lodged in the cassette deck. Adding to the confusion, investigators determined that a sequence of keys were rapidly and repeatedly pressed."
    :-P

  • DoeJohn531

    Posted Jul 25, 2006 7:39 am PT

    Wow, GTA made me do it. It's the new devil. But seriously guy, you should try blaming it on a game that completely focuses on running from the cops like NFS: Most Wanted.

    What a complete idiot. Jack Thompson would be proud.

  • MasterHand2

    Posted Jul 25, 2006 6:17 am PT

    What a loser, he didn't even try a hadoken...

  • thedarklordrand

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 4:38 pm PT

    This proves that people will do anything to avoid resposibility for their actions.

  • zey2k

    Posted Jul 8, 2006 5:59 am PT

    Jesus it isnt about the damn game! we would probably do it anyways. We all have the game and we don't leave our house with aks!!! IT'S JUST A GAME, PEOPLE WHO DO THAT IN REAL LIFE ARE INSANE... the game did this to me...yeah yeah. im gonna play indigo and kill someone and blame it on the voices in my head...geez

  • Jeff4ever

    Posted Jul 6, 2006 8:34 am PT

    who would be this stupid the real life cops are harsh dudes they can catch you quick the ones on the game are no so inteligent

  • fishheads111

    Posted Jun 12, 2006 4:41 pm PT

    i agree with fat_shark here...this guy is a turd...it gives games..and gamers...a bad name...

  • MasterManiac772

    Posted Jun 9, 2006 12:21 pm PT

    "This isn't the first time Rockstar's top-selling franchise has been part of a criminal case."

    Wow, Gamespot - that was ungodly stupid. First of all, GTA wasn't "part" of anything: the moron didn't want to fess up to a parole violation, so he took off. Simple. End of story. He just thought he'd shirk responsibility the way, ironically, Jack Thompson taught him to. God bless America!

  • jasponge

    Posted Jun 7, 2006 9:43 am PT

    For the last time, STOP trying to imitate what happens in video games with reality! Until you can control your actual life with a PS2, don't try to do what you see in games. Honestly....don't be that stupid!

  • darkblade15

    Posted Jun 6, 2006 5:25 pm PT

    ahhhhhh, dude, you didnt press R1,R2,O,R2, UP, DOWN, UP, DOWN, UP, DOWN! since you did it in the game, why didn't you do it in real life? are you stupid or something...o wait, yea you are!

  • DiscGuru101

    Posted Jun 5, 2006 1:28 pm PT

    He pointed the finger at GTA? Thats crazy person talk. Or super stupid brink of crazy talk.

    -So no GTA, no chase? BS! He would have just fingered a TV show.

  • gtasarox

    Posted May 31, 2006 3:33 pm PT

    i hate all those people who do serious crimes and blame it on gta!! why should rockstar get in trouble for the persons crime? flat out stupid!!!!!!!!!

  • sohaibz

    Posted May 25, 2006 2:55 pm PT

    he would be freak .... he would be a piece ov crud n crap ... fool ...

  • bobblyhead

    Posted May 23, 2006 7:11 pm PT

    OMFG.

  • christmast89

    Posted May 19, 2006 11:40 am PT

    I think it is bogus

  • brunoboasorte

    Posted May 11, 2006 2:30 pm PT

    Que ideia de girico....
    How do They people make a thing like this????
    i can't thrust!!!!!!
    sorry for the first phrase, but i am Brazilian....

  • lord-of-gamers

    Posted May 2, 2006 11:20 am PT

    some people just dont have the right mind to play games - they think that if they play them enough they turn into the game but the game changes - they end up in the slammer or in a white coat and padded surroundings and nice food every hour...

  • VincentXtreme

    Posted Apr 20, 2006 1:35 am PT

    When I first saw the title of the article I thought it was funny. Then when I saw the guy's age I screamed "30! THIS MORON IS 30!" (Warning: Rant)
    You know, I'd expect this from someone in their late teens (no offence to people but that's usually the age of those who pull these stupid stunts, just stating facts) but over 30 and with his 11 year old daughter in the car? Now that's just astoundingly stupid. You know, if this idiot needed to be locked up in order to know that he couldn't do something in real life that he did in a video game (ESPECIALLY one like GTA that's not even close to reality) then he's a candidate for the Darwin Awards for those who live through their stupidity. Geez, I mean come on! I play Need For Speed: Most Wanted and run from the cops in the game but I'd never want to do it in real life. I play the game because it's FICTIONAL and it's something I couldn't do in real life; including slamming head on into a wall while going 130 miles per hour and not having my car fold up like an accordion and kill me.
    It's idiots like this guy that give gamers a bad name. (End Rant)

  • R3last

    Posted Apr 17, 2006 10:49 am PT

    Yes, Stupidity should be painful. Honestly this was probably just a long shot attempt, he knows it wasn't gta that fueled his behavior. But Gaming is the cause du jour for people to rally against.

  • EugeneE3RD

    Posted Apr 17, 2006 1:25 am PT

    This guy must really be dumb because there's a fine line between reality & fiction.

    Well, according to the article, the guy was wanted on a parole violation so tries to get away from the cops on a high-speed police chase with 2 young kids in the car.

    And now, this guy is trying to blame GTA: San Andreas for the high-speed chase. Why? Simple, this guy wants the courts to believe that the game influenced him so that he can try to get a lesser sentence.

    Believe me, people use the games made me do this so that they can get off easy.

    I bet ya, that Jack Thompson will jump up & try to help this wacko guy.

  • Zemper

    Posted Apr 16, 2006 10:34 pm PT

    Next thing will would see, is a "Gaming Cops" XD looking for dumbass guys that imitate games, that wil make me laught, it will be like "Watchout EA released the Gaming Cops join the EA nation or ELSE!!!!!!"

  • grinder_187

    Posted Apr 16, 2006 5:19 pm PT

    people like him make all gamers look bad

  • ElBarto08

    Posted Apr 16, 2006 4:35 pm PT

    Holy Crap, Not This Again.

  • Bluestorm-Kalas

    Posted Apr 16, 2006 2:36 pm PT

    this is the kind of crap thats gonna get the president and government to smash out rockstar games...FRIGGIN RETARDS GAMES ARE NOT REAL... i play halo 2 but i don't think i can snipe someone in the face and think they are gonna just respawn in 5 seconds so why would outrunning the police be real also? grow a brain u morons

  • Dups79

    Posted Apr 16, 2006 8:53 am PT

    I got caught stealling mushrooms from a grocery store. But I got away with it because I was influenced by Super Mario Brothers 3.

  • tr00pa_26

    Posted Apr 16, 2006 4:06 am PT

    hahaha! fool ! go cops go ! give him the chair..
    yeah well he tried
    thats cool for me....
    wannabe gangsta

  • XTheRipper

    Posted Apr 15, 2006 5:57 pm PT

    And the guy wanted to get a six stars wanted level or what?
    Does the stupidity has limits?

  • AndyRaeside

    Posted Apr 15, 2006 12:57 pm PT

    It would appear that Grand Theft Auto has become something of a scapegoat for crackpots and failed criminals accross the US now...

    Specially since so much about it has been in the media....

    If you get caught... well we will just blame in on GTA... as basicly any crime you can think of from House Burgling to shooting a prostitute in the face after testing your suspension in the back seat of a car can be done in it.

    Just more fuel to the "lets ban all computer games that in any way convey violence" argument.

    Before you know it the only games you will be able to play will be things like Katamari Damacy.

  • beanie-g

    Posted Apr 14, 2006 9:30 pm PT

    He was just trying to draw attention away from his actions by putting the blame on what he thought was an easy target. Good thing it backfired.

    And his skills must suck if he's slow enough to let passengers jump out. At least the passengers were able to think more clearly than him.

  • jimbo102671

    Posted Apr 14, 2006 8:28 pm PT

    Oh, man! I can hear JT pouncing on this.

    This society has been corrupted by a few wiseacres believing in scapegoating for everything they do wrong. If (heaven forbid) I ever go on a rampage and hurt people, I'd only have myself to blame for failing to control my temper.

    People like these wiseacres need to take responsibility for their actions and stop pushing their problems onto the rest of us. It's time for them to grow up!

  • mystereojones

    Posted Apr 14, 2006 5:44 pm PT

    MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

  • n2Deepeth

    Posted Apr 14, 2006 4:37 pm PT

    I'm actually surprised that the adolescent passengers in the car were probably smarter than this 30-year old driver by getting out of the car during a turn to minimize the risk of car accident related injuries.

  • GAMEGEEK1

    Posted Apr 14, 2006 3:43 pm PT

    all i can say is...DUMBASS...i wonder if this guy actually has a brain or not I'm leaning toward no but i cant decide

  • Mam00th

    Posted Apr 14, 2006 3:36 pm PT

    Don't blame video game for your stupidity

  • freakykidd

    Posted Apr 14, 2006 3:28 pm PT

    I can hear Mr. Thompson having another rant about video games in the VERY near future. This guy is such an idiot, PS2 controls on GTA and a stearing wheel in real life are different. Stupid bastard had children in the back seats to! Idiot...

    Then again, 55 mins aint half bad for a real life car chase IMO :p

  • Lord_Saddler200

    Posted Apr 14, 2006 3:07 pm PT

    ooooo, that gives video games a bad bad image.......................................................................................................................................................................................................

  • jason_b_back

    Posted Apr 14, 2006 3:05 pm PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

  • jason_b_back

    Posted Apr 14, 2006 3:05 pm PT

    HAHA! This is funny! I mean why do we have idiots in the world like this who think playing a video game is going to screw up an adult's life? Sure, people can be effected by it by getting over emotional but come on--a car chase? Next they're going to blame 9/11 on one of the Flight Simulator games.

  • Dennis2845

    Posted Apr 14, 2006 2:56 pm PT

    Hey maybee if they pluged a PS2 controller into his car he would have gotten away.

  • Dennis2845

    Posted Apr 14, 2006 2:54 pm PT

    Grand Theft Auto games can go a long way.
    A cops one would be awesome, just imagine you have a place and you can buy precincts and bussinesses and be a SWAT officer, or an FBI and then retire and buy a house and settle down. And the story is different for every action you take, like 40 missions per path. FBi 40 missions, SWAT 40 missions, Street patrol 40 missions and missions are like half an hour each+ they should make the cars ultra realistic in terms of damage and a speedomitor but still drive like they always have, so you as a cop chasing the bad guy is actually challanging and deadly. So much that rockstar needs to look into. O and this guy that got chased in this topic, he is a crappy driver.

  • Ninety-2

    Posted Apr 14, 2006 2:52 pm PT

    (groan) here we go again...

  • Ace_The_Ace

    Posted Apr 14, 2006 2:43 pm PT

    Cops game would rock!

  • n2Deepeth

    Posted Apr 14, 2006 2:34 pm PT

    There should be a video game based on COPS, in which criminals always get apprehended, but their punishment can be more lenient if they're cooperative. The next time a criminal thinks about the success rate of criminal escape in that game, they'll turn themselves in immediately.

  • timspot777

    Posted Apr 14, 2006 2:18 pm PT

    What.....an.......idoit!!!!!!!!

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