Ambushed driver father of 4
There were no witnesses to what happened, but the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office said Wilson James was shot during an attempted armed robbery. There were no suspects as of Monday.
To help
An account has been set up at S.C. Federal Credit Union for the family of Wilson James. Donations should be made to the Wilson C. James Memorial Fund.
SUMMERVILLE — Wilson James' shift as a Pizza Hut delivery driver should have been winding down at 10:20 p.m. Saturday when he made a stop at a tidy brick house in the Greenhurst subdivision.
He wasn't that far from his home on Nancy Lane, just on the other side of Miles Jamison Road. He parked behind a car in the driveway of 108 Beatrice Lane, stepped out of his green station wagon and was met by an armed man.
Inside the Beatrice Lane house, where no one had ordered pizza, Betty and Douglas Treadway heard a noise above the blare of the television. Betty Treadway didn't recognize it, but her husband, who had been a security officer for the State Ports Authority, immediately knew it was a gunshot.
James, 54, was shot in the arm, but the bullet passed into his chest. He died on the lawn of the Treadway home. As quickly as Douglas Treadway made it to
driveway with the lights on, it was over.
There were no witnesses to what happened, but the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office said James was shot during an attempted armed robbery. There were no suspects as of Monday.
"My dad wasn't afraid of anything, and nobody was going to get anything from him," James' daughter, Alena, said outside the family's house Monday. "Whoever did this, probably a dumb teenager, didn't have excellent parents like we do."
James, retired from 25 years of service in the Navy, worked three jobs. He delivered for Pizza Hut five days a week. On an average Saturday, he left the house at 6:30 p.m. for the delivery job and would come home between 10 p.m. and a little after midnight.
He'd be back up at 2 a.m. to deliver newspapers in the Greenhurst area for The Post and Courier, a task his four children sometimes helped with when they were younger. Then he'd head back home for another couple hours of sleep before he tended to his vending machine business, Wilson James Enterprise.
With that kind of schedule, James still found time to build a playhouse for his children.
He helped son Vincent build a sidewalk at Alston Middle School for his Eagle Scout project.
Wilson James and his wife, Geraldine, were to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary June 11.
James' family said he was a humorous and engaging speaker and was active in Toastmasters. Sundays after Mass at St. John the Beloved Catholic Church always meant a family lunch out for Chinese food.
James and his wife, Geraldine, were to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary June 11. They had planned to visit Alena, 21, at Winthrop University in Rock Hill. Like Vincent, 19, who attends Clemson University, Alena is a double major. Daughter Julie, 23, just finished a real estate course. Just last week, James taught his youngest daughter, Andrea, 16, how to parallel park in preparation for her driver's exam.
Alena said the family sometimes worried about their father because two of his jobs took him out in the community late at night or very early in the morning.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts delivery drivers in the category of driver/sales workers. In 2005, the last year for which statistics are available, there were 13 homicides in that work group.
Driving a taxi, which remains one of the nation's most hazardous jobs, listed 25 homicides in 2005. That also includes chauffeurs.
A report published in 2000 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that robberies accounted for the greatest number of work-related homicides. At higher risk were workers who engage in cash transactions and work alone or in small numbers.
A corporate spokesman for Pizza Hut would not comment Monday on James' death or specifics of employee safety, but said the company takes the issue very seriously.
Arming delivery drivers isn't a good option, said Jim Pohle, national president of the American Union of Pizza Delivery Drivers. Pohle, a driver for more than 20 years who has been robbed three times, said arming drivers might result in more homicides.
"When a robber calls you up, he knows you're unarmed. There's a strong chance he doesn't want to go to jail for murder," Pohle said.
Better options are allowing drivers to avoid areas they feel are unsafe and getting a call-back number on orders, he said.
Above all, "Trust your instincts. The majority of people surveyed after they got robbed had a gut feeling something was wrong."
Reach Nita Birmingham at 745-5858 or nbirmingham@postandcourier.com.
E-mail this story 
Printer-friendly version
Notice about comments:
The Post and Courier is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. The Post and Courier does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not postandcourier.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "suggest removal" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our Web site.
Full terms and conditions can be read here.
Comments
This article has 11 comment(s)
Posted by tfpoor on June 5, 2007 at 6:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
He sounded like an amazing person and I'm extremely sorry for this family. I pray they find this scum bag responsible for his death very soon.
Is it just me or has Charleston become an extremely violent place to live.
More to say when they find these guys.
Tim/Summerville
Posted by sweetz66 on June 5, 2007 at 9:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
From what I have just read, it sounds to me as though Mr. James was very much a family oriented man. A faithful father and husband. The kind of father I had always wished that my father would have been.
For the James family children: No matter what you need to always remember that your dad truly loved you with all his heart and would have done anything for you. Please do NOT ever forget that. You were all the lucky children to have such a wonderful dad like him. Our hearts and prayers are with you and your mom.
As for the guy that took this man away from his family: We can only pray that you are caught quick, fast and in a hurry. This way you can FRY!!!! Get exactly what you deserve, life without the possibility of parole. ( Unless they do enforce the death penalty here.)
More to be said after the purpetrator has been caught.
Posted by unicorntrish76 on June 5, 2007 at 10:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you all for your prayers, kind thoughts, and wishes.
This was my Uncle Wilson. He was a great man. I feel perivliaged to have known him these last 30 years and for him to have been my uncle.
He worked hard to give my cousins and Aunt everything. He was a kind hearted man, with always a kind since of humor and kind words.
He was taken too soon in his life. He was taken from his loved ones by someone who was evil and gutless, and because of their selfless act my cousins now do not have a father. My aunt no longer has the love of her life.
I pray that God gives me the strenght to forgive you for such a heartless act, but right now I can not forgive.
I hope the ones responsible are caught and given the death penalty that they so deserve.
And if you read this YOU WILL BE CAUGHT SOMEHOW SOMEWAY! If not by the police someday, then by God. You will have to answer for what you have done and the lives you have changed.
Again thank you to everyone for you comments and prayers. We all thank you.
Tricia R.L.S
Posted by lavery8501 on June 5, 2007 at 11:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am very sorry about loosing wor wonderful husband /father. May god watch over your family and help threw the years.
Posted by Magnolia1959 on June 5, 2007 at 12:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I had the priviledge of assuming his specific duties on his last Government job before early retirement at DFAS Charleston. He was such a pleasant person. I used to tease him about his MIPR filing "system." We'd laugh so hard about that. He had a genuine zest for life. He used to bring in pizza to work and talk about his vending travels. I personally hope and pray that the individual responsible for taking his life is caught and convicted to the maximum penalty allowed. God bless his soul and watch over his precious family and friends.
Posted by nuke on June 5, 2007 at 3:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I worked with Wilson refueling submarines at CNSYD. He was a soft-spoken guy and an original member of the "Rainbow Coalition". He was a damn nice guy. I hope that they catch the SOB that did this and put him in he ground. Barring that, I hope that his murderer spends the rest of his life in prison.
Posted by mershadonn on June 5, 2007 at 9:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Is this the small town I fell in love with ? This poor man this week and that constible last month. what is going on here in the Summerville area and what is going to make it stop? Lincolnville Road corridor is getting to feel like frightening place.
I want to feel safe in my town.
Godspeed all the people that have fallen to gun violence and I hope their killers fry both on earth and where they eventully end up .
Posted by frenchfry10 on June 5, 2007 at 9:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My thoughts and prayers are with the James family. I did not know him but was touched by the kindness of his personality in the article and other's comments. May God hold each of you in the palm of his hand and may you find peace in all of this. I am so sorry for your pain.
Posted by pmaynor on June 7, 2007 at 6:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We were privileged to know Mr. James from the band at FDHS. He was always very friendly. He will be greatly missed. You all are in our thoughts and prayers.
Posted by TheRage on August 3, 2007 at 2:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Followup....These pizza joints don't give a rat's beezer about your safety. Pizza Hut and Dominos come to mind as the most mentioned, but some of the other chains and independents have the same needless tragedies occur. Why?. Greedy ambition by managers who pressure and threaten drivers to go into hell hole's all for the Almighty Buck.
Who can forget the Charlotte Pizza Hut driver who went postal after being robbed TWICE by the same crook and finally took the perp out? Or the Papa John's driver in Greenville who was beaten and left disabled by 4-guys ALL for 27 dollars. Or the two Lauren's drivers, one Domino's, the other P.H, who were robbed, one not far from the palatial YMCA or the other at Lauren's Terrace Projects.
All drivers,taxi or parcel delivery, SHOULD arm themselves to the HILT, taking a concealed weapons class first ofcourse. The managers. evem of they did actually care, aren't there to help you out. ALL PH or Dominos can do for having your OWN weapon in YOUR OWN vehicle, is fire you. The crooks can and do damage/KILL you permanently.
Delivery drivers should and MUST organize for primarily a safe environment. "He who owns the tools, owns the job" a wise man/woman once said. Unless the pizza owners want to purchase a vehicle for you to drive, minimum wage doesn't pay the rent on you or your ride!.
This crime makes my wrath burn HOT..Too bad the perp who did this can't receive a special "private"
form of justice outside the boundaries of beauracracy.
Posted by exdriver on October 14, 2007 at 12:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My sincere condolences to the James family and friends. A man like that is irreplaceable. I just heard of this through the American Union of Pizza Delivery Drivers website. I do encourage all drivers to organize. I understand the risks Mr. James took and how drivers must be ready for any circumstance. However, carrying a weapon has to be done with the full understanding that you may be exacerbating the situation, and not just your own. Yes, it might discourage a robbery, or it may turn a robbery into a gunfight. Generally speaking, your assailant has the upper hand. They choose the time, place and the odds. You may be able to pull that gun out in time to protect yourself from one person, but what about his friends? And why wouldn't another guy hard up for 20 bucks just shoot an unarmed driver right away, just to be on the safe side?
I've experienced 5 attempted robberies. I managed to avoid losing any money, food or my life by simply listening to my instincts and avoiding the situation as best as possible. Why did I finally quit? The lousy money. Funny about our priorities. I have another sad reason to count myself lucky.