Auto "accident" - shot out tire

A typical accident won't crack the engine block, let alone punch a hole in it. Power steering may go, but you'll still be able to steer with effort. Brakes should still be good as long as hydraulic lines haven't been compromised. If I'm examining an accident and there's a straight line hole punched in the grille, radiator and engine block, I'm going to notice.

And it still goes back to why would someone do something that over the top? Why not just make it look like a burglary gone bad? The only time it makes sense to do something complicated is when the perpetrator will be the prime suspect. Otherwise, simple is better.

My 2 cents:

Yes, BMG .50 would be a good choice - but what are the chances of hitting a moving tire at high speed? A true pro might want a 100% guarantee of success. Which reminds me of a documentary I watched about assassinations. In one case, the assassins knew the route their target was going to take, and knew the type of car he'd be in. They set up a triggered trap by the side of the road, which shot a big metal rod through the side of his armored car - if I recall correctly - timed and positioned precisely to kill the passenger in the rear of that model car.

What about a .50 cal rifle, set up in a special mount by the side of the road, with a triggering mechanism built with a light beam sensor?

Maybe he could find some tell-tale thing left behind, like the reflector for the trigger beam, or a piece of the bullet...

The hit your thinking of involved the leftist terrorist group RAF (Red Army Fraction) and a German banker. They set up a bicycle bomb against a light pole. The bomb was a shaped explosive charge with a copper plate facing the road. Upon detonation, the explosion caused the copper plate to collapse in on itself forming a very heavy bullet. It struck the side of the banker's car killing him.

Russian said:

The hit your thinking of involved the leftist terrorist group RAF (Red Army Fraction) and a German banker. They set up a bicycle bomb against a light pole. The bomb was a shaped explosive charge with a copper plate facing the road. Upon detonation, the explosion caused the copper plate to collapse in on itself forming a very heavy bullet. It struck the side of the banker's car killing him.

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That sounds right.

debirlfan said:

The "accident" is no accident, it was caused by the tire being shot out.

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Just outside of Walker Nevada there was a guy who was shooting out tires. (maybe 5,6,7 years ago) They finally caught him but he caused a number of accidents before they did. The Reno Gazette Journal would have covered it also the Nevada Appeal out of Carson. The Nevada State Police would have testified how they figured it out. All public record if you want to research it.

A blow out is from a weakness in the tire fabric. A bullet hole is something else. I have seen two blow outs happen in front of me in my lifetime and on both occasions the vehicle reacted like a balloon with the air escaping, shooting on an angle, one for about 50 yards out into a field and the other across the center medium and two lanes of traffic to strike a truck in a third lane. So fast no reaction was possible on the part of the drivers of either vehicle. If the effect of a tire being shot is similar... smaller hole maybe.

I wonder if Google knows where they are some videos of tires being shot out. Might be worth a look.