Monday, March 29, 2010

Post No Bills -by Bill Forster

The Man Named Bullethead

Thursday morning (March 25th) my friend John McGarr was struck down by a drunk driver and killed. John was a good friend of mine and I felt it important to say something about him.

John made appearances in such movies as "Escape from LA" and "American History X". He also had a reoccurring character on "Talkshow with Spike Feresten." Aside from acting John had started a production company in Hollywood called My Way Productions. His brother Eban McGarr is a writer/director who made a cool horror film called "Sick Girl" and then went on to make the very awesome "House of the Wolfman."Both movies John acted in and produced. He was promoting "House of the Wolfman" when the accident occurred. He had traveled out to Indianapolis to a horror film convention and early Thursday morning was walking down the road when a car hit him. I had last seen John less than two weeks prior at my my birthday party. John was hopeful about the future of the production company and as always was in good spirits telling jokes. It's strange to me that I can place a link here to a news program that will explain the circumstances. News Segment Here.

John was one of the first people I met upon moving to California. Like me, he too was born in Queens, New York. I will remember John for a strange situation we both were in a few years back. I pride myself at having a strange life filled with odd stories and this certainly fits the bill (or Bill).

John took me out for drinks in a place called Marina Del Rey. I am a bit of a reptile nut and he knew this cool bar that raced turtles for charity. We had a few drinks and watched the cute girls race the turtles and eventually went for a bit across the street at the IHOP. John had sat facing the large window looking out onto the parking lot. At a point in our meal John stood up abruptly and stated that there was a fight in the lot. He was the type of guy that would jump in and break up a fight. The two of us ran out in to the dark parking lot to see if we can help. As we came out the door a large chain with pad lock attached whizzed inches from our faces. A madman screaming profanity and wielding chain stood spinning the weapon like Mjöllnir above his head.

His goal was to beat a well dress gentleman who had come out of the bar across the street where we had just been. The well dressed man was young and clearly nervous. He pleaded with the madman to stand down and leave him alone. From what I gathered the well dressed man had no previous altercation with the madman, just the bad luck of walking past him. John and I took a step back to avoid getting hit with the chain and in that moment the madman stepped forward toward the well dressed man and stabbed him. Blood began to gush from the man's belly as he grabbed is gut and fell to his knees. The madman ran. We tried to help the well dressed man but unfortunately the only thing anyone thought to do was apply pressure and try to keep him awake. He laid down on the ground and died.

The ambulance got there in seconds after he passed. John and I stood for hours answering question for the police. We walked up and down the streets looking for the madman and/or the chain or blade he used in the assault. Finally the police got word that they had seen a man laying in the back of a pick up truck just down the road from where we were. We hoped into a police car and the officer drove us to a used car lot. We confirmed that was the murderer. I spent the rest of the evening sitting on a bench in the police station giving statements. Oddly, on his way home the Police stopped John. Apparently he walked from one jurisdiction in to another. John is a big guy and his tattoos and biker look can be a little...scary. The police ask him what he was doing this late at night walking around the street. John not realizing they were from another police department assumed they knew about the stabbing. John calmly said, "I am coming from the murder." Needless to say, John had a lot more explaining to do that night. He and I have been to court several times trying to put the madman away for good. The case is still pending.

John leaves behind his incredibly talented brother Eban McGarr and is sister-in-law Jennie. (Who is without any exaggeration the most awesome girl ever.) I am fortunate to be good friends with them both and it is through them I came to know the man I was introduced to as Bullethead. Please take a moment to check out these links to John's work and if you have the opportunity to see "House of the Wolfman" please do. John was very proud of it and honestly it's really cool.

House of the Wolfman trailer

Sick Girl trailer
John's IMDb page

2 comments:

lonegamer7 said...

Damn. Condolences to you, Bill, and to the rest of his family. :(

jeff p said...

My condolences on your loss, Bill.