John Lucas McDaniel, a 23-year-old Carthage man, was arrested and charged with theft for stealing the Ranger. McDaniel reportedly videoed himself fighting the superhero model and then shooting him numerous times with a shotgun.
CARTHAGE, TX — Michael Flecker and Cole Evans (A.K.A. Red Power Ranger) have a lot in common for Collin Stockwell.
Both are superheroes in his eyes.
Just about everyone knows about the Red Power Ranger's mission to fight evil, but Fletcher's superhero status is more low-keyed.
Several months ago Collin's life-size Power Ranger was stolen from the yard beside his house. The life-size mannequin was later found by Panola County law enforcement officers after being tipped off by an informant.
John Lucas McDaniel, a 23-year-old Carthage man, was arrested and charged with theft for stealing the Ranger. McDaniel reportedly videoed himself fighting the superhero model and then shooting him numerous times with a shotgun.
Not only was the Power Ranger destroyed, Collin was devastated.
Collin's father, who was killed in a motorcycle accident several years ago, was responsible for the boy's interest in Power Rangers.
"Robert and Collin would spend hours playing Power Rangers together," Cindy Stockwell, Collin's mother, said.
"It was like a godsend when Collin won the Power Ranger, especially after his father was killed," she said.
Collin won the mannequin after entering a drawing at a Toys 'R Us in Tyler.
At first the Red Ranger was kept inside.
"But I kept bumping into him during the night and scaring myself," Mrs. Stockwell said. "So Collin decided to put him outside his bedroom window in a little area where he had made a memorial to his father. He said the Red Ranger would look after his dad and us too."
So the Rad Ranger took up residence outside Collin's bedroom window.
"People would stop and look all the time," Mrs. Stockwell said. "All the kids would come over to play with him. It was quite a sight."
Mrs. Stockwell said, "Even the garbage men loved him."
One day, Mrs. Stockwell was returning from taking the children to school and noticed the ranger was gone.
"Everybody in the whole town was looking for the Red Ranger," Mrs. Stockwell said. "Then one day I got a phone call and the person said she knew what happened to him."
Mrs. Stockwell said the caller had seen a video where a man was fighting the ranger and eventually took a shotgun and "blew it apart."
An investigator for the district attorney's office heard about it and started looking into the matter. The result was McDaniel's arrest.
And although justice was done, Collin was still out a Power Ranger.
"I called everyone I could think of, trying to buy a replacement," Mrs. Stockwell said.
However, when Mrs. Stockwell did find the name of the company that made them and contacted it she found out "he was one of a limited number produced for promotional purposes."
Courtney Chapel, marketing manager for Idea Planet Inc. of Dallas heard about Collin's ordeal and took the problem to her boss — Michael Flecker.
Fletcher is president of the company that was responsible for the promotional mannequins.
Not only is Fletcher president of the company, but he's a father to boot, and realizing the devastation young Collin was feeling, Fletcher wanted to take action.
After contacting the Disney company, who owns the copyright on the Power Rangers, and getting the OK, Fletcher called the Stockwells and told them another Red Ranger was on his way.
Early in December, Fletcher, along with his family and Ms. Chapel, personally delivered a new Red Ranger to Collin.
"It was one from our office," Fletcher said. "After we talked the matter over with the Disney and the Toy 'R Us people, we felt it was the only right thing to do."
Fletcher said "we don't get to do this every day."
Now the Red Ranger is back watching over Collin and his family.
"There are good people in the world," said Mrs. Stockwell. "This proves good things can come from bad situations."
But Collin puts it better ... "The Red Ranger proves good beats evil!"