George Zimmerman Rescue Staged? Doubt Cast On Convenient ‘Hero’ Narrative [Update]

Could George Zimmerman have “staged” the rescue last week in which he allegedly was instrumental in liberating a family from a car wreck not one mile from where he shot and killed unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin?

Earlier this week, George Zimmerman’s truck rescue was reported — and the story went that the recently released and declared not guilty Floridian had again stepped in ahead of police arrival, this time after a car crash in or near Sanford.

The controversial shooter had been in hiding, and many joked after the news broke that George Zimmerman staged his rescue role either at the direction of lawyers or PR people due to the incredibly convenient timing of such a good deed — but it didn’t actually seem that the theory would catch on in actuality.

Now, it seems that such a rumor is indeed spreading, and Zimmerman’s truck rescue is considered suspect by many on the internet as theories about the strangely timed incident are shared and debated.

After Zimmerman’s role in the Florida truck rescue was publicized, Attorney Mark O’Mara said:

“This is quintessential George… always involved in the community, always willing to lend a helping hand. And here we go, four days after the event, something that I could not have planned but turned out to be just pure George.”

Update: O’Mara directly addressed claims George Zimmerman staged the rescue, but did not qualify the suggestion he was tipped by a phone call or scanner traffic, saying yesterday:

“I will acknowledge it was coincidental four or five days after the verdict, but it was not set up or staged. Really, do you think we would’ve set up a family of four on the side [of the road], destroying an SUV?… Those who want to believe it’s staged, they can go ahead and believe that. They can believe the Earth is flat.”

One theory that George Zimmerman staged the truck rescue comes from a site called Newsball, culled mainly from observations after the weird incident. Centering around the involvement of alleged Zimmerman friend and Sanford cop Patrick Rehdar, the site speculates:

“Officer Patrick Rehder phone records show he tipped off George Zimmerman + source says Zimmerman ‘has a police scanner to listen in to any nasty accidents near him in need of a super hero’… Accident was real. The rest was staged!”

Several screen captures from Rehder’s alleged Facebook page show that he frequently posted pro-Zimmerman updates and did not mention the alleged circumstances of the crash for five days after it occurred — admittedly odd considering his knowledge of the accident and strong support of Zimmerman.

The site goes on to allege that Rehder called Zimmerman to tip him off to the family in distress, saying:

“Longtime supporter (& one source still being investigated by NB is claiming friend) of George Zimmerman, Officer Patrick Rehder’s cell phone records reveal a text or call to George Zimmerman right after the 5:47 PM crash was called in. This tipped Zimmerman off to the car crash accident & to get there to assist the family before Officer Rehder arrived. Zimmerman, still hiding out in the same neighborhood that he killed Trayvon Martin in, was less then a mile away to jump into action & be a hero with his passive aggressive approach KNOWING that his name on the police report would eventually be made public. We didn’t give Zimmerman enough credit – he had a larger role in orchestrating this then we thought was possible. The phone records, coupled with a source confirming to NB that George Zimmerman is in possession of a police scanner (like the wannabee cop he continues to be) so that he can listen in to accidents in the area ‘in need of a super hero.’ ”

None of the claims have been confirmed indicating George Zimmerman staged his truck rescue role or sought an opportunity to step in and “help,” but the timing certainly is suspect — what do you think of the theory?