In May 1995, a disgruntled and mentally unstable Army veteran named Shawn Nelson stole a 57-ton M60A3 Patton tank from a National Guard armory in San Diego, California, and went on a 23-minute destructive rampage through city streets. Nelson, a 35-year-old unemployed plumber battling personal and financial troubles, used the tank to crush cars, fire hydrants, traffic lights, and utility poles—causing widespread panic and blackouts.