They stop for a drink at a roadhouse where Thelma meets and dances with Harlan Puckett (Timothy Carhart). Thelma starts to feel sick, so Harlan takes her outside into the parking lot to get some fresh air. He starts kissing her and taking her clothes off. Thelma resists, but Harlan slaps her and begins to rape her. Louise finds them and threatens to shoot Harlan with a gun that Thelma brought with her. Harlan stops, but as the women walk away, he yells profanities and insults them. Louise responds by killing him. Thelma wants to go to the police, but Louise says that because Thelma was drunk and had been dancing with Harlan, no one would believe her claim of attempted rape. Afraid that she will be prosecuted, Louise decides to go on the run and Thelma accompanies her.