This is a tough one. For years, I have given a buck whenever I am asked nicely by someone on the streets who seems down on their luck.

However, a lot of people resent people begging for cash, or trying to wash their windows. Now we have a tragic situation.

According to the Associated Press, a man is under arrest on suspicion of murder after police say he pushed a panhandler away from his car at a gas station, resulting in a fatal head injury to the panhandler.

Salinas, California police say 29-year-old Orion Christopher Moore was at the Pilot Truck Stop gas station on Friday, when an unidentified homeless man offered to wash Moore’s windows.

Moore declined the offer, but the homeless man, who police say was about 60 years old, reportedly began washing the windshield anyway.

Police say Moore pushed the man away from his car, causing him to fall and hit his head on the pavement. The man died at Natividad Medical Center. Moore is now being held at the county jail.

So what do you think? Is this murder? To me, the story doesn’t tell me enough. How hard did he push the old guy? Did he have to push him at all, or could he have driven away? What rights do we have exactly when defending ourselves or property from aggresive panhandlers?

The thing is, we have to be nice to each other, folks. If the economy gets worse in ‘09 (as many suspect), we will see more of this stuff happening. Unless someone is trying to harm your family, it’s better to simply walk away. After all, it’s only a car.

That said, based on the story, there is no way this should be murder. An unfortunate accident, for sure. But not murder.