7rider
12-07-2010, 10:43 AM
Back in late June, a good friend of a bunch of us at the LBS was killed by a drunk driver while riding his bike home from work.
It was the nightmare scenario: Wide shoulder, you think you're fine, drunk comes up behind you and slams into you. You never saw it coming.
Here's a report from a friend who went to the hearing:
The hearing was held to have the defendant confirm his plea before the court , and provide him an understanding of his waiver to certain (constitutional) rights. There was also a briefing by the prosecution as to the charges being brought, and a synopsis of the evidence. (The details of the evidence: QF [initials of the defendant] was driving his SUV erratically and and very fast (determined to be 69mph +/- when he hit Stan). Stan was riding well inside the 10' wide paved shoulder. QF went into the shoulder and Stan was hit from behind, and thrown 114 feet into the fence. Stan initially survived the impact. QF had stopped a short distance away, then backed up to the scene, almost hitting some witnesses, got out and asked what happened. Police arrived and QF was given field sobriety tests, failed, refused a breathalyzer and was taken to the hospital for mandatory testing. QF was combative, even trying to bite one arresting officer. Blood samples showed a BAL of .18. This is one of three DUI offenses QF has had.)
The plea was "guilty to the charge of vehicular manslaughter"; which, has a possible maximum sentence of 10 years. It appears that other charges were droped [sic] as part of the plea agreement.
The sentencing is scheduled for January 14, 1:30pm
I will be happy to have this one taken off the streets. But I am sooo sad that Stan is gone.
It was the nightmare scenario: Wide shoulder, you think you're fine, drunk comes up behind you and slams into you. You never saw it coming.
Here's a report from a friend who went to the hearing:
The hearing was held to have the defendant confirm his plea before the court , and provide him an understanding of his waiver to certain (constitutional) rights. There was also a briefing by the prosecution as to the charges being brought, and a synopsis of the evidence. (The details of the evidence: QF [initials of the defendant] was driving his SUV erratically and and very fast (determined to be 69mph +/- when he hit Stan). Stan was riding well inside the 10' wide paved shoulder. QF went into the shoulder and Stan was hit from behind, and thrown 114 feet into the fence. Stan initially survived the impact. QF had stopped a short distance away, then backed up to the scene, almost hitting some witnesses, got out and asked what happened. Police arrived and QF was given field sobriety tests, failed, refused a breathalyzer and was taken to the hospital for mandatory testing. QF was combative, even trying to bite one arresting officer. Blood samples showed a BAL of .18. This is one of three DUI offenses QF has had.)
The plea was "guilty to the charge of vehicular manslaughter"; which, has a possible maximum sentence of 10 years. It appears that other charges were droped [sic] as part of the plea agreement.
The sentencing is scheduled for January 14, 1:30pm
I will be happy to have this one taken off the streets. But I am sooo sad that Stan is gone.