Deputy kills 2, 1 in critical cond.

[Veronica]

You're right SF. I personally just find those kind of choices harder to understand and forgive. Probably because I've been on the receiving end of people who made those choices already.

V.

[Starfish]

I've been on the receiving end of people who made those choices already. V.

Me, too. I'm sorry you've had that experience.

[mimitabby]

it is quite likely that if a car had been where the bikes were, the occupants of that vehicle would be dead too (and maybe the deputy as well!)

[trinena]

Here are two SF Chronicle articles that made the front page this morning. The second one has stats about the decrease of accidents but increase in fatalities. It also says that accidents in rural areas or open highways tend to involve higher speeds than urban areas and speed is the highest contributing factor for fatality in a bike collision.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl.../MNCTVH7DF.DTL

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl.../MNHPVHGQB.DTL

[Grog]

"The sheriff's deputy who drove his patrol car head-on into 3 California cyclists, killing 2, will be charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter, according to the San Jose Mercury News. This could result in a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison for the 27-year-old deputy, James Council. He apparently fell asleep at the wheel before hitting the riders. Killed were well-known NorCal racers Kristy Gough, 30, and Matt Peterson, 29. The third rider, 20-year-old Christopher Knapp of Germany, did not suffer life-threatening injuries. A report in cyclingnews.com says that Council had been convicted of street racing in Los Angeles when he was 20 and plea-bargained to have DUI charges dismissed. The Associated Press has reported that there was no evidence of alcohol being involved in the crash that killed the cyclists. The Cupertino City Council has approved a memorial plaque where the accident occurred, which is on one of the area's popular training roads."