THEY GOT HIM! Follow up to cyclist killed...

[bouncybouncy]

Land of the Free!!!

now we know how it got its name i am with cali and bikerchick here...we have our share of these problems too and when they do not obey "our" (americans as a whole) laws they should expect to do the punishment as an american if they want to live here!!!! but then again if that is his punishment for KILLING a service-man for crying out loud what has this coutry gone to

i do my best to vote, obey, support, and be proud to be an american but this disgusts me and is so discouraging!!!!

what is it we can do???

[caligurl]

i do think that makes it all the worse (if there can really be a "worse" in a situation like this) i'm sure the 2 families (his and hers) thought if they were going to get a call... it would be the chaplain's visiting them for the wife...

and for the wife to have to be told that while over there.... it's not even like she got to kiss him goodbye on his way out the door that morning....

devasting to happen at all.... but just seems even more so in a case like this.....

i'm still galled by the whole 4 years thing.......

[drplasma64]

What was he actually charged with? Vehicular manslaughter?

It is horrible that somebody fled the scene after an accident like that, and lied to the police. However, it's not like he intentionally went out and killed someone. I'm sure he totally panicked. Not that that is an excuse, but still, the penalty shouldn't be the same for causing and panicking after a fatal accident vs. going out and shooting someone in cold blood. And really, this driver is probably less a threat to society than most "criminals" (assuming he's not doing other illegal things).

Just my $0.02

[pkq]

I would hope if I did not commit pre-meditated murder, the penalty would be less. If he could have avoided killing the cyclists and didn't, 4 years is insufficient. It will be interesting to see what happens.

[bikerchick68]

no, he did not intentionally kill the cyclist... it appears to be a true accident...and IF he had stopped would have been charged with a misdemeanor...

the reason I find this so upsetting is that he left the scene, with the cyclist DYING in the road... where he was then HIT by 2 other cars. A cement truck driver stopped to help and block the road...

If the original guy had stopped, the cyclist MAY have lived... but when the driver fled, the cyclist was left lying out in the road... I understand people panicking, but man, where's your conscience? LEAVING the scene IS intentional... if he left and then realized he shouldn't have he COULD have gone back right away! Instead he drove by 4 hours later with a smashed hood and windshield...and then lied about it... I just can't imagine looking at myself in the mirror... he didn't admit t it until he failed a lie detector test and the DNA came back as the cyclists...

now he is being charged with manslaughter and felony fleeing a scene... I don't think 4 yrs is enough... if that was YOUR husband, would it be enough? (no need to answer, just think about it... yikes!) It's a tough and emotional story...

[drplasma64]

the reason I find this so upsetting is that he left the scene, with the cyclist DYING in the road... where he was then HIT by 2 other cars. A cement truck driver stopped to help and block the road...

If the original guy had stopped, the cyclist MAY have lived... but when the driver fled, the cyclist was left lying out in the road... I understand people panicking, but man, where's your conscience? LEAVING the scene IS intentional... if he left and then realized he shouldn't have he COULD have gone back right away!
<snip>
now he is being charged with manslaughter and felony fleeing a scene... I don't think 4 yrs is enough... if that was YOUR husband, would it be enough?
<snip>
It's a tough and emotional story...

Wow, I didn't know any details other than what was in the OP, really how horrible to be hit repeatedly, and how does that happen? Do they know how long between the original accident and when he was hit again (and did all those people call 911?)

I think leaving the scene is yes, intentional, but the result of panic. Yes, he shouldn't have left. if he did leave, he should've gone back, and if he couldn't do that he should've called 911. No question - those are the humane & rational decisions. And he is going to have to live with the consequences of not doing any of those things for the rest of his life. Hopefully, if he has a conscience, it will teach him something from this. Personally, if it were me, even if I had stayed and reported it (which of course I would've done), I wouldn't be able to look at myself in the mirror, even though it was a true accident.

Is there medical evidence that the cyclist might have lived if he had gotten help right away, or is that just speculation by the media? B/c I think if there is medical evidence about that, it would make a difference in the charges.

Personally, I have no problem with 4 years for this kind of situation. I'd rather have this guy out on the street than all the rapists and pedophiles. I think this is a case where lots and lots of community service and revoking the drivers license is appropriate.

BTW, my grandmother was killed in a car accident. Two young men speeding through a school zone ran a red light and she was critically injured, dying in the hospital a week later. Although she got medical attention immediately, no criminal charges, not even a ticket, was filed against the other driver, even though witnesses & evidence determined going through the light and the speed issue. So I've thought about this type of situation a lot. Not trying to be argumentative, or look for sympathy, just trying to show that I don't take this situation lightly.

It is sad and tragic. And totally unfair. The man lost his life, his parents lost their son, his wife lost her soulmate. I hope they all find peace.

[Irulan]

you may be interested to read about the Cooper Jones death here in WA. Cooper was a Jr Olympic hopeful, who was hit from behind by a little old lady with the sun in her eyes, who evidently didn't read the "riders on road" signs put on the road by the cycleing cub. He died on the side of the road. Anyway, the lady was fined $250 and not even required to take a driver's liscense retest. The whole thing prompted a reexamination of the laws in this state.

http://www.baddlands.org/cooper_jones/background.htm