Deputy kills 2, 1 in critical cond.

[Trek420]

Most people at sometime in their life work long hours, or are on a long road trip and find themselves getting sleepy at the wheel. A reasonable person recognizes that and pulls over and rests. But he kept on driving even though he was sleepy!! IMHO, that's as KNOWINGLY as it gets.

I have a compression fractured spine because of this kinda thing. Long road trip, driver recovering from a cold, taking cold medicine and declining to stop or let the two adult drivers spell him. He drifted off the road, lost control, we flipped over .... for those of you in CA, OR, WA we ended up backwards though right side up on Highway 5.

Was it his fault or mine for not insisting he pull over & sleep or relinquish the wheel? I don't know. Was it his fault or mine because I had my seatbelt off to be more comfortable sleeping That's my bad.

You can bet the seat belt goes on before the car keys go in now.

The driver was my brother.

I've so looooong ago forgiven him. Instead I feel lucky to be alive, every day is gravy. And in a way the crash is responsible for my cycling because when the Dr. said "you'll have arthritis in your spine soon" I said "oh no I won't" and began working out.

As people work longer hours these days, drive tougher commutes in this economy to reach any job available, and yes ... read TE long into the night there are a lot more tired drivers out there. Driving tired can be as bad as drunk driving from what I've read.

Whatever happens in the court or court of public opinion I hope the officer remembers for the rest of his life he's "Living for 3", himself and the 2 riders lost. This was a great loss for their family and friends and the world. For example I could not help thinking while watching the Olympic women's road cycling that she was supposed to be there. and I'm sure her family thought the same.