Advocacy & Safety - W...T....F??? hit and run driver released.

This toilet of a human got released after killing a cyclist. i'm sure she'll make every effort to return to court...

http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/28421849.html
Woman Accused Of Fatal Hit and Run Released On Bail
Mick Trevey
Katie DeLong
WILMOT - A woman arrested for killing a bicyclist in a hit and run crash has now been set free.

Barbara Lee, 41, was taken into custody in Illinois last week. Now she's been released on bail.

The Kenosha County Sheriff's Department worked this case for a month. The D.A.'s office spent hours getting the case ready, and just when Lee was arrested and charged with homicide, an Illinois judge let her walk for $5,000 bail.

Elmhurst, Ill. police arrested Lee at her sister's house last week.

She's charged with killing Gordon Kleifield, 44, and injuring his friend, Dan Dugan, near Wilmot.

“I'm disgusted,” Dugan said Monday.

The men were biking. Authorities said Lee hit them with her Jeep and fled. The Kenosha County Sheriff's Department spent a month looking for Lee. She was arrested in Illinois last Friday.

Prosecutors wanted her to have a high bail to keep her behind bars, but when Lee went to court Saturday, an Illinois judge in Du Page County allowed her to bail out for $5,000.

Lee did, and now everyone has to trust that the accused hit and run driver to show up for court.

“Now she has a chance to run and not face the consequences,” Dugan said.

Prosecutors worry too.

“She has a demonstrated record of not showing up for court. She's been on the lam for over a month. She's from out of state, and on top of that, it looks like she was planning to move out of her house,” Assistant District Attorney Dick Ginkowski said.

Lee’s lawyer tells TODAYSTMJ4 that Lee will show up for her next court appearance. He says Lee would have turned herself in weeks ago if the DA had issued charges.

The next time Lee is slated to be in court in Illinois is October 6.

You left out a lot of the story....

When she hit the 2 bicyclists, killing 1 of them, she was driving with a suspended license from her 4th DUI.

I wonder why it took a month to find her. They had to have a plate number to track her down - otherwise they'd never have gotten this far.

http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/28315589.html

Arrest Made In Fatal Wilmot Hit & Run

KENOSHA – Police have made an arrest in a fatal hit and run accident that killed 44-year-old Gordon Kleifield, and injured his friend, 46-year-old Dan Dugan.

Kenosha sheriff’s detectives arrested 41-year-old Barbara Lee Friday afternoon, at a home believed to be her sister and brother-in-law’s home in Elmhurst, Ill. They observed Lee standing in the yard, smoking a cigarette. An officer called to her by name, identified her and took her into custody. She did not resist arrest.

Kleifield and Dugan were riding their bikes on Highway C near Wilmot when they were hit.

The Jeep believed to be involved in the accident was found in a garage at a house in Spring Grove, Illinois where Lee lived.

It took authorities nearly four weeks and a difficult, multi-state search to locate Lee and take her into custody.

Dugan is one of Kleifield's closest friends and was bicycling with him at the time of the crash. Dugan suffered minor injuries in the crash. He is glad an arrest was made.

"Hopefully, this leads to a conviction - and keep her off the streets, you know," Dugan said.

Dugan continues to mourn Kleifield's death saying, " every day - you can't think straight. You're heartbroken still."

Lee has a criminal record that includes multiple drunk driving offenses. Her license is currently suspended as part of her fourth drunk driving case.

You left out a lot of the story....

He also left out that she was released on bail. Granted, bail was set absurdly low. But she'll still need to stand trial, and it sounds like the DA's office is ready to send her to jail.

[QUOTE=seeker333;7478419]You left out a lot of the story....

you are right... i guess i did. i cannot believe that a person can even GET to a 4th DUI!!! This person should have been in jail long before this.

I recently moved to Wisconsin from Oklahoma, and I seem to have noticed that they are a little more lax up here with DUI punishments. Like the Dr. who rear-ended and killed a pregnant woman...and i keep hearing in the news about hit and runs being committed by multiple DUI offenders..
Seems like i remember in OK, 3rd time you are in prison...

I used to have an old alchy neighbor. Nice old guy when sober. Found out years after buying that house that he had 4-5 DUIs and no license, naturally. Which then made the cars in his driveway sorta interesting. He'd sneak a drive every few days - usually to get more booze. A few times I spotted him doing laps around his son's property, inside a fenced pasture with cows. Just bouncing around a field at ~15-20mph, going in circles.

There's people driving around all the time with records, suspended license etc.

In Wisconsin the 5th conviction of DUI I believe sends you to jail. I am not sure how long or anything though. WI is working to lower the number to 4 DUIs before facing jail time. I think that is BS...it should be the 2nd time they go to jail. Every body makes a mistake...they should realize after the first time that they are being very irresponsible. I am from the Milwaukee area, and i think that makes about 6 hit and runs in the past month or 2, and that is only bicyclists. There have been a few people running or walking in the news too. I think four of these cyclists died. The worst one of all though in my opinion was a guy who was cycling was drunk, and then hit by a drunk driver. Ride safely everybody.

She needs to be locked up for a long time, and her driving privilege needs to be revoked for life.

Disgusting. Nothing more to say.

There's people driving around all the time with records, suspended license etc.

I know older airplane pilots who've had their licenses revoked and continue to fly.

He also left out that she was released on bail. Granted, bail was set absurdly low. But she'll still need to stand trial, and it sounds like the DA's office is ready to send her to jail.

He did not leave that out.

In any case 5000 for a homicide is absurdly low. For someone who looks like a flight risk it seems criminally low. If I believed in conspiricies I could at least hope that there is some subtle flaw in the case and the low bail is a subtle scheme to get her for bail jumping and perhaps interstate flight to avoid prodsecution.

In Wisconsin the 5th conviction of DUI I believe sends you to jail. I am not sure how long or anything though. WI is working to lower the number to 4 DUIs before facing jail time. I think that is BS...it should be the 2nd time they go to jail. Every body makes a mistake...they should realize after the first time that they are being very irresponsible. I am from the Milwaukee area, and i think that makes about 6 hit and runs in the past month or 2, and that is only bicyclists. There have been a few people running or walking in the news too. I think four of these cyclists died. The worst one of all though in my opinion was a guy who was cycling was drunk, and then hit by a drunk driver. Ride safely everybody.
I agree with this. 2nd time, go to jail. I think the law is much stricter regarding this here in M.A I actually run into my very first sobriety check here so they are taking it even more seriously.

Before anyone get’s the wrong impression let me make clear I do not condone the actions of either the accused nor the liberal judge that set the bail. Now given that some here are failing to realize what actually goes into finding the perpetrator, gathering all the evidence, and then applying that to a case that will carry a conviction. It is not as straight forward as some would guess. Un fortunately in this case the judge for whatever reason set a very low bail. Given the background of the driver one would expect much higher bail. It also should be remembered that she is innocent until proven in a court of law she is guilty. Yes the facts so far strongly imply she is in fact the guilty party. Actions by judges such as this one are fairly common and do not come as a surprise to me. If this person takes off not only should she be held accountable so should the liberal judge who set the bail so low. The problem is the judge cannot be held to account for his actions under the law. The judge can be held to account for his performance or the lack thereof by the public when it comes time for reappointment. So remember the judge when it comes time for his reappointment or re-election which ever may fit.
I hope and pray Dan is felling better.

Haha holy crap, 4th DUI. Shouldn't there be a one strike law? I mean why would you allow a person to put everyone else at risk?

...It also should be remembered that she is innocent until proven in a court of law she is guilty...NO NO NO,
She is PRESUMED innocent until she pleads guilty or is proven guilty in our legal system.

If she did the crime, she is guilty of committing the crime regardless if it can be proven or not.

A lady down here just got busted for her 10th or 11th......

NO NO NO,
She is PRESUMED innocent until she pleads guilty or is proven guilty in our legal system.

If she did the crime, she is guilty of committing the crime regardless if it can be proven or not.

zzzzz yeah ..sure.....zzzzzzzz

He did not leave that out.

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I was referring to the thread title.

I wish Judges for this type of **** would lose their job.

Here's an update from today's news:

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6399360

HI,
This provides me with more belief that most motorist consider bike riders a nusance obstacle, to be dealt sever and deadly force when they wander out into the highway and cross the average SUV driver as the bolt from place to place at a reckless and dangerous speed. Odly enough I usally catch up to them at the red light.:roflmao2:
I ve seen hate in more than one drivers eyes as I humbly try to cross with a light.
Maybe its just this country, when I lived in Spain you better be careful around the local bike racing teams or you may be in court with a hefty fine for reckless driving.
I wonder if the Vila in Malaga is stil a steal..
Doug

It took authorities nearly four weeks and a difficult, multi-state search to locate Lee and take her into custody..

That's what I call a drunk hunt.

I wish Judges for this type of **** would lose their job.

Then there would hardly be any judges left, since most seem to make similar decisions at some point.

The average "family law" divorce/custody attorney makes 2-3X more than a judge.

...............

The Lee woman will probably do time for killing the bicyclist, since she has a multiple DUI record. If she hadn't been a drunk but instead just average motorist, she'd walk away completely free after a 3 minute, teary story about how she "didn't see him / came out of nowhere / swerved in front of me" story to the responding officer. And that's what gripes me - the upstanding/sober killers probably outnumber criminal/drunk killers 10:1.

And that's what gripes me - the upstanding/sober killers probably outnumber criminal/drunk killers 10:1.

According to NHTSA statistics, alcohol is involved in approximately 1/3 of motor vehicle accidents resulting in a bicycle fatality.

According to NHTSA statistics, alcohol is involved in approximately 1/3 of motor vehicle accidents resulting in a bicycle fatality.

Do those "statistics" indicate what exactly "alcohol is involved" means? Does it mean someone was inebriated at the time of the accident, or does it mean someone had a drink sometime within the past 24 hours? Does it even mean the driver had a drink, or do the alcohol involved statistics include the bicyclists or perhaps even the passengers in the motor vehicle?

Do those "statistics" indicate what exactly "alcohol is involved" means? Does it mean someone was inebriated at the time of the accident, or does it mean someone had a drink sometime within the past 24 hours? Does it even mean the driver had a drink, or do the alcohol involved statistics include the bicyclists or perhaps even the passengers in the motor vehicle?

Good points........I remember talking to a friend who was going to ride her bike 'Gasparilla' (local Tampa pirate celebration) so she could ride home without worrying about getting a DUI.

Do those "statistics" indicate what exactly "alcohol is involved" means? Does it mean someone was inebriated at the time of the accident, or does it mean someone had a drink sometime within the past 24 hours? Does it even mean the driver had a drink, or do the alcohol involved statistics include the bicyclists or perhaps even the passengers in the motor vehicle?

This publication (http://www.nhtsa.gov/portal/nhtsa_static_file_downloader.jsp?file=/staticfiles/DOT/NHTSA/NCSA/Content/RNotes/2008/811016.pdf) definies "alcohol-impaired driving crashes" as "crashes that involve at least one driver or a motorcycle rider (operator) with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 g/dL or above."

Note that that particular publication is not specific to bike fatalities. I need to find the broader report that I was looking at before with the report of all fatalities. NHTSA's website is not very well-organized.

Edit: Here (http://www.nhtsa.gov/portal/nhtsa_static_file_downloader.jsp?file=/staticfiles/DOT/NHTSA/NCSA/Content/PPT/2008/811034.pdf) is a better statement of what consitutes an "alcohol-impaired driving fatality" as used in the NHTSA reports:


Definition: drivers are considered to be alcohol-impaired when their blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) are .08 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or higher. Thus, any fatality occurring in a crash involving a driver with a BAC of .08 or higher is considered to be an alcohol-impaired driving fatality. The term “driver” refers to the operator of any motor vehicle, including a motorcycle.(See page 64.)

This publication (http://www.nhtsa.gov/portal/nhtsa_static_file_downloader.jsp?file=/staticfiles/DOT/NHTSA/NCSA/Content/RNotes/2008/811016.pdf) definies "alcohol-impaired driving crashes" as "crashes that involve at least one driver or a motorcycle rider (operator) with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 g/dL or above."

Note that that particular publication is not specific to bike fatalities. I need to find the broader report that I was looking at before with the report of all fatalities. NHTSA's website is not very well-organized.

Edit: Here (http://www.nhtsa.gov/portal/nhtsa_static_file_downloader.jsp?file=/staticfiles/DOT/NHTSA/NCSA/Content/PPT/2008/811034.pdf) is a better statement of what consitutes an "alcohol-impaired driving fatality" as used in the NHTSA reports:

(See page 64.)

Thanks for reporting what is meant by the term in general by NHTSA; let us know if you find out if that is the same definition used when NHSTA uses the term "alcohol impaired" when presenting bicycle fatality statistics.