Commuting - Asheville Firefighter Shot Bicyclist

This is unbelievable! Thank God the cyclist had a helmet on!

Firefighter Shot Bicyclist (http://www.wyff4.com/news/20187786/detail.html#)

FTA - "Police said the driver, Charles Diez, claimed he was upset that the victim was bike riding with his child on the heavily traveled Tunnel Road."



Ah yes, because shooting at him his a big improvement to the child's safety. Considering he's a city safety employee (firefighter) I really hope he loses his job over this. Someone with this kind of poor decision making skills shouldn't hold a position where critical life & death choices have to be made.

Ugh. Probably 3rd thread about this topic. His helmet did not save him, the bullet was not going to hit him anyway. The helmet just caught a bullet that was going past his head anyway.

Sorry to break it to you, but as effective as a piece of styrofoam might be in padding your head against pavement, it will NOT significantly deflect a bullet.

Obviously, Mr Diez has some issues whatever they may be. Hopefully he'll be locked up for a while and lose his right to own a firearm.

Predictably, every online site the story is posted at is just another invitation for the ignorant to start up with their bicycle rants again.

As if cyclist or firefighter had a thing to do with the story. Headline should have read "idiot with a gun heads to prison"

FTA - "Police said the driver, Charles Diez, claimed he was upset that the victim was bike riding with his child on the heavily traveled Tunnel Road."



Ah yes, because shooting at him his a big improvement to the child's safety. Considering he's a city safety employee (firefighter) I really hope he loses his job over this. Someone with this kind of poor decision making skills shouldn't hold a position where critical life & death choices have to be made.

HuH????? Loses his job? Dude is going up for first degree attempted murder. Losing his job is going to be the least of his worries.

Predictably, every online site the story is posted at is just another invitation for the ignorant to start up with their bicycle rants again.

I checked, and I couldn't believe some of the comments I read!

Here is one:


Thank You Mr Diez for letting these CHUMPS know that we wont take your weaving in&out of traffic.Natures way of fixing MORONS.I bet this IDIOT doesnt take his INBRED infant on anymore bike rides.

Jul. 28, 2009 2:23pm EDT | from klmal
:bang:

It ALWAYS happens. I tell myself that I'm not supposed to read the comments on these sites, but sometimes I forget.

Cyclist gets run over by a car around here and the website turns into a big *****fest about cyclists. I just don't understand what idiot thinks that's acceptable.

People die in cars all the time and not a single person feels the need to reply about how that car driver "got what they deserved", or talk about how many car drivers run the stop sign in front of their house, or speed on the highway on the way to work.

Does the Fire Marshall use a flame thrower to building inspections?

I'm glad that I don't ride in that part of the country anymore. Most people around there are nice and decent, but the mean ones are down right scary. I was never shot at, around there, though. Usually, they just curse, throw stuff at you (paper cups full of soda, beer bottles, lit cigarettes, etc.), and maybe circle-around again and again to try to run you off the road. I used to feel lucky if I went a week without such treatment. I don't miss dealing with those people at all. Nope.

I commute by bike 4-5 days a week in NC and have rarely had any rude or inconsiderate behavior from drivers and never any abusive or violent behavior. Additionally, Asheville and surrounding areas are some of the most open-minded (some would say unwashed) people on the east coast.

There are bad and good people everywhere. This is the second thread I've seen today (one writing off NC and the other writing off the entire south) as unfriendly and violent toward bikers. One dude in one city did a really stupid thing, and it's despicable. He's in jail and likely will never leave. Let's not extend it to an entire state or region.

I commute by bike 4-5 days a week in NC and have rarely had any rude or inconsiderate behavior from drivers and never any abusive or violent behavior. Additionally, Asheville and surrounding areas are some of the most open-minded (some would say unwashed) people on the east coast.

There are bad and good people everywhere. This is the second thread I've seen today (one writing off NC and the other writing off the entire south) as unfriendly and violent toward bikers. One dude in one city did a really stupid thing, and it's despicable. He's in jail and likely will never leave. Let's not extend it to an entire state or region.

are you trying to be rational? On the internet? In a bicycling forum?



:lol:

I agree, I've had nothing but good experiences riding in Asheville. If anything, drivers are too polite.

are you trying to be rational? On the internet? In a bicycling forum?



:lol:

Valid point, sir.

I agree, I've had nothing but good experiences riding in Asheville. If anything, drivers are too polite.

I guess things have changed there for bike riding since 1989. I'm an old fart...keep forgetting...:lol:

I get those same idiotic comments about bicyclist should pay a fee to ride and we should have to license our bikes and all that crap. I get sick of having to respond so I just say if you hit me and its your fault and if I can get up I will beat your ass with my airpump my lock and chain or my stainless steel waterbottle. I'll shoot back if you don't kill me and if you kill me my wife will come after with everything she can. If the legal system doesn't do it I'll go after you in court. I'm sick of this crap like its open season on cyclists. Not that I'm bitter or anything.

I live 16 miles East of Asheville, and I have never had any problems with drivers in my area. Buncombe County as a whole is a very cool and pretty open minded place to live. Asheville is the Paris of the south. I am glad that the father did not get hurt from the actions of a mad man, but this can happen anywere in the world, not just Asheville, NC.

Interesting how Mr. Diez gets "paid investigative leave" when charged with attempted murder. I am glad the cyclist, child and wife were not harmed.

This is unbelievable! Thank God the cyclist had a helmet on!

This tragic incident is not about bicycling; it's about a mentally unstable "public servant" who has absolutely no problem solving skills - He's upset because someone is riding on a busy street with a small child and his 'solution' is to eliminate the father. The elevators are not going to the top here.
Additionally disturbing is the helmet comment - 2 mm of polycarbonate outside a layer of styrofoam is NOT going to stop a bullet. It was irresponsible reporting to imply that it will.
"They said the bullet penetrated the outer lining
of the helmet but did not actually hit the victim's head."
(Probably means the bullet simply creased the helmet at an angle. Wearing a helmet would be of no significance here.)

The guy was extremely lucky.

The judge reduced Diez' bond and he's out of jail until his Aug 17 court date.

Interesting how Mr. Diez gets "paid investigative leave" when charged with attempted murder. I am glad the cyclist, child and wife were not harmed.

Innocent until proven guilty, no matter how dooshy it is. At least he's on leave. Once the investigation shows his actions officially, I bet it won't be paid leave at all. :)

I understand and agree with what you are saying SingingSabre. I guess its just a moral dilemma for me. I agree with the law in one regard, but can't quite grasp the concept of the guy benefitting in some way. And also reading Mitchxout's post knowing he's out on bail until August 17th :twitchy:.

Asheville, for it's size, has a pretty sizeable and vocal cycling community. The bike avocate group, Asheville On Bikes, has been instrumental in creating positive attitudes towards local bicyclists. It's no surprise the Diez shooting has been a huge news story for this area. Also, the shooting has so polarized people, I don't see an impartial jury happening.

I understand and agree with what you are saying SingingSabre. I guess its just a moral dilemma for me. I agree with the law in one regard, but can't quite grasp the concept of the guy benefitting in some way. And also reading Mitchxout's post knowing he's out on bail until August 17th :twitchy:.

August 17th is a little more than 2 weeks away. I think that's pretty expeditious in the judicial system!

One thing I keep wondering about is the angle that the bullet hit his helmet.

Also, the shooting has so polarized people...
Interesting. How so? Half of them think it's bad to shoot at cyclists, and the other half thinks we've got it coming, I suppose. :twitchy:

Interesting. How so? Half of them think it's bad to shoot at cyclists, and the other half thinks we've got it coming, I suppose. :twitchy:


If half thinks we got it coming, then we have a high concentration of nutsos on our hands. I like to think most all think it's bad to shoot at cyclists and that the rest responding are pot stirrers and idiots.:D

The grand jury declined to indict the shooter for 1st degree murder. They decided on the much less serious crime of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. Instead of facing the possibility of 10 years in prison, if convicted, he's looking at a maximum of about 2 years.

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090806/NEWS01/90806020/1119

Wow, light sentencing, for BOTH. Going out and intentionally killing someone only gets you 10 years?

And just as bad, after only 2 years in jail, someone who's a big enough hothead to try to kill a total stranger over nothing can be back on the streets again?

are you trying to be rational? On the internet? In a bicycling forum?

Yeah, you CHUMPS should know that we wont take your RATIONALITY ON AN INTERNET BIKE FORUM. A good banning from the forum is the Internet's way of fixing MORONS. I hope your TOTALLY RATIONAL LINE OF THINKING doesn't show up on any other bike forums I read.

Wow, light sentencing, for BOTH. Going out and intentionally killing someone only gets you 10 years?

And just as bad, after only 2 years in jail, someone who's a big enough hothead to try to kill a total stranger over nothing can be back on the streets again?

Sorry, I should have clarified. The 10 and 2 years are minimum sentences for someone convicted.

^ ^ ^
Now look what you've gone and done. Your reporting is about as accurate as (FILL IN NAME OF MEDIA OUTLET BASED ON POLITICAL VIEWPOINT). LOL

Thanks for the update, though. You can go to jail for years for possessing marijuana with intent to distribute. You can get the same sentence for purposefully shooting a gun at a man's head while he and his family take a bike ride. What a country! Somehow it seems the two sentences should be a little more different...

Grand Jury rejects attempted murder charge

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090806/NEWS01/90806020/1119

The main problem that I see is the charge was "attempted first degree murder". First seems a stretch to me. I almost wonder if the charge was intentional ploy to get him the felony assault charge he was indited for rather than the appropriate attempted murder charge I feel he should have received.

Do yourself a favor and don't read the comments. Seriously. As usual, it's a bike-related news article which means all the idiots have come out to play.

[edit] If you REALLY want to torture yourself with ignorant comments, read the ones on this article instead.

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090808/NEWS01/90807117&s=d&page=#pluckcomments

heyyy - what gives... aren't the cops usually shooting people prematurely and for no reason?

perhaps this fireman attended the wrong training session... mistakes happen...

BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!

The grand jury declined to indict the shooter for 1st degree murder. They decided on the much less serious crime of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. Instead of facing the possibility of 10 years in prison, if convicted, he's looking at a maximum of about 2 years.

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090806/NEWS01/90806020/1119

Yep, the good 'ol "professional courtesy" thing seems to work pretty far up the crime chain.

another reason not to visit SC.

another reason not to visit SC.

Asheville is in NC but you still shouldn't visit us crazies.

I live 16 miles East of Asheville, and I have never had any problems with drivers in my area. Buncombe County as a whole is a very cool and pretty open minded place to live. Asheville is the Paris of the south. I am glad that the father did not get hurt from the actions of a mad man, but this can happen anywere in the world, not just Ashe.ville, NC

Excuse me, do you suggest things like this could happend here in Europe?? Ther is no "open a bank account and get a gun for free" programs here.

Excuse me, do you suggest things like this could happend here in Europe?? Ther is no "open a bank account and get a gun for free" programs here.[/QUOTE]

Which bank is offering that? I am there. :thumb:

Seriously though, what is it a about a ton of metal and some fossil fuels that make people think they are above the law. These are otherwise rational people. I'm sure Diez would never consider shooting someone in his regular day-to-day, but the idea of cars drove him to that point. Sad and scary indeed.