20 Years for Killing Cyclists in DUI Accident

[Daily Commute]

This article (http://www.oregonlive.com/metro/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1100350835219690.xml) is for those of you who say that drivers who kill or injure cyclists are never punished. It starts:
Portland attorney Ray Thomas has won some big verdicts in his career, most notably an $80 million judgment against tobacco manufacturer Philip Morris in 1999.

* * *

Thomas filed suit earlier this week against Lindsey Lyle Llaneza, a 50-year-old alcoholic who is serving a 20-year prison sentence in connection with the deaths of Angela Leazenby, 26, and Orion Satushek, 27, and the injuring of Caroline Buchalter.

Llaneza, who pleaded guilty to various felony charges earlier this year, ran over Leazenby, Satushek and Buchalter while they were on a midnight summer bike ride in Southeast Portland. When police stopped Llaneza, his blood-alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit.

[Seeker]

About time someone got put away.

[I.B. Bob]

Interesting story, thanks for sharing!

[Dchiefransom]

This article (http://www.oregonlive.com/metro/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1100350835219690.xml) is for those of you who say that drivers who kill or injure cyclists are never punished. It starts:
Portland attorney Ray Thomas has won some big verdicts in his career, most notably an $80 million judgment against tobacco manufacturer Philip Morris in 1999.

* * *

Thomas filed suit earlier this week against Lindsey Lyle Llaneza, a 50-year-old alcoholic who is serving a 20-year prison sentence in connection with the deaths of Angela Leazenby, 26, and Orion Satushek, 27, and the injuring of Caroline Buchalter.

Llaneza, who pleaded guilty to various felony charges earlier this year, ran over Leazenby, Satushek and Buchalter while they were on a midnight summer bike ride in Southeast Portland. When police stopped Llaneza, his blood-alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit.

The big question might be; If he had run over them while sober, would he have been charged, tried, and convicted, or just given a traffic ticket?

[dobber]

Llaneza hadn't had a valid Oregon driver's license in nearly 17 years but had continued to drive despite repeated traffic infractions and a DUII citation three months before.

Wouldn't the fact that he'd been stopped before and was know to have been operating without a license leave the goverment / law enforcement open to critisism / legal action. I admire this lawyers passion for justice, I think his energy would go furthur challenging why this individual was still on the road.