Hit and Run driver arrested
Another fatality - this time the cops caught up with the driver - after she tried to cover her tracks.
http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...812010408/1361 |
ROYAL OAK -- A 44-year-old woman was charged this morning in the hit-and-run death of bicyclist who was struck along Woodward Avenue on her way to work.
Kimberly Cooley Dancy was arraigned on a felony charge of failure to stop at the scene of an accident when at fault resulting in death. Royal Oak police also sought a charge of malicious destruction of property against Dancy, 44, of Royal Oak, because they allege she staged a car accident to cover up damage from striking cyclist Jacqueline Robinson. Robinson was riding in the northbound curb lane of Woodward Avenue south of 12 Mile about 1:30 a.m. Sept. 19 when she was struck by a white car that dragged her a short distance, police said. A passerby found the woman lying in the curb lane and contacted police. Royal Oak police Lt. Corrigan O'Donohue said several investigative leads pointed to Dancy, who was a prior conviction for impaired driving and driving on a suspended license. "We solicited help from the public and the media, and we did receive some valuable tips," O'Donohue said. Dancy allegedly ran her 2008 Liberty Jeep into a parked car in a parking lot outside a Royal Oak drug store the day after the accident. She called Royal Oak police to report the crash and later had her car repaired. Dancy turned herself in for her arraignment at the 44th District Court. She was arraigned by Judge Terrence Brennan on both charges and bond was set at $20,000. She is expected to return to court Jan. 14 for a preliminary examination. You can reach Jennifer Chambers at (248) 647-7402 or jchambers@detnews.com. Sounds like some good investigative work on the part of the police. I can almost imagine panic taking over someone so that they leave the scene of an accident. Let's face it. In the USA, if you hit a pedestrian or a bicyclist, life as you know it is pretty much over. I would expect that after the panic attack, a good cry, and a call to her lawyer that the driver would then call the police and return to the scene of the accident. In this case, however, the driver turned the event into a crime by going far out of her way to try to cover up the accident. WOW! Crashing into a parked car to throw off the police. Man alive. Notice that the police had a bead on her from the beginning because of her prior record of driving impaired... Can we imagine that she is going to work drunk or impaired? Yeesh.. I just had some home repair guys come to my place to give me an estimate and a quote. One of the guys smelled so bad of booze that I wouldn't ask them back if they were giving free chocolates with each visit. Drinkin' n workin'. Workin' n drinkin'. hic. What could possibly go wrong? |
Originally Posted by mike
(Post 7945163)
I can almost imagine panic taking over someone so that they leave the scene of an accident. Let's face it. In the USA, if you hit a pedestrian or a bicyclist, life as you know it is pretty much over. I would expect that after the panic attack, a good cry, and a call to her lawyer that the driver would then call the police and return to the scene of the accident.
Covering up the crime is going to cause her to get much more severe punishment. I predict at least 2 years. (yes, I'm bitter) |
Originally Posted by mike
(Post 7945163)
Let's face it. In the USA, if you hit a pedestrian or a bicyclist, life as you know it is pretty much over.
In this case, however, the driver turned the event into a crime |
Originally Posted by dougmc
(Post 7947533)
Do you live in the same USA I do? Here, if you weren't drunk or otherwise impaired, it's unlikely you'll even see a courtroom over the incident. I guess the victim (or his family, if you killed him) could sue, but I don't know how often that happens. Especially if you didn't even get a citation for the incident.
If you hit and injure or kill a pedestrian with an automobile in the USA, I can assure you that you will be going to court at least twice even if you were stone sober and did not leave the scene of the crime. At least one time will be traffic court and the other will be civil court. You stated, "I guess the victim (or his family, if you killed him) could sue, but I don't know how often that happens." The answer is "Very nearly every time!, unless the driver settles out of court" Did you ever wonder why people buy liability insurance? It isn't because liability insurance is fasionable. |
Let's face it. In the USA, if you hit a pedestrian or a bicyclist, life as you know it is pretty much over.
Sure - if by pretty much over, you mean life will get slightly inconvenient for a brief time as you deal with the impending minor wrist slap... Unfortunately, we don't take negligent operation of a motor vehicle seriously. A motorist hit 10 cyclists at the Tour de Tucson recently, very seriously injuring several. He got out, looked at the damage, looked at the cyclists, got back in his car and drove away. The driver has been identified, but has not even been so much as arrested for hit and run.... If you want to kill someone in the states, hit them with a car and claim you didn't see them. Lots of chuckleheads will write in to the local newspaper soundoffs discussing how badly you must feel... |
Originally Posted by SeattleShaun
(Post 7948732)
Let's face it. In the USA, if you hit a pedestrian or a bicyclist, life as you know it is pretty much over.
Sure - if by pretty much over, you mean life will get slightly inconvenient for a brief time as you deal with the impending minor wrist slap... Unfortunately, we don't take negligent operation of a motor vehicle seriously. A motorist hit 10 cyclists at the Tour de Tucson recently, very seriously injuring several. He got out, looked at the damage, looked at the cyclists, got back in his car and drove away. The driver has been identified, but has not even been so much as arrested for hit and run.... If you want to kill someone in the states, hit them with a car and claim you didn't see them. Lots of chuckleheads will write in to the local newspaper soundoffs discussing how badly you must feel... By the way, if you hit someone and injure them with your automobile, you can anticipate more than a wrist slap. Injury settlements are often in the millions of dollars. Check the umbrella on your liability insurance. Yes, you CAN lose everything, and I mean EVERYTHING. |
I'm sorry officer. I was just driving home from work and this cyclist just swerved in front of me. I did what I could to avoid the collision, but... If the cyclist would have just looked where she was going...
And be sober and not try to cover up the event... and you are freeeeee |
Originally Posted by JoebikerLa
(Post 7948917)
I'm sorry officer. I was just driving home from work and this cyclist just swerved in front of me. I did what I could to avoid the collision, but... If the cyclist would have just looked where she was going...
And be sober and not try to cover up the event... and you are freeeeee Or the simpler: "I didn't see him." Perfectly valid and unassailable legal defense. |
Originally Posted by mike
(Post 7948857)
My understanding is that as of 25 November, they only found the car that they thought was involved, but had not yet identified or arrested the driver. Maybe that is the key to not being punished - don't get caught - and that is why drivers leave the scene of the crime.
By the way, if you hit someone and injure them with your automobile, you can anticipate more than a wrist slap. Injury settlements are often in the millions of dollars. Check the umbrella on your liability insurance. Yes, you CAN lose everything, and I mean EVERYTHING. |
Originally Posted by mike
(Post 7948724)
Huh? Do you have a drivers license?
If you hit and injure or kill a pedestrian with an automobile in the USA I can assure you that you will be going to court at least twice even if you were stone sober and did not leave the scene of the crime. At least one time will be traffic court and the other will be civil court. You stated, "I guess the victim (or his family, if you killed him) could sue, but I don't know how often that happens." The answer is "Very nearly every time!, unless the driver settles out of court" Did you ever wonder why people buy liability insurance? It isn't because liability insurance is fasionable. Perhaps you haven't been paying attention, but the police, nation-wide, have a poor record of citing motorists who injure or kill cyclists or pedestrians. Often, the police determine the motorist broke a traffic law and don't even cite them for that. And certainly, things like assault, manslaughter or murder are very rarely charged, and when they do they often don't get convictions. The only (somewhat) reliable way to get a manslaughter conviction is to be drunk and have the police confirm that, and assault/murder convictions generally require several witnesses. |
Originally Posted by mike
(Post 7945163)
... Let's face it. In the USA, if you hit a pedestrian or a bicyclist, life as you know it is pretty much over. ...
Seriously, I could join the chorus and question which Universe you are in, but I think you are impervious. Also, can you tell me if people buy liability insurance mostly because it is a legal requirement to drive or because they fear civil litigation? (PS. its a rhetorical question). |
Originally Posted by dougmc
(Post 7947533)
Do you live in the same USA I do?...
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Originally Posted by mike
(Post 7945163)
[I]ROYAL OAK -- [COLOR="Navy"] Let's face it. In the USA, if you hit a pedestrian or a bicyclist, life as you know it is pretty much over. I would expect that after the panic attack, a good cry, and a call to her lawyer that the driver would then call the police and return to the scene of the accident.
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Originally Posted by mike
(Post 7948857)
By the way, if you hit someone and injure them with your automobile, you can anticipate more than a wrist slap. Injury settlements are often in the millions of dollars. Check the umbrella on your liability insurance. Yes, you CAN lose everything, and I mean EVERYTHING.
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i think it is extremely unlikely in this case, but it is possible to hit and kill a pedestrian or cyclist and not be at fault. i would expect no criminal or civil liability in that situation, but it would still be a horrible situation.
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Originally Posted by InfiniteRegress
(Post 7951162)
I think the important thing is for such outcomes to be better publicized and shared with new drivers and those who have maybe slipped up here and there. Most people don't want to intentionally hurt someone, but often fail to see how doing stupid things behind the wheel (reading an email on their Blackberry, putting on make up, reading the morning paper, etc) can lead to very serious and lasting consequences. Most of us just don't think about it. There should really be more monitoring at a national level of what happens in cases where a motorist hits and injures or kills a pedestrian or cyclist AND it's the motorist found to be at fault. Are they charged? Do they have to settle? Do they lose their driver's license? Are they still able to get insurance? I realize all cases are different, but it would be interesting to see how this plays out nationally and in individual states.
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