Aeroplane

She's 19. Parents don't come into play anymore. But the goddamn government should. Three tickets, plus this, should mean a LONG suspension of driving privileges. State enforced.

40x14

She can still be tried in a civil case for wrongful death. Maybe the parents can even be tried for letting her drive when she had 3 prior convictions since May 2005. She can not get off with "Jesus forgives all". When she's found guilty in the civil suit she can be obligated to do community service as well as pay restitution although nothing will bring back Mathew's life the money may be used for awareness programs or other benevolent acts.

Edit: Aeroplane, you are right about her being an adult... and thus required to behave as one. The DA has offered her a carte blanche by trying her as a child and thus my confusion. Even though some people are just 'bad drivers,' her actions show gross disregard for the rights of others.

soyboy

i was discussing this with a guy i work with and he brought up the issue of a retrial, though the same act, she was tried for a small driving infraction, since she's not been charged with manslaughter or murder the double jeopardy rule may not apply, i don't know, i'm not a lawyer, i'm a photographer but it is an interesting point

mander

40*14 is right guys, it's not over. I predict that the guy's parents will take the girl on in a civil case and win.

Morgie

+1

soyboy

if you know her name and where she lives it's not hard to search myspace for her profile, that being said i felt kinda sick looking at her profile

SD Fixed

Sam Houston, you are a man of rare dignity, humanity, and humble understanding of the value of life. You're now officially a hero of mine.

SD Fixed

You could give me hundreds of million dollars, and it would be nothing to grip in my hands. No monetary amount would replace my wife, my child, my family or my friends. Then again, her punishment, neither 6 months or 6 lifetimes, would replace them either. In fact, a defacto one for one death in the same manner would not place salve on the broken heart.

I have seen a few people standing over others with large blunt objects, anger in thier eyes. It's a temporary fix, to a long term problem.

The situation is a loss. No one wins.

What needs to occur is a change in values on a higher level.

SD Fixed

There's a requirement for permits to drive, not to have children. I see, sadly, children who have had a lack of good parenting. They are good kids, but lack a foundation of learning about trust, respect, and responsibility.

Honestly though, my father should have never let me drive.

Accident

This episode is a nauseous reminder to me of an incident this past year in the state of Florida where a negligent driver killed a cyclist, father of a family. Well, the driver ended up with the SAME $1000 fine and community service! It caused a pretty serious outrage in our cycling community here in town because what's $1000 to place as a price-tag on our heads?? If this were advertised improperly, people might start plowing bikers to death as sport since the fee is so low.
-This might sound completely f**king absurd since I think the man is a dunce, but president bush is such an avid cyclist I wish he would put some influence on the safety of cyclists more than building and fixing bike trails.

nayr497

Wow, this is a terrible incident and I could not agree more with people about the need for her license to be ripped up. Maybe permanently. I get so damn angry about people doing things besides driving while driving. It is not an "accident" when you are downloading ringtones and piloting and 3000 pound moving machine and kill someone; it is more like an obvious outcome.

I was walking to class today on campus and saw someone get out of their car with headphones on. I was really angry about it but figured I might want to violently convey my displeasure if I spoke to them so just took a deep breath. I did however make a public service announcement in both of the classes I teach that driving with headphones on is illegal and dangerous. I also told my students that driving in NYS while talking on a cell phone is illegal and that you should put your headlights on, by law, when driving in the rain and using windshield wipers.

I feel terrible for Matt's family and can only hope that something good comes out of this. I'll be writing a letter tomorrow to the DA.

helvetica

when I got a speed contest ticket i was put on 3 years probation, $1200 fine, 72hours service, and 2pts, my car impounded + impound fees. I had no priors, and it was a victimless crime. WTF

dustinlikewhat

this has really bummed me the **** out. july 19 2004 my best friend was hit and killed by a car while working. he was one of those guys who held up the stop/slow signs for road construction. one of the smartest dudes I knew, he was doing the job as an inbetween type gig and was getting ready to quit to go back to teaching. ten that morning a complete waste of life, came flying up the hill that mike was standing on, in his brand new pontiac firebird. instead of watching the road he decided to look down into the passenger side floor for a cup to spit chewing tobacco into. as he looked up he had hit mike, he flew over a 100 feet into the side of a work truck, killing him on impact.

the last I've heard, which was roughly a month and a half after this had happened, the degenerate was not going to see any jail time. I want to know what penalty he received for taking away from me one of the most important people in my life, but I have a feeling that the answer would make me want to go and ruin that sack of ****s life.

as a society we want to make too many excuses for the things we do. the concept of being responsible for ones own actions has been removed from day to day life. we're way to eager to allow someone to divert their actions towards someone or something else, weather it be cellphones, alcohol, passengers in the car, or spit cups. I understand the disdain for the concept of "an eye for an eye," but we need to stop being afraid to determine the value of someone as a person. Someone who is going to say that since she believes in jesus, that she is already forgiven in the eyes of the ultimate judge, has no clear grasp on reality, and is not going to raise children who will someday be of great worth to society.

I'm sorry if this seems harsh, but the touchy-feely vibe in this country has always rubbed me the wrong way.

edited for some clarity.

tonym

i cant believe that.
and shes allowed back on the road?
is it me or is america a bit messed up?

godless scum

while driving my father to the philly airport last night, en route to the latterman show, we discussed this. my father worked in the pennsylvania state government for 10+ years from the 70's to the 80's. he suggested that anyone writing letters to the DA also forward/and or write a letter to the governor, as the DA is an appointed position. this is the second time this DA has failed to bring justice in a blatant case of negligent homicide of a cyclist. not many governors want that on their back. just a thought.

FERAL

Strap her to a bed and have headphones on her playing the ringtone over and over 24/7. Have the cyclists pictures plastered all over the walls. Then let her go after about a week. She'll never be the same.

slvoid

He was a cop wasn't he?

slvoid

If I were a parent of sufficient age and someone killed my son, future, hopes and dreams, I think my first course of action would be to run her sorry ass over while she was walking on the sidewalk.

And you know what? What I did would be better for society. I only have to kill once and I'm done. She'll kill and kill again.

Shiznaz

Sounds like the law and order SVU I watched last night!

Zum1

Is it not the DA that deserving of "Our collective venom" Isn't it the DA who set the rediculously underwhelming president here... I think e-mails/messeges/letters should find her every day... several times a day... appalling!

slvoid

I think it's spelled precedent...

cavit8

Apart from this particular case, I think part of the problem with people killing others with vehicles is that's it's somehow viewed as an "accident". Look how long its taken MADD to get DUI's taken seriously. For some reason, if you're behind the wheel of a car, it changes things. I've seen too many people here in Toronto killed and then the driver gets charged under the highway traffic act (if at all), get a misdemeanor with a few points off their licence and a marginal fine. A friend of mine's pregnant wife was hit as a pedestrian after a motorist blew through a four way stop. Charged with under the highway traffic act (she was okay, thank god). Until we seriously consider that cars are a privilige with a high level of responsibility and our legal system acknowledes that, I fear this will continue...

Zum1

yes precident

luvthemas

+Dante's Inferno

zelah

remember when that dude burned 3 suv's and is now in prison for 20+ years?

violence only acceptable down the ladder, never up