Sad duty: PGR supports Marine funeral...

[No False Enthusiasm]

Sad duty today... rode with PGR in support of a Marine killed on a Ducati... hit a LEO who evidently turned in front of him.

http://www.coloradocountycitizen.com...9bb2963f4.html

NFE

[Go Irish75]

That is very sad and tragic for all involved. Being a 14 year LEO, I know how quickly these things can happen, and him being a 2 year officer, even at 41, it was a tragic mistake. It can be easy to get complacent about the thin traffic on late nights at times, and I could see how this could happen if the officer was sitting there and didn't see traffic for a while, then just pulled his u turn without really checking safely. Again, tragic and sad, it will stay with that officer forever. My condolences to the young Marine and his family who's life was cut short far too soon.

[SgtDuster]

It's why u-turns are illegal, isn't it?


Sad, pretty sad...

[Go Irish75]

Originally Posted by SgtDuster

It's why u-turns are illegal, isn't it?


Sad, pretty sad...

Not sure what the laws are where you live, but all u turns are NOT illegal. Usually u turns mid block in a business district are illegal, along with u turns at controlled intersections when prohibited by sign. Other than that, here in Wisconsin, u turns are fine. Obviously you have to yield right of way, which didn't happen in this case.

[ragtoplvr]

Why is the officer not suspended from duty or at least reassigned while this is investigated. Did he have on the lights?

All the officers I have seen U- Turn either turn on the lights, or waited for traffic to clear.

I have found if I pull over right away, if it is for me, it goes much nicer.

Rod

[nwdub]

whatever happened to MOTHERFUCKING DUE REGARD??????


cop should be in fucking jail right now for manslaughter. he made a choice to not look before he pulled out, and killed a man, in my book that's vehicular manslaughter and if they don't charge him there's something seriously wrong with the world.

[Go Irish75]

Originally Posted by nwdub

whatever happened to MOTHERFUCKING DUE REGARD??????


cop should be in fucking jail right now for manslaughter. he made a choice to not look before he pulled out, and killed a man, in my book that's vehicular manslaughter and if they don't charge him there's something seriously wrong with the world.

You're on the right track, but Due Regard usually applies to when an officer is operating his police vehicle in either an emergency situation (lights and sirens) or responding to a call and is travelling outside the traffic laws (i.e. speeding, going through lights etc..) on his way to a call. The officer MUST still operate with Due Regard for others even while operating in those extreme circumstances. In this case, it appears that he wasnt responding to anything, wasnt coming back from a call, etc.. He just failed to yield from a parked position which resulted in a crash, which then resulted in a fatality. As the facts have been represented, the officer did not intentionally ram him, the officer was not drunk, the officer was not operating negligently, but he did engage in a traffic violation that resulted in a death. I do not think this rises to the degree of manslaughter, even unintentional manslaughter, IMHO. Now, the civil side may be different in this case, and the city WILL pay big time. But as far as anything other than a tragic traffic crash, I do not feel anything else is warranted in this case.

[Tripped1]

Originally Posted by Go Irish75

As the facts have been represented, the officer did not intentionally ram him, the officer was not drunk, the officer was not operating negligently, but he did engage in a traffic violation that resulted in a death. I do not think this rises to the degree of manslaughter, even unintentional manslaughter, IMHO.

Yeah, bust a U-turn and kill a motorcycle cop and watch what you get charged with.

I bet it won't be failure to yield.

[Go Irish75]

Originally Posted by Tripped1

Yeah, bust a U-turn and kill a motorcycle cop and watch what you get charged with.

I bet it won't be failure to yield.

Depends on where ya do it. If you do that in L.A. the cops will beat your ass first, then give you the ticket.

[nwdub]

Originally Posted by Go Irish75

Depends on where ya do it. If you do that in L.A. the cops will beat your ass first, then give you the ticket.

[DanMac]

Wow just wow.. the cop isn't even in trouble over this. He fucking *killed* someone and nothing happens to him.

Fuck. This. Stupid. Country.

[It'sNotTheBike]

Originally Posted by Go Irish75

But as far as anything other than a tragic traffic crash, I do not feel anything else is warranted in this case.

It's mind-boggling how some people who work for the authorities expect respect from the
public despite the fact that they all too often use a double standard when one of their colleagues
does something wrong.

[lemieuxmc]

Originally Posted by It'sNotTheBike

It's mind-boggling how some people who work for the authorities expect respect from the
public despite the fact that they all too often use a double standard when one of their colleagues
does something wrong.

Now, now... watch out with those harsh OPINIONS, they might violate the thread rules on unfairly harming someones self esteem.

[ObiJohn]

Originally Posted by Go Irish75

In this case, it appears that he wasnt responding to anything, wasnt coming back from a call, etc.. He just failed to yield from a parked position which resulted in a crash, which then resulted in a fatality. As the facts have been represented, the officer did not intentionally ram him, the officer was not drunk, the officer was not operating negligently, but he did engage in a traffic violation that resulted in a death. I do not think this rises to the degree of manslaughter, even unintentional manslaughter, IMHO.

Well, the simple fact of the matter is, the officer's actions resulted in the unjustified death of another, i.e., homicide. In Texas, homicide due to negligence is considered manslaughter, a felony.

It might very well be that the prosecutor in this case realizes that no jury in Texas is going to convict the officer of manslaughter, and so at this time there's no point in filing charges and spending all that money. Of course, police stick together (as one mentor told me long ago, "Police are the country's largest street gang; there's over a half-million of them, they generally wear the same colors, and they all take it personally if you hurt a member") and the prosecutor has to work with them as well... and this is a small town in Texas. I also wonder if there are facts that have been left out of the article, such as the speed which the motorcyclist was going at the time of the accident or whether a helmet was worn, that were contributory to the incident or its severity, and thus would make a criminal conviction much harder. Texas also doesn't require helmets, and a casual look at the accident photo shows little apparent damage to either the bike or the police car. Again, this speculation is purely about why the officer hasn't been charged and in no way diminishes his responsibility for the motorcyclist's death.

I'm personally ambivalent about filing criminal charges, although I'm sure the officer will get a ticket, probably for failure to yield. I don't know what sending him to jail would really accomplish in terms of acting as a deterrent to others; I'm sure this individual has learned a very painful lesson that will sink in over time, so I can't see any value in further ruining his life... and his life has been seriously damaged. As others have pointed out, the family of the victim is going to get a huge settlement, and the officer is going to have to live with the results of his carelessness for the rest of his life, both professionally and personally... he will always be known in his community as the idiot cop who pulled a U without looking and killed someone. That in itself would be hard to bear, and of course his career prospects are effectively ended.

[GSingWI]

Originally Posted by DanMac

Wow just wow.. the cop isn't even in trouble over this. He fucking *killed* someone and nothing happens to him.

Fuck. This. Stupid. Country.

unfuckingbelievable

same thing happened just north of my house, except a 24 year old state trooper pulled a Uey in front of a pick up truck and got T-boned. People in the truck got fucked up, and the trooper ended up passing away 2 weeks later.

Pulled a U-turn to catch a speed violater.


Too bad for the young Marine!! Looks like the State won't even give a slap on the wrist-what a god damn shame!