OMFG. The b*tch that killed my friend is getting a max of ONE YEAR in jail.

[johnjbruin]

If it is just an accident - then I guess a year is ok - but if she was on drugs for sure - give her life in prison.

 

[dabuddha]

:|

 

[NeoPTLD]

It frustrates me that the system is too lenient on those who aren't supposed to be driving. I had an accident with a car on my bike about a month ago.

I was going straight in the bike lane and the b!tch was driving in the right lane, left of me. She took a right in front of me getting in my right of way and causing me to bump into her.
She continued on driving, so I went after her. About 50ft down, she pulled into the lot realizing I got her plate. We argued over who was at fault mainly because she thought she was in the right because she started the turn split second before I ran into her. She tried to settle the whole thing out between us, but when she could produce neither the driver's license nor insurance, I wasn't so sure she was telling the truth.

State police came. He asked about the situations and agreed that she was 100% at fault and when he ran her records, it came to my realization that she didn't have her license. This Spanish speaking woman didn't have her license, because, quoting her "I failed the test". The cop just wrote her a ticket for unlicensed driving, told her she can't drive the car home and someone needs to pick her up, then left her there with her car and keys. She's in total control of her after the police was gone and she could have driven off anytime and cause another accident. Apparently they aren't as concerned about drivers too dumb to pass the DMV test as much as they're concerned about intoxicated college kids walking around on saturday nights.

 

[isildur]

Originally posted by: NeoPTLD
It frustrates me that the system is too lenient on those who aren't supposed to be driving. I had an accident with a car on my bike about a month ago.

I was going straight in the bike lane and the b!tch was driving in the right lane, left of me. She took a right in front of me getting in my right of way and causing me to bump into her.
She continued on driving, so I went after her. About 50ft down, she pulled into the lot realizing I got her plate. We argued over who was at fault mainly because she thought she was in the right because she started the turn split second before I ran into her. She tried to settle the whole thing out between us, but when she could produce neither the driver's license nor insurance, I wasn't so sure she was telling the truth.

State police came. He asked about the situations and agreed that she was 100% at fault and when he ran her records, it came to my realization that she didn't have her license. This Spanish speaking woman didn't have her license, because, quoting her "I failed the test". The cop just wrote her a ticket for unlicensed driving, told her she can't drive the car home and someone needs to pick her up, then left her there with her car and keys. She's in total control of her after the police was gone and she could have driven off anytime and cause another accident. Apparently they aren't as concerned about drivers too dumb to pass the DMV test as much as they're concerned about intoxicated college kids walking around on saturday nights.

so a car making a legal right turn needs to yeild to bikers in the bike lane?

 

[DougK62]

Originally posted by: isildur

Originally posted by: NeoPTLD
It frustrates me that the system is too lenient on those who aren't supposed to be driving. I had an accident with a car on my bike about a month ago.

I was going straight in the bike lane and the b!tch was driving in the right lane, left of me. She took a right in front of me getting in my right of way and causing me to bump into her.
She continued on driving, so I went after her. About 50ft down, she pulled into the lot realizing I got her plate. We argued over who was at fault mainly because she thought she was in the right because she started the turn split second before I ran into her. She tried to settle the whole thing out between us, but when she could produce neither the driver's license nor insurance, I wasn't so sure she was telling the truth.

State police came. He asked about the situations and agreed that she was 100% at fault and when he ran her records, it came to my realization that she didn't have her license. This Spanish speaking woman didn't have her license, because, quoting her "I failed the test". The cop just wrote her a ticket for unlicensed driving, told her she can't drive the car home and someone needs to pick her up, then left her there with her car and keys. She's in total control of her after the police was gone and she could have driven off anytime and cause another accident. Apparently they aren't as concerned about drivers too dumb to pass the DMV test as much as they're concerned about intoxicated college kids walking around on saturday nights.

so a car making a legal right turn needs to yeild to bikers in the bike lane?

A bike is another vehicle on the road just like a car is. Would you make a right turn directly in front of another car, causing that car to run into you?

 

[NeoPTLD]

Originally posted by: isildur
so a car making a legal right turn needs to yeild to bikers in the bike lane?

When you make a left, oncoming traffic has the right of way unless its a protected left arrow. When you make a right, you MUST yield to bicycles going straight in the bike lane as well as pedestrians going straight in the street you're about to turn into.

If I run into a car stopped in the intersection while turning, its a different issue.

I was already going straight on my bike at a speed not exceeding the posted limit, then she suddenly turns right giving me no time to stop.

 

[Aharami]

hope the female quivalent of Bubba gets to her in prison

 

[razor2025]

yup, our legal system is completely F*cked up. Otherwise, why would a greedy bastard CEO who ruins thounsands of lives gets only few months in Club Fed, while someone with Mary J gets years on PMITA Fed Prison? If I had my say in legal system, that CEO should've been castrated without anestethics.

Aharami: Umm... I dunno about Female Bubbas... considering they don't have the "tools" neccesary to inflict the damage.....

 

[GasX]

She was on Methadone? :|

 

[Turkish]

Originally posted by: Jzero

Originally posted by: The Boss
I'd forgive a true accident, but not this one.

So you have some evidence that the prosecutors and jury did not have available to them? If so, you must either be complicit in this crime or you have a very high-powered jump-to-conclusions mat.

Suprisingly light sentences aside, I'm glad our legal system does a fairly good job of insulating us from this kind of emotionally charged mob justice.

There's a big difference between an unavoidable accident and an accident due to lack of care.

 

[Turkish]

Originally posted by: isildur

Originally posted by: NeoPTLD
It frustrates me that the system is too lenient on those who aren't supposed to be driving. I had an accident with a car on my bike about a month ago.

I was going straight in the bike lane and the b!tch was driving in the right lane, left of me. She took a right in front of me getting in my right of way and causing me to bump into her.
She continued on driving, so I went after her. About 50ft down, she pulled into the lot realizing I got her plate. We argued over who was at fault mainly because she thought she was in the right because she started the turn split second before I ran into her. She tried to settle the whole thing out between us, but when she could produce neither the driver's license nor insurance, I wasn't so sure she was telling the truth.

State police came. He asked about the situations and agreed that she was 100% at fault and when he ran her records, it came to my realization that she didn't have her license. This Spanish speaking woman didn't have her license, because, quoting her "I failed the test". The cop just wrote her a ticket for unlicensed driving, told her she can't drive the car home and someone needs to pick her up, then left her there with her car and keys. She's in total control of her after the police was gone and she could have driven off anytime and cause another accident. Apparently they aren't as concerned about drivers too dumb to pass the DMV test as much as they're concerned about intoxicated college kids walking around on saturday nights.

so a car making a legal right turn needs to yeild to bikers in the bike lane?

I hope you are asking because you really dont know the answer. Yes, the car has to yield by law.

 

[iwearnosox]

Originally posted by: The Boss

Originally posted by: Jzero

Originally posted by: The Boss
I'd forgive a true accident, but not this one.

So you have some evidence that the prosecutors and jury did not have available to them? If so, you must either be complicit in this crime or you have a very high-powered jump-to-conclusions mat.

Suprisingly light sentences aside, I'm glad our legal system does a fairly good job of insulating us from this kind of emotionally charged mob justice.

There's a big difference between an unavoidable accident and an accident due to lack of care.

It's called an accident for a reason. Was she a retard for doing what she did? Sure, but look around you, the world is filled with them. Despite her actions you have to look at intent (none) and remorse. Remember she's got to live the rest of her life knowing she's such a fvcktard she killed someone. That's not an easy thing to do.

Life is a bitch people.

 

[0roo0roo]

friends dont let friends ride cycles on the road. it seems incredibly vulnerable to me. frankly they creep me out when i pass them, i always expect em to hit a rock or pothole and swerve into my car or something. i hate bikes and bike lanes, to me its like a pedestrian lane on a freeway..crazy.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: The Boss
There's a big difference between an unavoidable accident and an accident due to lack of care.

My statement stands. What evidence do you have to prove that it was not unavoidable? Nothing. You don't know any more than anyone else does. You certainly don't know any more than than the prosecutor and jurors did.

Yet you are willing to chalk this up to flat out irresponsibility knowing very little about the case. If it was so cut-and-dried, she would not have been acquitted of the felony charge. She pleaded guilty to the lesser charges; it's not like she is saying "I have no responsibility for this." But the jury obviously felt for whatever reason that there was not sufficient evidence to convict her on the felony charge.

 

[z0mb13]

bicycles and motorcycles are two things I will never drive on a public road

 

[callmesteve]

There's no way in hell that she can go through all the pain, agony, trouble, misery that she put you, your friend's family and loved ones through....

I don't give a crap, I think she's very wrong. Right of way this, obey traffic signal that, last time I checked you YIELD to pedestrians.

Didn't affect her driving... yea people can get away with anything in court these days.

For the OP, I hope justice prevails

 

[mitchafi]

Not to draw any attention away from this tragedy, but I have a similar story. An acquaintance of mine's best friend was shot in the BACK while running from a house (he was playing "ding-dong-ditch"). The guy that shot him was a middle-aged guy who claimed he saw a gun in his hand and therefore shot him in self-defense (even though he was shot in the BACK and definitely did not have a gun). Anyways, he got sentenced to 1 year in prison, serving weekends only (approximately 104 days total) and he is allowed to get out for his nephew's bar mitzvah. Pretty screwed up if you ask me.

 

[Apathetic]

Originally posted by: DonVito

Originally posted by: kyparrish
OMG, only 1 year? something's broken with our legal system

I want to press Pause for a moment and address that concern.

I can't vouch for what happened in this case, but I've been a criminal litigator for years, and had the benefit of observing my mother, who has been a judge for 21 years.

I don't see this as a failure of the justice system, though I share your and Fausto's frustration with the outcome.

Essentially, this woman killed Fausto's friend David, due to her own negligence. She admitted to that, and pled guilty to second-degree vehicular homicide, a gross misdemeanor. The state pursued the greater charge of first-degree vehicular homicide, apparently because she was allegedly on drugs. See this page for a layperson's explanation of the gradations of vehicular homicide in Georgia.

After hearing all the evidence, the jury apparently acquitted Ms. Richardson of the greater charge, probably because they weren't convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that she was "under the influence of alcohol or drugs" under the specific definition provided for in the jury instructions. It's a curious finding, since she apparently admitted to taking methodone, but I'm not a doctor and have no idea what the pharmaceutical impact of methodone use is.

The bottom line is that I think the DA did the right thing, took the case to trial under the appropriate charges, and lost on the greater charge. IMO this woman was lucky with this outcome, but I can't see it as a huge miscarriage of justice.

Where's the justice for Fausto's friend?

Dave

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: Apathetic

Where's the justice for Fausto's friend?

Dave

He got his day in court.

I don't mean that to sound hard-hearted - as I said, I don't know this case intimately, but it sounds to me as though she should have been convicted of a felony - but I for one don't want a system that presumes guilt instead of innocence, or one that ensures a victim gets "justice," even at the expense of fairness.

This guy's death is tragic, and was probably avoidable. That's really sad. That said, by taking the felony charge to trial, the DA's office took a risk that I for one applaud - too many DAs wouldn't even have tried, for fear of lowering their conviction rate, and thus jeopardizing re-electability.

I was not in the jury and I don't know why they found what they did, but to me the presumption of innocence is too important a principle to abandon in the interest of gleaning a conviction in this or any other case. The upshot of all that is that this woman is guilty of second-degree vehicular manslaughter (a gross misdemeanor), but not of the similar felony offense. Them's the breaks.

 

[MithShrike]

Sh1t like this pisses me off.

 

[Allio]

Wow, this is aggravating.

 

[Gilby]

I don't give a crap, I think she's very wrong. Right of way this, obey traffic signal that, last time I checked you YIELD to pedestrians.

A bicyclist is not a pedestrian.

 

[meltdown75]

I am very sorry to hear about this Fausto.

 

[imported_Schmitty]

she is a Fvck3n whore. she should be put on the road and run over with a car. not killng her but breaking all of her bones. after she suffered for about 15 years then, killed. she should be straped to a bike then hit with a car again! eye for an eye. that stupid b1tch. she should be hung!!

 

[gabemcg]

<----Offers services as hitman free of charge...

j/k

sorry for your loss, and subsequent lack of justice