GSP PIT Kills 2...thoughts?

[AZ Vic]

Originally posted by Buick From Hell
With all due respect, that's an oxymoron if I've ever read one! Over labor day weekend here in SLC, some teenagers in a Stealth were zooming thru town at high speeds, lost control, (this is the key factor here!), hit a jeep, then ran over a woman walking her dog before crashing into a tree. "she was not endangering innocent people"? A 100 mph vehicle driven by someone who won't slow it down is simply and irrevocably a LETHAL WEAPON. Do what you must to "disarm" it.

And spike strips--think you could keep from rolling after 4 blowouts at 100 mph? Good luck!


Until then?

If she were driving IN TOWN, I would be a little more sympathetic towards the police.

OK, 60 miles - I thought they said 30?- even 60 miles @ 100 mph thats 36 minutes. You mean to tell me they couldn't have ran the plate and determined that she was not worth a 100 mph chase in that time?

Hello? Hello? Is this thing on?

Given the same scenario with no passenger - I think they could have done better.

Same scenario with no passenger and in town - take her out.

The way this went down - that officer should be on trial for man slaughter.

There was NO way to PIT that vehicle without it turning bad.

 

[Quick6]

This was clearly a case of an over zealous cop and he should be bought up on charges. There must have been other alternative options other than a high speed PIT manuver. For instance the girl had been traveling on the interstate for more than 60 mles like this and law enforcement was aware of the problem, why couldn't they have performed a rolling roadblock ahead of her to slow her speed down and then if needed perform the PIT if still needed.

 

[Drac0nic]

Originally posted by Buick From Hell

And spike strips--think you could keep from rolling after 4 blowouts at 100 mph? Good luck!

Probably easier then having someone try and force you to spin out at 100 mph.

This probably needs to transition over to politics, but I'll throw my .02 anyways. Police chases are a necessary evil, otherwise I'd be out right now robbing banks and driving off with impunity. "whoa, he's in a car we can't do anything!"

This seems more like a clear cut case of "battle frienzy" to me. Adreneline is a powerful yet often unregarded mind altering substance, it makes people do funny things, stuff they'd never do in normal cases. Still, in my book stupidity is a crime and something like a reprimand or reckless endangerment charges would be in order. I've said it once, and I'll say it again; USE YOUR DAMN HEAD. There is no substitute.

 

[Buick From Hell]

So, then I'm to assume a vehicle going 100 mph down an interstate ISN'T a lethal weapon, and it shouldn't be stopped?

Gee, let me think about that one...my dad's sister and 5 co-workers were on their way to work one day, on an interstate, when a car going an estimated 100 mph the other direction, veered left, and flew out of the median straight at them.

Decapitated all 6 of 'em.

So forgive me if I don't quite agree that the cop should be brought up on manslaughter charges. While two lives were indeed taken, it's very possible 6 others were saved...

 

[Silver 6]

It looks like a few of us still don't understand the use of this manuver.

It is not done with surrounding traffic. The vehicle performing the manuver passed the lead pursuit vehicle and the lead vehicle fell back. Did you notice the two semi trucks in front of the right two traffic lanes? They are there by design to hold traffic and then a chase vehicle fills the left lane. This keeps all traffic following from being involved.

The officer who performs the manuver must be trained in how and when to perform it.

The officer doing the manuver doesn't just decide he'd like to do it. It takes coordination with the other officers in pursuit. This is both officers perfroming pursuit, and also ahead of the pursuit.

A motor vehicle is considered a leathal weapon. Deadly force can be used if deamed necessary.

Running a plate does not tell you who is driving a car. There is no way to tell from a plate that a 16 year old is behind the wheel.

A single mistake by the speeding driver or any of the others being passed in traffic could have caused a severe multiple car collision. Hitting another car from behind could also launch a 100MPH missile into the oncoming traffic on the other side. That is a picture no one wants to see.

 

[BlownZ]

Originally posted by AZ Vic
This officer made a mistake in judgement and it cost two people thier lives.

Vic

I am sure you meant to say...This DRIVER made a mistake in judgement by running from the police and endangering everyone in the area and it cost two people their lives.


You asked in another forum if you were a liberal.....you just got your answer.

Liberals have NO sense of personal responsibility. This tragedy could have been avoided....by stopping for the police and obeying the law.

 

[BlownZ]

Originally posted by KLHAMMETT
They should invest if they dont have a police helicoptor or get the new people to follow the car. THey can back off, And wait fro the call telling them were they went, She is an asshole for driving like that,But i think there were many other ways to handle the situation than spin them out,
Just Think what if it was your daughter,sister friend, driving or in the passenger seat?? Would you say" Oh well she deserves it for driving that way" I doubt it. I believe she deserves puishment for driving like that, But i dont think the death penatly was in order.
And any car spun out at that speed would almost ensure death.
Way to many other ways to handle it, Here in CT an officer killed a lady and her daughter becasue he was chasing a speeder and crashed,
That situation could have ended up with a cop killing an innocent driver as much as she could have hit one.

What if they backed off and she drives into a school bus?

It is a tragedy...plain and simple...but the only one's that are dead...are the one's who created the situation to begin with by disobeying the law.

If it has to end in tragedy...that is the lesser of two evils.

 

[TRBON8R]

Originally posted by no-nos

Originally posted by TRBON8R



yeah and maybe they should have a crack commando unit, and a search and destroy unit, but wait why not just change the police helicopters in for some cobra's or apache helicopters

Get real,

I'll take your advice and "get real". From what I saw this situation seemed pretty "real" to those people that this dumb broad could have run over and killed.

If you run from the cops and endanger other people's lives you deserve to be shot, run off the road, or taken out in any way necessary to protect the public. If a zero tolerance policy were in force this crap would stop.

Sorry, I guess I'm not a good ACLU candidate like you.

 

[Otto J]

Well, I will agree IF tragedy has to come from this, The right person got what was coming to them

 

[FastRegalWE2]

Originally posted by no-nos
cops have nothing but tunnel vision when they get into a chase all thats on their mind is this bitch ain't getting away from me!, but whats done is done

You are absolutely wrong...my father was a cop for 22 years...it is beaten into the officers to asses EVERY aspect of the situation. I have seen plenty of video where the police have stoppped/called off a pursuit because of the danger to others. If this had gone on in a residential area, it prob would have been stopped/called off much sooner. Her speeding/WRECKLESS DRIVING put EVERYONE on that hiway in both directions in danger, because she was too STUPID to pull over for the police. You see it all the time, these idiots run from the police, they see it on TV, and think hey, I can do that too. I just aint gonna stop..... BS...I hope this serves as a lesson to all the dumb azz MOFO's that think they can run from the law. MAYBE, next time some dumbazz decides they are not gonna stop, they will have seen/heard about this and change their mind....MAYBE....it is bound to have an impact on someone else besides the deceased and the officer who made the PIT. I do however agree that this was a tragedy, for a young woman and man........but come one...she could have stopped ANYTIME during this LONG chase. And HER family should be sued by the passengers family for his wrongful death........

 

[FastRegalWE2]

Originally posted by BlownZ

Liberals have NO sense of personal responsibility. This tragedy could have been avoided....by stopping for the police and obeying the law.

I also AGREE with this statement 100%

 

[GN Greg]

This is a double tradegy.

First for the families of the people that disregarded the police by not stoping when they were speeding and second for the GA police officer that ended the chase.

The FL highway patrol had over 50 miles of chasing a Nissan Pathfinder to find a way to stop the vehicle. Were not talking about trying to catch a Corvette, a Viper or even a TR at high speed. Will a Pathfinder run over 100 mph? THe FL police should have either boxed the girl in or backed off and got her later since they had the license plate number.

Although the girl was speeding, she did not look like she was out of control. She did pass vehicles on the right(we all have), she did move to the left lane when people were entering the highway on the on ramp.

We all know that the faster you drive, the faster things happen,however, the last time I looked, speeding was not punishable by death and the police officer was not the jury.

If the girl crossed the median when she was ran into by the police officer(they could have boxed her in) and hit a vehicle(s)
head on, we might have all thought differently about how
this ended.

 

[NJVetteGuy]

If the driver hadn't been attempting to elude the police at over 100 MPH with a suspended license, the situation would not have presented itself for the officer to make the decision in the first place. Nobody would be against the officer's decision if the driver had just hit and killed another motorist, and that appeared to be the direction that the chase was headed. Keep in mind that any one of your loved ones could have been in the wrong place at the wrong time and been hit head-on by this individual. The driver paid the ultimate price for their attempt at avoiding the law, and for what? Avoiding a ticket and some fines? Not exactly a wise decision in my book. Perhaps if people actually thought about the consequences of their actions, many similar situations could be avoided.

 

[no-nos]

Originally posted by Silver 6
It looks like a few of us still don't understand the use of this manuver.

Did you notice the two semi trucks in front of the right two traffic lanes? They are there by design to hold traffic and then a chase vehicle fills the left lane. This keeps all traffic following from being involved.

if thats the case why did'nt they use the trucks infront of her to slow her down? and ws6 i'm far from an aclu candidate, you going to tell me that those officers assesed every option they had HELL no, you go and tell that to the girls family or the passengers family . what are you going to say when they ask you why did'nt you terminate the chase and arrest her when she got home ????????????????? i'm not makeing excusses for her but the police did not due all within their power to protect life, all life,
you mean to tell me that dept.policy is to chase someone at speeds of over 100mph knowing that your pursuit is causeing the suspect to increase speed when does this police officer start to use his head?? when does he say to himself i am also putting the public in danger by maintaining this pursuit ?? no dam common sence! we already know the driver has none, she's speeding away, you say your father was a cop ask him if police officers don't get tunnel vision during a chase, i'm pretty sure he knows what i'm talking about. i am not wrong(Z)little comment
"iberals have no sence of personal responsibility, this tragedy could have been avoided by stopping for the police and obeying the law" i'm sure that will read good on her tomb stone, i'm sure they knew it was a girl and a young girl behind the wheel, and for all who don't know **** about being a victim, my dad was ramed by a police officer while chaseing a guy over a $150 ****ING chain. this is a touchy issue because her car was not the only one that was going fast, as wrong as she was and lord knows she should have just pulled over, when people get scared it's fight or flee syndrome that takes over.

i apologize for my language but seeing police chase criminals over
minor offenses and at such high speeds
they could have have arrested her at home, sent her to jail, given her a harsh sentence, but that would have required what the girl did not have and what the cop should have had

COMMON SENCE

 

[no-nos]

Originally posted by BlownZ
What if they backed off and she drives into a school bus?

what if he chased her and made her hit a school bus?


It is a tragedy...plain and simple...but the only one's that are dead...are the one's who created the situation

A: the only one thats dead is the one who created the situation
what about the kid who was with her, that kid could have been anyone of us son, who went for a ride with a girl because he liked her, so what is his crime?? how do you atone for his death ??


"to begin with by disobeying the law."

A: why do you think there are so many people in jail?
do you think punishment is a deterrent ?

i am not going to say anything else two lives who's whole life was ahead of them was cut short......truly a tragedy

 

[Silver 6]

When are we going to start just saying people must obey the law?

People died. There is't a person involved who doesn't understand and regret it.

But it was the driver who was responsible for the entire event.

They should show this in every driver's ed class.

 

[BlownZ]

Originally posted by no-nos

what if he chased her and made her hit a school bus?

That is so wrong on so many levels.

If someone robs a bank and refuses to stop...do you let them go?

If someone runs over someone and flees the scene do you fail to give chase?

The fact is this....she could have avoided it by obeying the law. She didn't and paid the price.

To blame the police for this action is both irresponsible and downright wrong.

I agree...the passenger could be a total innocent but I still stand by my opinion that the police took a calculated risk and removed a potential threat to countless innocents on the road that day. It stinks that it happened...but it wasn't the police that created this tragedy.

 

[Raven]

My only thoughts are that perhaps the GSP should have tried the PIT manuever as a last, last resort. I don't know if they tried to box her in with a few cop cars but I'm not going to second guess the officer who got her stopped.

Yes, I regret that the driver and the passenger both died. But had they simply obeyed the law, they would be still be alive.

I feel badly for the officer who did his job - that would be a tough thing to live with, even though he did what he was trained to do in just such an event.

After all, it could have been my family or yours who the SUV might have ran into had she not been stopped. We'll never know.

Either way, she broke the law, ignored the officers (for MILES and MILES, across state lines), put countless other lives at risk by doing so and unfortunately paid the ultimate price for her absolute stupidity. It's a lose-lose situation, no matter how you look at it.

I really feel for her parents and family, given what we know at this time.

 

[no-nos]

a17 and a 16 year old would your feelings be the same had this been your sister or your brother? as troubleed as teens are today

 

[BlownZ]

Originally posted by no-nos
a17 and a 16 year old would your feelings be the same had this been your sister or your brother? as troubleed as teens are today

Listen you can woulda coulda shoulda all day long but the facts are the facts. If she had stopped...it wouldn't have happened.

What if she hit another car that had your sister or your brother in it while being chased by the police? You would then be in an uproar because the police didn't do anything to stop her sooner.

It's a tragedy and nobody denies that...but of all of the scenarios that involve tragedy...at least it wasn't someone who was entirely and completely innocent...such as a pedestrian or other driver.

Honestly...I don't even feel that bad for the driver of the SUV...I do feel terrible about the passenger but nothing can be done now.

This tragedy was not created by the Police department.