Man to serve 8 years in bicyclist's death

A guy from Friendsville, nonetheless! With friends like these, who needs enemies? Sounds like he wants to be sorry and repentant for what he did but then doesn't want to suffer the consequences. He'd rather die so the guy could come back to life, but he's upset about an 8 year prison sentence?

This is sad.. I think it should be longer though. I read another story on this the other day, but it didn't use the words "aggravated vehicular homicide". This story did not mention that (clearly) that after hitting him, he went back across traffic, across the median, and into oncoming traffic. That truck that stopped him, was MILES up the road. Well, at least that is what the other story said.

Either way, if you are known to have issues with seizures and you are taking multiple medications, you do not need to be behind the wheel. You are knowingly loading the gun, taking it off safety, pointing it everyone around you, and hoping it doesn't go off.

Kenny

It's possible that the overmedication caused the seizure (assuming he had one) but then he is still responsible for the homicide. Eight years seems reasonably justified. It's hard to read these stories.

Edited by omaha8 2008-07-06 8:20 PM

Wow... a whole 8 years? Seems pretty light for this.

This guy sounds like a real low-life.  He already killed one person in 79!?!?!?  8 years sounds real light to me.  I would classify this guy in the same lot as drunk drivers.  I doubt very seriously that he was actually having a seizure, more than likely hopped up on a prescription cocktail.  EVEN if he was I still think it was too light a sentence.

Car accidents happen all the time. If he had struck a tree or a wall or another car - nobody would have been hurt and he MIGHT have gotten a ticket. I think 8 years is actually too much. Because a guy was on a bike he was killed so they are glorifying it. If anything it makes you be more careful knowing car vs bike = bad for bike. Instead of screwing a guy and making him spend 8 years in a jail cell for a traffic accident they should help him get disability so he doesn't have to drive or get him in a carpool and have him give a portion of his paycheck each month to the widow. I am an insurance agent and I am totally disgusted with epileptic's driving. We have a mother/daughter who were minding their own business when theywere T-Boned and the mom broke her arm. The other guy's policy declined coverage and he wasn't even ticketed BECAUSE he was in the midst of a seizure. Theysaid it was a maedical emergency and he wasn't responsible. It was ridiculous. The only think worse than epileptics driving is a society that won't take care of the afflicted and thus they have to drive to make any $.

Edited by big john h 2008-07-07 6:30 PM

I just moved to that area and can tell you, it is VERY dangerous to ride around here. The drivers here are unconcerned for the safety of anyone else on the road, let alone cyclists. It is an unfortunate accident and the sentence may well be to harsh. But, in the end, an example has to be made so people will wake up, quite talking on their phones, or whatever else they happen to be doing, and pay attention to the road.

I'm just appalled that this guy still had a valid driver's license with all of his prior issues... No way he should have been on the road in the first place, and because he was allowed to keep driving, some poor family is without their dad now... very sad...