Drunk Driver plows through crowd at SXSW festival

Woke up to this news:

http://news.yahoo.com/police-drivers-kills-2-southwest-southwest-084744674.html

Unbelievable.

 

And yet, in Texas, someone's first DWI offense is a Class B Misdemeanor (baring they don't have a child in their car or don't kill anyone)....

Sec. 12.22. CLASS B MISDEMEANOR. An individual adjudged guilty of a Class B misdemeanor shall be punished by:
(1) a fine not to exceed $2,000;
(2) confinement in jail for a term not to exceed 180 days; or
(3) both such fine and confinement.

Which means probation in Dallas County.

 

Jesus. We need to execute the repeat offenders. A few months ago here had a 21 year old moron woman kill 6 people by driving the wrong way on the freeway. She had a DUI at 16 and had just got back her license 1 week prior. I bet this sack of shit will have a similar story.

I always wonder why those water filled k rails aren't employed more often. Barricades need to be able to physically stop a car, not just deter people from driving through. I always feel bad for the highway maintenance workers, sometimes I see them only protected by signs and not hard barriers or vehicles. Maybe someone needs to invent a much more easily deployed barrier.

 

I used to do this in the Marine Corps. I think it would suffice...

 

That'd work, but you need something to immediately kill the forward momentum of the vehicle, not just turn it into scrap metal and the occupants into blood pudding.

 

So the huge majority that screw up and then straighten up with a misdemeanor should be tossed in the big house instead?

I would be interested to hear what the repeat rate is before you change the law based on one twisted #@$%$ so that it goes draconian on the majority. Shoot unlike some states Texas might be able to give this person the death penalty (not that I think it is appropriate here). The guy is charged with a ton of VERY serious stuff and I am sure they could add to the list in the article. Or you could do a knee jerk reaction and pass another $#$@%ed up law.

 

Not saying they should be flogged and thrown in the big house, but they should face more than probation, which Dallas County is famous for. And it has been MY experience that DWI-ers are in fact, repeat offenders.

My department is starting to go the route of no refusal, which does help in the prosecution.

 

Here in MD, as long as the offender's DUIs are spaced out then there is a strong possibility they'll receive probation each and every time. Our laws only require a breath/blood test to be administered if if the offender was involved in a wreck with personal injuries. Otherwise, the test is optional every single time. Only caveat is that if you refuse then you stand to have the MVA suspend your license for longer. This is successfully argued by the defense as their client needs his driving privileges to work, school, etc.. It's all about money.

 

Someone's had a DUI before...

 

I hear the going rate for a DUI charge is $10K in NC. I think that's the real world cost not simply the fine associated. IMHO, that's a pretty substantial deterent.

 

That's the number I hear in NY too with the fine, surcharges, ins. jump etc.

 

What's unbelievable about it?

Sad for sure, Godspeed to those who were injured and worse but sadly enough, I don't find it to be unbelievable at all, these days.


Because someone mentioned it already, we've had at least a half dozen cases of people driving the wrong way on the local highways here in NNJ, in the past 4-6 months, one of which killed an innocent driver heading home (in the right direction) from work. People are just f'ed up, I'll never understand how one winds up driving the wrong way on a highway, unless they were here straight from the UK or something....not kidding.

 

Many don't pay the fines. So they just go back to jail for a bit (maybe). And some of that chunk of change are administrative fees to get your driver's license back, which many don't do. They just drive on a suspended license.

And, insurance won't cover a non-licensed driver, so when they get into a wreck, sober or not, they may not be covered.

 

Christie's staff can do that with minimum advance notice...

 

In VA we have these deployed when theres a temporary work situation. They dont prevent everything but Im sure they help some what.

 

The fact that someone would do this intentionally. Make the decision to kill innocent people rather than get a DUI. Maybe he was just afraid of getting beaten and baton-probed by johhny law.

 

Trolling, trolling, trolling,
keep them doggies trolling,
head 'em up!
move 'em out!

David

 

And therein lies the rub, some Attny Rodger Shyster will take off running with that as a defense option.

Just like the victims will drain taxpayer monies via the APD because they were attempting to enforce DUI's. :down:

 

It doesn't say if the cops were chasing the guy on foot or in their cars but if it were a high speed chase in a festival area then they most definitely share the blame. Also was it a check point? If so why the fuck would you set that up near a festival of people knowing damn well that a drunk is likely to run and crash when cornered like that. Lots of facts missing it seems.