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I've refrained from commenting about this issue in the local discussion boards, and I've refrained from bringing it up here. But since someone else brought it up, and a couple of other like-minded people have already commented on it, I'll throw my two cents in and be done with it.
I'll preface my comments by saying that what happened was nothing short of tragic on several fronts. A woman was killed, three children are without a mother, and another person is without a job and will have to live with the consequences of this unintended death for ever.
The fact that the vehicle the Wayne County deputy had stopped did not contain the people they were looking for should not enter into the discussion at all. There was no way of knowing it at the time the decisions were made.
I will also not presume to know what goes through an officer's head when another officer calls for assistance. However, I DO know what goes through a firefighter's head when the "firefighter down" call goes over the radio. I have been in that situation a number of times. I can't imagine that they are too dissimilar.
I will also say that I have no inside information, and can only base my opinions on what has been reported in the (notoriously unreliable) media. The media in this area have this habit of spinning the story against the police in an effort to sensationalize the story.
I have a great deal of faith in the training that New York State Troopers get in the academy. Compared to many other states, it's a damn tough academy. I also have a great deal of faith in the ability of the (former) Trooper to control his patrol vehicle at the speeds he was driving.
The problem, however, is that while he may have been able to control his vehicle at those speeds under ideal conditions, the conditions under which he was driving were not ideal. The time of day, the layout of the road, and the unpredictable nature of human beings were all working against him that night.
The grand jury has decided that his actions weren't criminal. That doesn't mean that he didn't err in judgment or that his actions weren't reckless. That also doesn't mean that he didn't violate NYSP policies. Without knowing what the policies are, I can't say whether he did or not.
There is no indication that the other motorist did anything wrong. If she had signaled a left turn (as reported), she may not have had enough time to move all the way to the right as required by law. If the Trooper had already planned to pass her on the right, and she moved to the right in order to yield, it could have been a lot worse. This is why, under most circumstances, it is a cardinal sin as an emergency vehicle driver to pass on the right.
It APPEARS on the surface as if he failed to drive defensively and anticipate the actions of another motorist. He MAY have been driving too fast for the conditions. And he FAILED to arrive safely to back up another officer. Had he not been going as fast as he was ( reported estimates are 83mph at time of impact) the crash PROBABLY wouldn't have happened.
I'll parallel my opinion to that of another local case. I won't assign blame for the cause of the crash. It's not my job. However, in hindsight, it could have been prevented if he wasn't going so fast.
As a firefighter and EMT for 15 years, I DO understand the need to get there quickly. But you're of no use to the people who need you if you don't get there SAFELY.
I'll preface my comments by saying that what happened was nothing short of tragic on several fronts. A woman was killed, three children are without a mother, and another person is without a job and will have to live with the consequences of this unintended death for ever.
The fact that the vehicle the Wayne County deputy had stopped did not contain the people they were looking for should not enter into the discussion at all. There was no way of knowing it at the time the decisions were made.
I will also not presume to know what goes through an officer's head when another officer calls for assistance. However, I DO know what goes through a firefighter's head when the "firefighter down" call goes over the radio. I have been in that situation a number of times. I can't imagine that they are too dissimilar.
I will also say that I have no inside information, and can only base my opinions on what has been reported in the (notoriously unreliable) media. The media in this area have this habit of spinning the story against the police in an effort to sensationalize the story.
I have a great deal of faith in the training that New York State Troopers get in the academy. Compared to many other states, it's a damn tough academy. I also have a great deal of faith in the ability of the (former) Trooper to control his patrol vehicle at the speeds he was driving.
The problem, however, is that while he may have been able to control his vehicle at those speeds under ideal conditions, the conditions under which he was driving were not ideal. The time of day, the layout of the road, and the unpredictable nature of human beings were all working against him that night.
The grand jury has decided that his actions weren't criminal. That doesn't mean that he didn't err in judgment or that his actions weren't reckless. That also doesn't mean that he didn't violate NYSP policies. Without knowing what the policies are, I can't say whether he did or not.
There is no indication that the other motorist did anything wrong. If she had signaled a left turn (as reported), she may not have had enough time to move all the way to the right as required by law. If the Trooper had already planned to pass her on the right, and she moved to the right in order to yield, it could have been a lot worse. This is why, under most circumstances, it is a cardinal sin as an emergency vehicle driver to pass on the right.
It APPEARS on the surface as if he failed to drive defensively and anticipate the actions of another motorist. He MAY have been driving too fast for the conditions. And he FAILED to arrive safely to back up another officer. Had he not been going as fast as he was ( reported estimates are 83mph at time of impact) the crash PROBABLY wouldn't have happened.
I'll parallel my opinion to that of another local case. I won't assign blame for the cause of the crash. It's not my job. However, in hindsight, it could have been prevented if he wasn't going so fast.
As a firefighter and EMT for 15 years, I DO understand the need to get there quickly. But you're of no use to the people who need you if you don't get there SAFELY.
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