Texting driver kills 13

[Polyxo]

Wonder how Ricky Perry's feeling about that veto.

[Lady Dragonheart]

I heard that distracted driving has long since surpassed drunk driving when it comes to number of lives claimed.

[melodramocracy]

Holy shit. 13 people's blood on your hands for texting. Fuck. Absolutely horrific.

Also,

Texas' GOP-controlled Legislature approved a statewide ban in 2011 but it was vetoed by then-Gov. Rick Perry, who characterized such prohibitions as government micromanagement and said educating drivers was the key to deterrence. A similar proposal passed the Texas House a few weeks ago but has yet to make it to a Senate floor vote.

Yay for Republicans.
If something isn't illegal, people aren't going to be deterred.

Wow, I missed that bit entirely. I suppose in other states this would be (rightfully) viewed along the same lines as DWI.

[Polyxo]

Holy shit. 13 people's blood on your hands for texting. Fuck. Absolutely horrific.



Also,

Texas' GOP-controlled Legislature approved a statewide ban in 2011 but it was vetoed by then-Gov. Rick Perry, who characterized such prohibitions as government micromanagement and said educating drivers was the key to deterrence. A similar proposal passed the Texas House a few weeks ago but has yet to make it to a Senate floor vote.

Yay for Republicans.
If something isn't illegal, people aren't going to be deterred.

to plow into other people while texting!

[I Push Buttons]

I get the emotional response, but he's young and it was ultimately an accident. That's easier to correct than a premeditated murderer. I'd prefer to rehabilitate him and reintroduce him into society to be productive - not sit for 60-80 years in a prison cell, at like 60k a year on the taxpayer's dime.

Ultimately, if the bus hadn't been there, this wouldn't have happened. Now, in no way am I blaming the bus or the driver here. But the kid was basically texting and driving, which caused him to lose control, which in turn lost people their lives. Other people text and drive all the time, and we don't lock them away for life. It's really a bit of bad luck and a bad decision on the part of the kid. But to lock him away for life seems like spite for spite's sake.

No.

Fuck this kid.

"Jody Kuchler told The Associated Press he was driving behind the truck and had seen it moving erratically prior to the Wednesday collision on a two-lane road about 75 miles west (120 km) of San Antonio, near the town of Concan. Kuchler said the truck had crossed the center line several times while he followed it.

Kuchler said he called the sheriff's offices for both Uvalde and Real counties while he followed the truck and told them "they needed to get him off the road before he hit somebody.""

The kid is fucking garbage. His life is worthless.

[Halicia]

I mean I wouldn't say its more common than people realize. You'd have to be stupid to not realize most people do it

Same as drunk driving... especially in the 16-21 year old bracket... people don't think.

People just don't get HOW COMMON traffic accidents are. How often they can result in serious injury or death... or how !@#$ing screwed you are if the cops can point to something YOU did wrong and the other guy died.

I'd be really surprised if anyone on these forums has driven for a decade or so and NOT been in an accident or close call. If you text/drink/get high & drive habitually.... there is a GOOD CHANCE you will get into a car accident... even *if* you are as capable in your impaired state as an unimpaired driver.

Problem is, most people *think* they're far better drivers than they are.

Honestly, this is prolly my top argument for driverless cars.

[Jonnusthegreat]

Amazing view point after saying stupid shouldn't breed...the irony.

Your post. The irony.

[Halicia]

Wow, I missed that bit entirely. I suppose in other states this would be (rightfully) viewed along the same lines as DWI.

In addition to DWI, my state has a catchall "distracted driving" that covers untestable forms of intoxication.

I'm mixed on this law though, since let's say you stop your car in a parking lot to check an important text. Cop can still mess with you for operating a vehicle while "distracted", if they want to be a dick... or need an "in" to find a more serious offense to arrest you on.

[Berengil]

13 counts of involuntary manslaughter ( typically 10-16 months each instance).

So, that works out to roughly 11 years in prison, assuming the minimum for each count.

Also ( if I was the prosecutor) I'd insist on permanent revocation of his driver's license, and 10% of his income for the rest of his life to go into a fund that would regularly send compensation checks to his victim's families. Also would insist on him serving the full 11 years; no good behavior or parole release.

[kail]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/callers-r...050524425.html

13 counts of murder and life in prison sounds fair. I'm curious to see what he actually gets.

They are not counts of murder, just a flavor of manslaughter at best. I am curious of what he gets as well. I wouldn't be a large sentence with parole but that's up to the courts in the end. The absence of such a common knowledge law that Texas lacks shouldn't be an excuse for a lesser sentence.

Hopefully that state's lawmakers got the wakeup call.

Should be executed. We don't need stupid like that breeding and causing more stupid in the future.

That's not how it works. Any of it.

- - - Updated - - -

They are not counts of murder, just a flavor of manslaughter at best. I am curious of what he gets as well. I wouldn't be a large sentence with parole but that's up to the courts in the end. The absence of such a common knowledge law that Texas lacks shouldn't be an excuse for a lesser sentence.

Hopefully that state's lawmakers got the wakeup call.



That's not how it works. Any of it.

With that many people killed by his stupidity, I feel like a dozen years is rather light. 20+ years but with parole possibility is my 2 cents.

[Auxora]

Also silly that Perry vetoed the law against texting while driving. There have been plenty of studies showing it's just as bad or worse than driving while intoxicated as far as how much it impairs your driving. And this accident is proof. Going overboard with regulations is bad generally, but in some cases they need to be in place. Most states I think have texting while driving laws in place now that give a ticket at least to deter it. It doesn't mean people won't, but it at least cuts it down like other driving laws. There have been 2 or 3 fatal accidents from texting just locally while driving in the last year, and 1 of them was particularly Final Destination-ish horrific. If you're driving, texting or talking on the phone can wait.

[gutnbrg]

how do 13 people die in that accident? That bus was a death trap...

[belfpala]

Wonder how Ricky Perry's feeling about that veto.

Sleeping fine, I assume.

It's illegal to drive without buckling your seat belt where I am. People still drive without buckling.

Laws are not deterrence. I'm with Gov. Perry on this one; education. Regardless, there will be dumb people.

[belfpala]

He is over 18, doubt they will give him a plea deal. He should really be executed 13 times is my opinion.

His victims' families should start a foundation to improve driver training in the US.

[Surfd]

OT: I'm always torn in these situations. It was clearly an accident, and at 20 he's basically a stupid kid.

Sorry, but no. Just fucking no. At 20 you are not basically a stupid "kid". You are a fucking fully functional adult. Don't try to pull that stupidass "well, he shouldn't be responsible for his actions, he was too young to know better" shit with someone moving into the third decade of their life.

[Very Tired]

Wonder how Ricky Perry's feeling about that veto.

Most likely thinking that even if texting while driving was illegal, people would still do it regardless.

[belfpala]

Sorry, but no. Just fucking no. At 20 you are not basically a stupid "kid". You are a fucking fully functional adult. Don't try to pull that stupidass "well, he shouldn't be responsible for his actions, he was too young to know better" shit with someone moving into the third decade of their life.

Right, he's at that inconvenient age where he's between being immune because "stupid kid" or "stupid old person."

I'm guessing 20-25 is when most people do the stupidest things in their lives. Why? Old enough to, haven't experienced consequences.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

OT: I'm always torn in these situations. It was clearly an accident, and at 20 he's basically a stupid kid. But his negligence cost thirteen people their lives. 13 years and maybe never being allowed to drive again?

I'm not saying put him in jail for the rest of his days...but just 1 year in jail for every person he killed seems light. Give him the max sentence for 13 counts of negligent homicide (2 years each) but set a fairly low minimum before he becomes eligible for parole.

[ro9ue]

Hurry up, Elon.

[Xargoth6634]

Give this motherfucker the chair. I mean, it's Texas, so they prolly will.