Johnny Gaudreau and Brother Matthew Killed by Drunk Driver

[SwampD]

5 hours ago, #freejame said:

From the article:

“Higgins also had a history of road rage and reckless driving, according to First Assistant Prosecutor Jonathan Flynn of Salem County. He said that Higgins apparently became frustrated when the two drivers ahead of him slowed down to go around the cyclists and that he sped up to try to pass the other cars on the right, striking the Gaudreaus.

"He indicated he didn't even see them," said Superior Court Judge Michael J. Silvanio, who said Higgins' admitted "impatience" caused two deaths.”

What a ***** idiot! He should go to jail for a long time, drunk or not.

With that said, I agree with what someone said upthread (at least it used to be upthread. It may have been moved.) It's a roll of the dice without lights. [EDIT: Maybe they just said its a roll of the dice (or something to that effect) and then someone else mentioned lights. Doesn't matter.] I live in one of the most populated counties in the country and I can't believe how many bikers do not use lights.

I use five. In front, one steady so that I can see the road at night, one blinking so that others can see me any time of day, in the rear, one blinking on my helmet, one blinking on the frame, and the steady/break light.

I also spent an extra $200 for the paint job where the entire bike is a reflector.

And I'm thing of buying more lights. My head has been even more on a swivel since this incident.

Edited September 13 by SwampD

[kas23]

15 hours ago, SwampD said:

What a ***** idiot! He should go to jail for a long time, drunk or not.

With that said, I agree with what someone said upthread (at least it used to be upthread. It may have been moved.) It's a roll of the dice without lights. [EDIT: Maybe they just said its a roll of the dice (or something to that effect) and then someone else mentioned lights. Doesn't matter.] I live in one of the most populated counties in the country and I can't believe how many bikers do not use lights.

I use five. In front, one steady so that I can see the road at night, one blinking so that others can see me any time of day, in the rear, one blinking on my helmet, one blinking on the frame, and the steady/break light.

I also spent an extra $200 for the paint job where the entire bike is a reflector.

And I'm thing of buying more lights. My head has been even more on a swivel since this incident.

Yeah. The guy is a POS. My guess is he would’ve done the same thing, and killed them, even if he was a half drink below the lower limit.

[LGR4GM]

The lights thing is irrelevant. It's always illegal to pass a car on the right shoulder. Guy will go jail and should. 

[SwampD]

19 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

The lights thing is irrelevant. It's always illegal to pass a car on the right shoulder. Guy will go jail and should. 

I know. I was just sayin.

[Stoner]

So possibly not even legally intoxicated.

Great thread title.

[Wyldnwoody44]

59 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

So possibly not even legally intoxicated.

Great thread title.

Failed a sobriety test on arrival. Also, the way it works is that he is then typically booked and then transported to a local hospital for a legal blood draw.... To the ER. From first hand experience, there is a large time gap between all that happening and the nurse drawing the blood, so that BAC just keeps dropping. So yeah, it was above the legal limit still after all that happened. 

The bigger issue is the road rage and the passing on the right, but let's not get all hung up on the defense of this jackwagon. 

[LTS]

The idiot was driving with an open container in the car. Literally drinking while driving. I've been inebriated many times, not once have I ever felt the compulsion to bring it into the car with me, and that's when I'm only going to be a passenger.

Every bit of information says to me this man has an alcohol addiction problem. There has been information provided that his drinking had become commonplace. The sad thing is he works for an addiction treatment company.

Couple that with rage issues and it was only a matter of time before he caused harm to others. No remorse for the guy. I don't know how anyone can even begin to provide a defense for him. He established a pattern of drinking and rage... that never ends well and usually causes significant harm to others.  In this case, the worse possible harm.

[Stoner]

5 minutes ago, LTS said:

The idiot was driving with an open container in the car. Literally drinking while driving. I've been inebriated many times, not once have I ever felt the compulsion to bring it into the car with me, and that's when I'm only going to be a passenger.

Every bit of information says to me this man has an alcohol addiction problem. There has been information provided that his drinking had become commonplace. The sad thing is he works for an addiction treatment company.

Couple that with rage issues and it was only a matter of time before he caused harm to others. No remorse for the guy. I don't know how anyone can even begin to provide a defense for him. He established a pattern of drinking and rage... that never ends well and usually causes significant harm to others.  In this case, the worse possible harm.

Everyone is entitled to a defense. We don't convict people on hockey message boards... unless they're meddling.

[LTS]

3 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

Everyone is entitled to a defense. We don't convict people on hockey message boards... unless they're meddling.

Legally.. yes. That's for the lawyers and courts to handle.

My commentary had nothing to do with his legal defense.  It could be reasonable to infer that your commentary in this thread has bordered on making a defense for this person, but I don't want to infer.  So I'll just ask it straight.

Are your comments made in an effort to defend his actions?

[#freejame]

1 hour ago, LTS said:

Legally.. yes. That's for the lawyers and courts to handle.

My commentary had nothing to do with his legal defense.  It could be reasonable to infer that your commentary in this thread has bordered on making a defense for this person, but I don't want to infer.  So I'll just ask it straight.

Are your comments made in an effort to defend his actions?