2 Killed in Georga high speed chase -- police technique questioned

[chuyler1]

http://www.abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20040818_2327.html

I was watching Good Morning America a few moments ago and this story pissed me off. They spent 10 minutes discussing whether the Police should have performed the maneuver (tapping the rear quarter panel to get the car/suv to spin around) to get her to stop. They questioned whether the police should be using such dangerous tatics for minor offenses.

That just pisses me off...had it been a black man in LA this story would have never made national news...just because two white girls die we have to question things?

Seriously, they chased her for 66 miles reaching 110mph at times. The video footage showed her weaving between lanes, almost hitting cars and coming within inches of a road-side worker. Minor offense my ass. Add to that the suspended license (makes me wonder why) and I'd say they were completely justified. The same result could happen to an SUV if they laid spikes on the ground (something the Georga Police prolly don't have handy anyway).

If the police chase you, pull over. What is so complicated about that. Did she really think she could out run them in a Nissan Pathfinder? Bad judgement call on her part IMO, and it cost her her life.

 

[Spooled]

Sounds to me like they did exactly what they are trained to do. Even the father of the driver said that he thinks that the cops didn't do anything wrong. It's unfortunate that they died, but they are the ones that decided to put themselves into a dangerous situation, and they paid the price. Better to have 2 dead teens that brought it upon themselves than to have 5 dead pedestrians that didn't have the choice.

 

[SeminoleMan]

The cops more than likely had a license plate number and descriptions of the individuals. Why chase someone for a minor offense. Couldn't they have just backed off and caught up to them later? The cops put others in danger by chasing this person FOR 66 MILES! I'm pretty sure had they called the chase off...these individuals wouldn't have driven like straight assholes for 66 miles.

Now I happen to believe police should be able to chase....but for serious crimes (murder. kidnapping, **** etc.) I say this only because studies have shown that flashing lights and sirens actually make some people more aggravated and dangerous. Most normal people would pull over. Some people, mostly out of fear, react adversely to the flashing lights and sirens.

A little more judgement would have be in order for the sake of public safety. Sometimes you have to know whether the person you are chasing is really a danger to society or if you are making them more of a danger by chasing them.

BTW....Georgia, especially COBB County, has earned a reputation for extremely aggressive police policies. Their intent is admirable, but if it puts others in danger or cost someone their lives (criminal or not) then policies need to be reconsidered.

 

[sam1]

^^^thats bs. if someones running from the pigs, its not cause they were scared by the sirens. give me a ****** break. the cops had every right to chase her. if shes running, theres got to be a reason, and for all they knew they could have just murdered someone. and as for only getting the plates and description, then go have to go find them later. why the hell would you do that if they are right in front of you? just ****** grab em and then and its over. i could see them calling off the chase and getting them later if it was right thru the middle of a heavy populated area, but it wasnt. i think they did every thing exactly like they should have. a little more judgement on the drivers part, not the cops, might have saved both her and her friends life. what a bunch of stupid motherfuckers.

 

[chuyler1]

Good points...makes me really want to know why her license was suspended...

Most cases its drunk driving, not to jump to conclusions, but if it was they had a good reason to get her off the road.

these individuals wouldn't have driven like straight assholes for 66 miles

She was already going 85 in a 70 and from the looks of the footage I saw which started on a 2-lane highway, it was heavy traffic. I doubt she could have been going 15 over before the cops spotted her unless she was weaving and possibly using the breakdown lane...and as soon as the cop turned on the lights she swerved left around a car then right into the breakdown and left again...there was no hesitation.

 

[JOS3]

the part that will piss me off is that the cops will probably get charged with a wrongful death suit or something. imo, they were justified for using the pit maneuver

 

[1sty]

The cops more than likely had a license plate number and descriptions of the individuals. Why chase someone for a minor offense. Couldn't they have just backed off and caught up to them later? The cops put others in danger by chasing this person FOR 66 MILES! I'm pretty sure had they called the chase off...these individuals wouldn't have driven like straight assholes for 66 miles.

Now I happen to believe police should be able to chase....but for serious crimes (murder. kidnapping, **** etc.) I say this only because studies have shown that flashing lights and sirens actually make some people more aggravated and dangerous. Most normal people would pull over. Some people, mostly out of fear, react adversely to the flashing lights and sirens.

A little more judgement would have be in order for the sake of public safety. Sometimes you have to know whether the person you are chasing is really a danger to society or if you are making them more of a danger by chasing them.

BTW....Georgia, especially COBB County, has earned a reputation for extremely aggressive police policies. Their intent is admirable, but if it puts others in danger or cost someone their lives (criminal or not) then policies need to be reconsidered.

The problem in your logic is that you are assume the person running will be driving less dangerously if the police weren't behind them. If the police back off then the only real difference is that otherdrivers won't hear the sirens. THe person running is still going to be driving recklessly and they aren't likely to go back home, unless they're a damn fool.

 

[supa saiyan pr5]

My reply to this and Seminole Man is....what happens if they backed off and later down that same stretch of road they hit someones car and killed someone or a family or maybe my family thats traveling on that highway???? Then what would be the subject?????"They should have never let those girls go that far endagering others"....So the cops to me was not wrong they folowed them for 66 miles that in itself is enough time for them dumb nuts to decide to pull over from the cops.. NO matter the situation WRONG is WRONG...running for the cops is a definate NONO..just plain stupid...

Better them than my family or someone elses family..what happen if it was your family I bet you woulod have a different view of the situation.


Jeremy

 

[billzebub]

Personally, I think they should change the law so that if you ever lead the pigs on a high-speed chase, you forfeit your rights not to be brutalized after they Pit maneuver your ass. I think a high-speed chase deserves a good beating and it would makie the police chase videos a lot more entertaining.

 

[+ friction]

I'm not the biggest fan of the po-po but, holy s***, you lead them on a high speed chase you can expect one of several outcomes: 1) crash and die 2) crash and kill 3) crash and incarceration.

These girls did not deserve to die, but it is not the copper's fault - it is the driver's of the Pathfinder.

 

[Mike R]

Obviously the driver was a danger, that's why she didn't have a license. Also add in the fact that she did run. Any time she saw a cop for the rest of the day she would have run or did something to endanger innocent lives. Too many completely incompetent people have their license in the US. It's too friggin easy to get and the more dangerous driving habits don't get punished. We have the "aggressive driver imaging" bulls*** here in MD, Last night a guy in a new Mercedes was weaving through 4 lanes of traffic cutting poeple off and just being stupid. Cop was right behind me and there was NO WAY he didn't see that jackass. Cop did nothing. Also the damn cops break every law also, tailgaiting, failure to signal, speeding-not a good example for everyone else.

It takes all my effort to drive safely and to not be an asshole, because nobody else seems to give a flying **** about others on the road.

 

[mspeedpro]

ease up on the black comment-- if it had happened to two black guys in LA itd be the biggest uproar from jackson, sharpton, and the black panthers we've seen in the last four hours -=/

 

[SeminoleMan]

The problem in your logic is that you are assume the person running will be driving less dangerously if the police weren't behind them. If the police back off then the only real difference is that otherdrivers won't hear the sirens. THe person running is still going to be driving recklessly and they aren't likely to go back home, unless they're a damn fool.

I highly doubt she would have driven like a complete jackass for 66 miles if the cops weren't right on her ass. Look guys, I'm not disputing that she didn't deserve to be on the road...all I'm trying to point out is that she almost creamed countless numbers of other people on the road, in part, because she was being chased. People do desperate things when their backs are against the wall.

supa saiyan pr5 - And would it have been any better if she or the cops killed someone during the chase? In either case, a death is tragic...but err on the side of caution. Chasing her increased the likely hood someone would get killed IMHO.

sam1- And it's not bulls***. You may not react that way....but alot of people do. You hear it all the time..."Why did you run.." and the reply always seems to be "because I was scared." People will always try to wiggle their way out of trouble, and the lights and sirens do bring out the flight or fight sydrome in some people. Some choose flight.


I am by no means anti-chase, but I think there are some instances where a chase should be called off...even temporarily.

 

[billzebub]

I guess you're right. They should have just ignored her and hoped that she'd slow down and never do it again.

 

[KYMP5]

she ran and paid the price. imo the cops were justified in what they did, she couldnt control her vehicle (or herself for that matter) and got herself and unfortunately her friend killed. It was all completely avoidable had she pulled over and taken responsibility for her actions. If the cops get charged with any wrong doing here or lose a wrongful death suit i will seriously right some letters to every representative in GA and ask them wtf is wrong with them

 

[chuyler1]

You hear it all the time..."Why did you run.." and the reply always seems to be "because I was scared."

Which translates to...
"because I'm an illegal immigrant without a license"
"because I'm 17 and there is a 30 pack of bud light in the back seat"
"because I'm high on cocaine"

...or...

"because my license is suspended and I am not only stupid enough to drive but I am stupid enough to drive 85 in a 70 zone"

It should be manditory to impound your car when they suspend your license and you get it back when you get your license back. Better yet, if they catch you driving during your suspension they should cease your car and auction it off; no if ands ors or buts. You broke the rules now pay.

 

[SeminoleMan]

I guess you're right. They should have just ignored her and hoped that she'd slow down and never do it again.

What an ignorant response. None of my responses suggest ignore her and let her get away with anything. But she could have been followed by helicopter, she could have been tracked down at a later date usng the tags.

YES...she deserved to be caught, but not at the expense of everyone elses safety. Personally, I'd be pretty pissed off if a family member of mine got killed in a car chase. If it were your family members on the road and they got killed just being an innocent motorist, I'd be willing to bet you'd have a change of heart.

 

[SeminoleMan]

Which translates to...
"because I'm an illegal immigrant without a license"
"because I'm 17 and there is a 30 pack of bud light in the back seat"
"because I'm high on cocaine"

...or...

"because my license is suspended and I am not only stupid enough to drive but I am stupid enough to drive 85 in a 70 zone"

It should be manditory to impound your car when they suspend your license and you get it back when you get your license back. Better yet, if they catch you driving during your suspension they should cease your car and auction it off; no if ands ors or buts. You broke the rules now pay.

They are scared, period. Doesn't matter what the true root of the fear is.

 

[billzebub]

If it were your family members on the road and they got killed just being an innocent motorist, I'd be willing to bet you'd have a change of heart.

I'd be pissed at the criminal. Not the cops.

 

[SeminoleMan]

^^^for all they knew they could have just murdered someone.

If I'm not mistaken...the violation they knew of was speeding. Had it been murder, then let the chase begin.