181 replies to this topic

[Chris]

Yeah the car doesn't look that bad... considering the speed they were going, nor did her car look that bad. I was there seconds after it happened. I saw the cars in person. It doesn't take away from the fact that they were speeding, but we will never know what she was actually doing. I bet it was part her fault too. I still don't think she was paying attention. And yeah with the right facilities and tools I could make the Stealth look like new in a couple weekends.

The only thing she did "wrong" was be in the wrong place at the wrong time, not her fault....! What she was doing was shopping and then going home like anybody else would do. Her bad luck was that two punks with no respect for anyone elses family members came ripping down the street at 90 mph....! The kid should have got at least 5 years in the pen to think about it and his parents should be sued for all they are worth and lose their house...... If that was my son I would expect no less for him and my family. But it will never be my son because I have taught him to be very careful of others and to respect the danger and great potential for damage that a 3000 lb car can do. I am still pissed at those two punks......! I see kids like them every day driving way too fast and dangerously around town and on the freeways...... Coming home at night from work I am treated like a road pylon by these idiots with the big mufflers, lowered seats, big bass speakers, and neon lights on their cars. I don't drive slow either (but safely!).......I'm an old hot rodder! In my day if we wanted to bust out and have some fun we went to a secluded road and did our racing and burn outs or to the track on grudge nights. We never put anyone in danger other than ourselves.....! A lesson these punks have learned the hard way, and unfortunately that poor innocent woman and her family! I hope to God this kid, when he's 50, does not get a call from the CHP telling him that some punk just killed his wife of 25 years and his two kids because some punk was street racing and broadsided them at 90 mph....! Only at that very moment would he fully understand what he has done........

[volkl]

Well, from the physics stand point; let's evaluate that. The police have stated to the media that going 65 MPH on the part of the road could potentionally cause a car to flip. So, we are pretty sure the boys didn't get the car up that fast. The Speed limit is 45 MPH. So that is a 20 MPH difference.

Whether the police said that or not, it is ludicrous. I'd wager that most SUVs could take that bend at 65mph. A Dodge Stealth has a much lower center of gravity and a wide stance (track). It will not flip even at 90mph around that bend. Perhaps they were refering to an Isuzu Trooper?

[volkl]

That statement is completely unfounded and if you knew a little more about cars you would understand that the Stealth in question IS NOT capable of this. The car is a tank and cannot handle worth a crap. I have said this since the accident happened. They were not going 90 mph through that section of road. It is impossible. I have always said they were doing about 65 which in fact is almost the average speed driven on that road. It was said they were doing 67. WOW, I must kinda know what I'm talking about. Gee lets see, maybe it's the years of racing or the fact that I am an engineer and I understand how this stuff works.

I did not make the original statment. But it is completely founded. Stealths with their low center of gravity and wide track hug the road better than the vast majority of cars on the road. The Stealth model in question is not a "tank" as you assert. This one was a front-wheel drive model which places its weight in the 3200-3300lb range. About the weight of a new Corvette or Subaru STi; hardly a tank. Perhaps you were thinking of the all-wheel-drive twin turbo Stealth RT/TT? That model weighs nearly 3800lbs. If you knew your Stealths, you would know that they can stop from 60mph in about 120'. Given that the skid marks are reportedly over 150', it is absurd to believe it was going a mere 67mph at time of brake application. Going around that bend at 90mph in a Stealth is completely possible. Staying in the far right lane while doing so is a different matter. I recommend doing some more reading before offering opinions under the guise of being an authority:

http://www.stealth316.com/0-frames.htm

[volkl]

Yeah the car doesn't look that bad... considering the speed they were going, nor did her car look that bad. I was there seconds after it happened. I saw the cars in person. It doesn't take away from the fact that they were speeding, but we will never know what she was actually doing. I bet it was part her fault too. I still don't think she was paying attention. And yeah with the right facilities and tools I could make the Stealth look like new in a couple weekends.

Hmm, so it's impossible they were doing 90mph because you want to believe it was (partially) her fault? The intersection at Applebee's is tough to clear and is made more difficult due to the bend which obstructs the visibility of the oncoming car in the rightmost lane. This is not a problem when traffic is going at 45mph or even 60mph. But at 90mph, a car in the obstructed zone cannot be seen and cannot be easily cleared by pulling through to the middle of the intersection. The "right of way" is forfeited at these excessive and reckless speeds. She bears no blame whatsoever. Cars do not skid across two or three lanes of traffic during emergency braking at 65mph on dry pavement. I saw the skid marks in person and they started in the rightmost lane and continued diagonally through all lanes of traffic to the median.

[ducky]

That sounds very big of the family, and they seem to realize that the quickest way to healing is to forgive and hopefully move on.

I saw a news show a long time ago that covered a story about a drunk driver who had killed another driver. Over time, the victim's parents forgave the driver and eventually took him in as a sort of foster son. It's incredibly touching when someone can get past the anger and desire for vengeance and look for ways to make a horrible situation better for everyone.

I totally agree that there needs to be forgiveness at some point. Some of my earlier comments were probably pretty harsh towards the young men because I can totally identify with Mrs. McNew as I am in the same place in life as she was and want to be around to see my children get married, have grandkids, travel with my husband. On the other hand, I also know I am lucky that two of my children have made it through their teenage years without making some sort of terrible reckless adolescent mistake. I'm going to make my family aware that my wish would be for them to forgive and go on with happy lives should something like this happen to me.[b]

Yeah the car doesn't look that bad... considering the speed they were going, nor did her car look that bad. I was there seconds after it happened. I saw the cars in person. It doesn't take away from the fact that they were speeding, but we will never know what she was actually doing. I bet it was part her fault too. I still don't think she was paying attention. And yeah with the right facilities and tools I could make the Stealth look like new in a couple weekends.

All I can say is "Wow" to this kind of statement. Do you also think Mrs. McNew is faking her death since the cars weren't that badly damaged?

[ChipShot]

WOW...The punk gets 6 months of playing video games for GROSS VEHICULAR MURDER??...WOW

What a country, eh ??

[LexHillsmom]

Has anyone figured out why these nearly 17 1/2 year olds weren't tried as adults?

How about a simple answer: because they aren't adults.

[Dave Burrell]

The guy, ON PURPOSE, WITH FULL KNOWLEDGE THAT HE WAS RACING, broke the law - that was not an accident.

Nobody forced him to press on the gas and accelerate his car to full speed in an attempt to race the other car - he WILLFULLY, did that all on his own - nobody did it for him, nobody forced him to do that.

6 months is ridiculously too lenient for murder (if even if was accidental - it STILL happened AS A RESULT OF HIS ACTIONS), guess it goes to show that crime does pay here in Cali.

He should have been sentenced to no less then two years in prison and made to pay at least $250,000 (or more) in restitution to the family.

This is a HUGE problem with California - our judicial system is too liberal and gives too much credit and rights to criminals and seems to not give a crap about the victims of crimes.

We need to punish criminals more harshly - its the only way they'll get incentive to NOT commit crimes again and again and again.

[Dave Burrell]

This punishment is very disapointing. Not only did the man lose his wife; but now he's losing his home. No, I don't think the kid should be in jail. For the next several years he should be forced to not only pay his own way through society with a job; but he should have a second job to help the victims family with their loss of income. Maybe he should do that the German way. "The expected lifetime of income the victim would have been expected to accrue, if she had not been killed."

Jail for this is BS. Bad all around. Now he sits in jail for 6 months and the victims family's taxes pay his 3 hots and a cot.

The kid should be paying them.

WTF! he's losing his home now too!? the guy lost his wife and now his home too because of those #@$^!@#$^@!$#^ kids!?! argggghhhhhhhhh!!! If that was me I'd probably be waiting for him when he gets out in 6 months and he might not ever be seen again after that.

[Dave Burrell]

Hey Lady - when you get real about life in the big city one might listen- guess you have not been out on 80 much or 580 connecting-- it is the reality that 80 is the Minimum speed limit often -- regardless what the sign says...... and it aint racing .... and it aint reckless---

Ever driven in LA basin where are cars are 10 feet apart and they are all driving 75 plus and changing a lane is a life threatening situation ? No ? - well that is the reality -- not punks racing for their egos but moms and pops driving home in a world of - if you don't keep up you are the problem ....

the FLOW is more important to the safety of all than the law ... and the cops all understand that as well ...

do you ?

Cheers
F500

True - if you're not driving with the flow of traffic on the freeways - you're going to get your arse run off the road.

I drove in L.A. for 25 years, if you aren't going fast enuf to keep up with traffic (which NEVER goes as slow as 55mph) you are going to get into trouble. Minimum speeds are 70+

That's common sense and knowing how to drive in high volume, freeway traffic. For those who have never done it on a daily basis - they'll never know.

There's a HUGE difference between going 70mph on a freeway with the flow of traffic and street racing at 90mph thru blind curves - cripes its more pathetic that there folks having troubles understanding the distinction between those two.

[Dave Burrell]

Impact was not a 67 mph! Braking started at 67 mph.

Look at the damage on the cars, it was not that significant. Very minor if you ask me.

WTF? they were racing- why the hell do you guys want to back them up and try and paint them as innocents??????

[ChipShot]

This is a HUGE problem with California - our judicial system is too liberal and gives too much credit and rights to criminals and seems to not give a crap about the victims of crimes.

Yep....All thanks to the goo-goo Libs and Fruit-Loops who want to protect and defend the filth in our society. Ahhh, ain't it great. Don't we all 'feel good'? Oh, never mind that Susan was murdered. Who cares about the victims here? We need to make sure those "wonderful, fine young men" are treated properly. We wouldn't want them to be overly inconvenienced, right? Excuse me while I go get my barf bag.

[Dave Burrell]

Minor damage? You joking right? It'd be my guess that most times people aren't killed in accidents with "minor" damage. Do you need to see the car ripped in half to be "sorta messed up?" Yeah I'm sure you could fix the Stealth in a weekend:

http://www.news10.ne...x?storyid=32883

geezus cripes! if this is minor damage...



I'd hate to see what he considers medium to major damage

[Steve Heard]

If I lost my wife to such a situation, I can't imagine saying, "6 months is adequate punishment. Give them a break already."

[Dave Burrell]

Yep....All thanks to the goo-goo Libs and Fruit-Loops who want to protect and defend the filth in our society. Ahhh, ain't it great. Don't we all 'feel good'? Oh, never mind that Susan was murdered. Who cares about the victims here? We need to make sure those "wonderful, fine young men" are treated properly. We wouldn't want them to be overly inconvenienced, right? Excuse me while I go get my barf bag.

Its pretty sickening seeing all the support for this kid who willfully with full knowledge raced his car at overly high speeds and caused the death of an innocent women

but God forbid he be punished for it because he didn't plan to kill somone it just happened, so that makes it ok

I just shake my head in disgust at the ignorance and this lame apathy for a punk arse kid who caused the loss of someones life as A DIRECT RESULT OF HIS ACTIONS.