Redding Woman To Be Charged

Ron61 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-14-2008, 06:53 AM

In yesterdays paper they have arrested a Redding woman and are going to charge her with first degree manslaughter. She lives in one of the small outlying towns where they are doing road work on the narrow two lane road and has driven through the construction zone for a week now. Two days ago while going home in her SUV she was busy text messaging some one on her cell phone and plowed into the back of a line of stopped vehicles so hard she wrecked 4 of them. The one that she hit caught on fire and burned the woman that was driving it to death before the workers could get her out. When the CHP got there she was sitting on the tail gate a little groggy. Turns out she was also drunk. Estimated speed was 65 MPH and the limit on that stretch of road even when there is no work going on is 55. She thinks she should not be charged as she has a right to use her cell phone and send text messages while driving. I guess she also figures that being drunk is ok too. This is the worst case of a cell phone/drunk wreck here in some time but I think they average about 3/5 minor accidents a day in the Redding area with people running red lights while talking or text messaging on their cell phones.

Ron

Tails · #2 (**permalink**) 02-14-2008, 07:51 AM

Wow. I think what most people forget is driving is a privilege, not a right. Sure you have a right to talk/text/whatever on your phone, but not while you're driving. Something about being distracted, I could be wrong. So here's an idea, throw the book at her, spend some time with Mrs Bubba, and then you can text all you want while walking down the sidewalk...

Tails

Silverback51 · #3 (**permalink**) 02-14-2008, 07:59 AM

In Washington it's now illegal to text message while driving, and in June, or maybe it's July it will be illegal to use your cell phone without a hands free device.

My vote is to lock her ass up.

427sharpe · #4 (**permalink**) 02-14-2008, 04:25 PM

For a long, long time. A slap on the wrist simply will not do.

Ron61 · #5 (**permalink**) 02-14-2008, 05:03 PM

Considering the situation, I wish she could be charged with at least 2nd degree murder, but they can't charge her with that. And from the way the construction people talked on the news interview she showed no remorse at all and was only worried about her car, not the woman she burned to death. She did agree to let the CHP look at her cell phone to see what she was text messaging, but they never made that public. We had one man here that is now serving 25 to life for murder because he waited outside a bar and ran over another guy he had an argument with and killed him so that guy they could charge with premeditated murder. I guess by the law they can't charge anyone with more than manslaughter in a case like this, but it seems that if she was legally drunk along with speeding and text messaging she should get more than a year or so in prison. Whatever she gets, I am sure the victims families will be filing big lawsuits and in this case I feel they have every right to do so.

Ron

HI Cobra · #6 (**permalink**) 02-15-2008, 12:24 AM

She just killed someone - I hope she had a really bad hangover because I
bet her problems are just beginning. The family of the deceased should be
going after her with both barrels. Most states double the penalties in
construction zones - now it is easier to see why. Texting? Spend some time
in jail and think about it.

I'm done.