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| Photo by John Degutis via NJ Herald |
Despite the cyclists riding single file on the right side of the roadway, 25-year-old Robert Whitesell, of Frankford, struck all four of them, one after another in rapid succession. Whitesell, who's license was already suspended, hit the four cyclists and then fled. He was also involved in another crash earlier in the day.
Whitesell was charged with reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident, failure to report an accident and driving while suspended in this crash. However once again an unlicensed/suspended driver hits a pedestrian or a bicyclist and is once again not charged with more serious charges like reckless indifference or assault with a deadly weapon. How much more egregious must a drivers actions be before law enforcement starts charging drivers like the felonious criminals they really are?!?! The laws need to change that make driving an automobile without a license a felony, period! Crash or no crash!
As for a possible New Jersey "three-foot passing law," if it were written like most others across the country, it would have done little here except possibly increase the fines that Whitesell would be facing by a few hundred dollars. Reckless driving is already an appropriate charge for hitting a cyclist riding legally on the roadway (buzzing a cyclist by less than 3-feet should be considered careless or reckless driving, no new laws need be required). What would be truly helpful is a clarification in the New Jersey Vehicle Code about the legality of crossing the double yellow line to pass cyclists and a vulnerable user law that treats a crash with a bicyclist or pedestrian by a careless or reckless driver as a much more serious offense then that of a simple fender-bender.
4 comments:
Why does the media keep referring to these crimes as "accidents". No way was this an accident; at least call it an "incident" or a "crash".
I agree, there was no way that he "accidentally" hit 4 riders, single line, spaced apart. This should be treated as attempted murder!
If you notice I only use the term "crash." One of charges Whitesell was issued is termed "Leaving the scene of an accident." That's not my terminology. There is rarely anything accidental about a vehicle "crash"!
I haven't heard about this crash. So, four people were injured in this crash. what a reckless and careless driver! In my opinion, Robert Whitesell should be jailed because his license was also suspended. I hope those four cyclists weren't injured so much! I'm very sorry for them! so innocent people!
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