Nick Adenhart Killed

[wnyxmcneal]

I'm not arguing prison sentences, I'm just arguing it that it's not murder.

It seems like whenever a public figure dies, BX wanders in and makes that post. Dude's on autopilot

 

[Smues]

http://www.comcast.net/articles/sports-general/20090410/Angels-Pitcher.Killed/

The Angels, their fans and Adenhart's parents held tightly to their memories Friday, still stunned by the sudden death of the 22-year-old pitcher and two others in a car crash caused by a suspected drunk driver hours after Wednesday night's game against Oakland.

Andrew Thomas Gallo, a 22-year-old from San Gabriel, was charged with three counts of murder by the Orange County district attorney on Friday. He ran a red light in his minivan and broadsided a car carrying Adenhart and three friends, police said.

Gallo had nearly triple the legal blood-alcohol level and could get nearly 55 years to life in prison if convicted of all charges, police said.

Gallo will likely be assigned a public defender at his first court appearance, scheduled for Monday.

According to court records reviewed by The Associated Press, Gallo pleaded guilty to drunken driving in 2006 in San Bernardino. He was sentenced to two days in jail, three years of probation, a $1,374 fine and a four-month alcohol treatment program, court records show. He didn't serve any jail time, however, because he received credit for time served.

A judge also restricted his driving privileges for three months, allowing him to commute only to and from work and his treatment program.

The district attorney, however, said Gallo's license had been suspended since 2006. Assistant District Attorney David Linden Brent said it was not unusual for the California Department of Motor Vehicles to issue a stricter suspension after an administrative hearing.

Court records show Gallo violated some terms of his probation, causing it to be extended by a year, to 2010.

San Bernardino County Deputy Public Defender Maria LaCorte, who represented Gallo in the 2006 drunken driving case, did not immediately return a call for comment Friday.

Hamilton said Gallo was arrested for public intoxication in March 2007 and convicted of disturbing the peace in January.

Court records show Gallo pleaded guilty to possession of less than one ounce of marijuana in April 2007, and was convicted of failure to wear a seat belt in 2006. He also had a minor driving infraction several years ago, court records show.

 

[Smues]

I'll never understand why DUI penalties aren't stiffer. Washington recently passed a law making I believe the FIFTH DUI a felony. Alaska it takes three to be a felony, and they might have to be in a 5 year period for that to apply, I'm not sure. Perhaps if this idiot had gotten more than a whopping 2 days in jail for his first DUI he wouldn't have done it again.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

It'd be helpful if BAC levels were tied into stiffer penalties as well. So a 1st time DUI at triple the limit would be say 2-3 months minimum. I'm always amazed that the drunk driver usually isn't the one injured/dead and that they'll have had 2 or 3 prior convictions before the event that results in deaths.

I'm also curious why the guy didn't land in jail when: "Court records show Gallo violated some terms of his probation" and "Hamilton said Gallo was arrested for public intoxication in March 2007"... He spends two days in jail and gets probation for drunken driving and then doesn't see any jail time for public intoxication? Not a big step for him to be driving drunk if he's still, you know, getting drunk.

I do hope Nick's family gets some closure when this guy deservedly lands in jail.

 

[bps21]

Probation officers don't like to jail you because instead of getting the money that you pay monthly for probation...the state is paying for you to be in jail. It's all about the money...as usual.

 

[wnyxmcneal]

you have your whole life ahead you, you are finally able to harness the talent that God has given to you then tragically it is taken away in a split second by a drunk driver. This isn't something to joke about, maybe some of us lost someone to a drunk driver, I hope the manager who picked up Nick Adenhart after his death did it out of pure ignorance and not meant as a joke.

Apparently, I shouldn't have picked up Nick Adenhart

 

[Perfxion]

They really need to make tougher laws around the country. I had a classmate dead from her boyfriend being a .4 at age 19. They hit a tree and she died. He got 1 year for her death. Then 3 years later, does the SAME THING to another girl. I have a close friend who died from being a .6 flee a frat party from a police raid fleeing my friend from the car 300 ft. All the driver got was 5 years suspended license and drug rehab. I had another friend lose their parents when a drunk driver hit them at 150 mph killing both of them and all he got was a broken finger. He is the only one to get more than a year of jail time, 5 to be exact. That is 4 people dead from the same act and the punishment is non existent.

Excluding armed services, anyone who is killed by another person in a preventable death is murder.

Hell, drunk driving a killing a person can get you a seat in the senate.

 

[Dobbs3K]

Kind of surprising how the penalties seem to be all over place. We recently had a 22 year old guy in our town kill a father and son in a drunk driving accident (he also tested positive for marijuana in addition to having his alcohol level above the legal limit), and I guess he's facing up to 50 years.

 

[Smues]

I'm always amazed that the drunk driver usually isn't the one injured/dead

It's the old law of inverse value at work. The less you contribute to society, the more direct damage you can take and not be hurt. I've lost count of the number of times I've read in a newspaper where "Drunk driver kills family of 5, taken to hospital for minor bruising."

 

[alkeiper]

In fairness, most cars are better equipped to handle a front end crash than a side impact one.

 

[Smues]

Well yeah of course there's that and other reasons. I just like the law of inverse value.