Girl That Died In Accident Near Waterloo,IN.

[RaceFan]

The girl that was killed in an accident near waterloo when she was rearended and shoved in front of a dump truck, should the guy who rearended her be charged with something or sued. I mean he certainly wasn't paying attention and because of that a life has been lost.

[evilkumquat]

Possibly vehicular manslaughter, but a lot of that would depend upon the circumstances.

Was he doing something stupid like texting or changing a CD when it occurred? Was he drunk?

Or was this simple one of those times (that every driver experiences) when he was just momentarily distracted at the worst possible time?

[Charles]

agreed Evil. I guess it would depend. but he can be sued for anything if thats what the family wants to do.

I knew someone who rear-ended a jeep and pushed them into oncoming traffic. they died and he went to jail cuz he had things in his system. he was not under the influence, but they said he could have been because he tested positive. so i assume this guy wasnt because im sure they tested him...

[Mrs.Slotz]

Let the family grieve without *****ing about a lawsuit at this time.

****

[HoosierHelen]

I imagine that driver is also feeling a great deal of grief for causing a death. If he had been reckless or under the influence, I would think that he would have been arrested? As far as I know that isn't the case.

Personally, I hit a dog a few years ago that ran into my path. It was a beautiful full grown German Shepard. His human family were standing in their front yard with him when a loud thunder bolt happened and he darted right into my path. To this day, everytime I drive past that spot in the road, I feel that sickening thump to my car and feel pain for the family in that house.

There may be a lawsuit from this girls death, I don't have any idea, but I imagine the driver who rear ended her car is suffering right now also.

[jennyk]

I have the crash report from the DeKalb County Sheriff's Department and it says that the driver who rear-ended the young woman's car did not have any drugs or alcohol in his system. It also does not say that he was distracted by a cell phone or anything else (the crash report generally would say that).

I didn't cover the crash, but I looked up the place it occurred on Google Maps and it appears that it was at a curve in the road. The young woman was stopped on U.S. 6 waiting to turn left onto C.R. 24 and her car was struck from behind. It's possible that the driver simply didn't see her car as he was coming around the curve until it was too late.

I'm sure the driver is sick about the whole thing.

[evilkumquat]

I imagine the entire state is filled with these dangerous spots that are just accidents waiting to happen.

Personally, I hate driving north on Martha St because Broad St intersects it from a hill (on the west side). With all the cars parked up the street, I'm afraid I'm going to get swiped by cars coming from that direction because I can't see them if they're there.

I wish they'd make that a four-way stop.

[RaceFan]

I have the crash report from the DeKalb County Sheriff's Department and it says that the driver who rear-ended the young woman's car did not have any drugs or alcohol in his system. It also does not say that he was distracted by a cell phone or anything else (the crash report generally would say that).

I didn't cover the crash, but I looked up the place it occurred on Google Maps and it appears that it was at a curve in the road. The young woman was stopped on U.S. 6 waiting to turn left onto C.R. 24 and her car was struck from behind. It's possible that the driver simply didn't see her car as he was coming around the curve until it was too late.

I'm sure the driver is sick about the whole thing.

Guess I just don't see it. If you are driving the speed posted for the curve and you are looking far ahead and are focused there shouldn't be a problem.

That's something I learned from my earlier years racing that you have to look far ahead and not just right in front of ya. And if you think that the posted speed is too fast for a particular curve then slow down some. Just because it says 55mph doesn't mean you have to go 55, but don't slow down to a point where it's dangerous to a person following you.

[jims]

When I worked in New Hampshire, there was a state road, Route 28, running between two of the towns that had a number of the worst possible spots I've ever seen. There was one spot I remember in particular, you had a road intersecting the state highway just over the crest of a hill. If you were turning left, you really took your life into your hands.

[hairypumper]

I have the crash report from the DeKalb County Sheriff's Department and it says that the driver who rear-ended the young woman's car did not have any drugs or alcohol in his system. It also does not say that he was distracted by a cell phone or anything else (the crash report generally would say that).

I didn't cover the crash, but I looked up the place it occurred on Google Maps and it appears that it was at a curve in the road. The young woman was stopped on U.S. 6 waiting to turn left onto C.R. 24 and her car was struck from behind. It's possible that the driver simply didn't see her car as he was coming around the curve until it was too late.

I'm sure the driver is sick about the whole thing.

I drive this route every day. The curve is not dangerous, plenty of visibility and a marked passing lane to the right. In my opinion the guy had to be flying and not paying attention. She was waiting to turn left, it had to be a heck of an impact to spin her completely around to be hit in the driver side. His vehicle travelled another 300 to 400 feet before coming to rest on the side of the road. There were no skid marks as far as I could tell. Most people who hit someone in the rear are cited for following too close or some similar offense, I'm wondering what is so special about this guy that he was not cited. Maybe he was so upset that the police didn't want to add insult to injury. I'm sure the investigation is ongoing and charges could still be filed. You have to feel for the poor truck driver, he will be reliving this for the rest of his life.

[matt_s]

It doesn't take much to spin a car. Angle of impact (and on a curve this is easy to do) has as much influence as pure momentum on a stopped vehicle especially if the breaks get released.

I've seen some pretty nasty looking slow motion impacts on foggy days in the mountains of West Virginia.

[RaceFan]

I drive this route every day. The curve is not dangerous, plenty of visibility and a marked passing lane to the right. In my opinion the guy had to be flying and not paying attention. She was waiting to turn left, it had to be a heck of an impact to spin her completely around to be hit in the driver side. His vehicle travelled another 300 to 400 feet before coming to rest on the side of the road. There were no skid marks as far as I could tell. Most people who hit someone in the rear are cited for following too close or some similar offense, I'm wondering what is so special about this guy that he was not cited. Maybe he was so upset that the police didn't want to add insult to injury. I'm sure the investigation is ongoing and charges could still be filed. You have to feel for the poor truck driver, he will be reliving this for the rest of his life.

I feel for the truck driver as well,wrong place at the wrong time.
Ya usually in most rearend impact accidents the person is charged with something. And this one causing a death as well. After reading your post, I'd say the guy was not paying attention. It happens way too often these days and inocent people are payng the price for it with injuries or death. Kids with new driver's licenses are the worst for running stop signs, going left of center, or missing curves. I don't see this new law for kids not using cell phones while driving going to solve anything. I sure don't see a kid telling an officer they were on their cell phone when they ran a stop sign, how are they gonna enforce a law like that.

[evilkumquat]

I feel for the truck driver as well,wrong place at the wrong time.
Ya usually in most rearend impact accidents the person is charged with something. And this one causing a death as well. After reading your post, I'd say the guy was not paying attention. It happens way too often these days and inocent people are payng the price for it with injuries or death. Kids with new driver's licenses are the worst for running stop signs, going left of center, or missing curves. I don't see this new law for kids not using cell phones while driving going to solve anything. I sure don't see a kid telling an officer they were on their cell phone when they ran a stop sign, how are they gonna enforce a law like that.

Perhaps when they find the cell phone dangling out of the drivers' ear later on at the hospital?

[~_Ree_~]

Living in Hamilton for 12 years, I use that same turn regularly, it's the Waterloo shortcut so we can get from 6 to 427. The posted speed is 50 mph and though on a curve, when you are waiting there, you are visible. Semi's and other drivers do drive fast in that area while you are waiting to turn left and whiz by you on the right. When waiting to turn left, there is no left turn lane, instead those that pass use the bumpout area in the breakdown lane.

With that said, there are times I have looked in my rearview mirror and felt like a sitting duck when a semi is coming flying up behind me and I can't turn left due to westbound traffic. Maybe this will spur a look at the speed limit in that location, it is not that far from the I-69 ramps where the speed limit is posted lower. My guess is the driver who pushed the vehicle was going close to or over the posted speed and was distracted and misjudged...however terrible this freak accident was, it is a location that poses a hazard and I'm sure that driver will suffer himself from it for the rest of his life.

Our community has suffered a huge loss, losing someone with such a spirit and zest for life, she was an over comer.

[HoosierHelen]

I feel for the truck driver as well,wrong place at the wrong time.
Ya usually in most rearend impact accidents the person is charged with something. And this one causing a death as well. After reading your post, I'd say the guy was not paying attention. It happens way too often these days and inocent people are payng the price for it with injuries or death. Kids with new driver's licenses are the worst for running stop signs, going left of center, or missing curves. I don't see this new law for kids not using cell phones while driving going to solve anything. I sure don't see a kid telling an officer they were on their cell phone when they ran a stop sign, how are they gonna enforce a law like that.

Racefan,

Don't you believe if a cell phone is found to be present in the car, the police will check it's activity at the time of an accident or ticket? I expect this may lead to some new 'legal search' definations for these type incidents.

I agree with others that the truck driver must also be experiencing emotions from this accident also. Its a tradegy for all involved.

[RaceFan]

Racefan,

Don't you believe if a cell phone is found to be present in the car, the police will check it's activity at the time of an accident or ticket? I expect this may lead to some new 'legal search' definations for these type incidents.

I agree with others that the truck driver must also be experiencing emotions from this accident also. Its a tradegy for all involved.

I agree with you.

[RaceFan]

Living in Hamilton for 12 years, I use that same turn regularly, it's the Waterloo shortcut so we can get from 6 to 427. The posted speed is 50 mph and though on a curve, when you are waiting there, you are visible. Semi's and other drivers do drive fast in that area while you are waiting to turn left and whiz by you on the right. When waiting to turn left, there is no left turn lane, instead those that pass use the bumpout area in the breakdown lane.

With that said, there are times I have looked in my rearview mirror and felt like a sitting duck when a semi is coming flying up behind me and I can't turn left due to westbound traffic. Maybe this will spur a look at the speed limit in that location, it is not that far from the I-69 ramps where the speed limit is posted lower. My guess is the driver who pushed the vehicle was going close to or over the posted speed and was distracted and misjudged...however terrible this freak accident was, it is a location that poses a hazard and I'm sure that driver will suffer himself from it for the rest of his life.

Our community has suffered a huge loss, losing someone with such a spirit and zest for life, she was an over comer.

And that's the trouble with getting a spot fixed like that, it seems that someone has to get killed before something is changed to make it safer,Why is that? We should be able to call INDOT and tell them about an area of concern and they send a person there to do a Traffic Study at that spot for a couple of days to see how dangerous it may be.