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Fleeing SUV heads wrong way across bridge, killing driver
ABC Action News ^ | 12/20/04

Posted on 12/21/2004 10:57:36 AM PST by presidio9

One person is dead after an SUV fleeing from state troopers headed the wrong way across the Howard Frankland Bridge and crashed into oncoming traffic early this morning.

Investigators say that a Honda CRV was involved in a minor fender-bender in the Kennedy-Westshore area around 1:40 a.m., but when troopers arrived on the scene, the vehicle took off, striking a trooper in the process.

"The gentleman in the vehicle refused all FHP trooper commands to stop and step out of the vehicle, backed his car into two FHP patrol cars, and struck Trooper Maddox with the Florida Highway Patrol's Tampa office," Trooper Larry Coggins stated.

The SUV drove southbound across the Howard Frankland in the northbound lanes with, according to one witness, its lights off. After crossing the bridge, it plowed head-on into a Ford pickup truck heading the other way with an impact so violent that both vehicles were barely recognizable afterwards.

The pickup rolled three times, ejecting the three people inside. Passengers Brittney Johnson and Lauren Lukes-Howard, both 17, were hospitalized in serious condition, along with the driver, 26-year-old Roderick Sears of Sarasota.

The driver of the SUV, which turned out to have been reported stolen from Largo the day before, was pronounced dead at the scene after his vehicle rolled twice. His identity had not been released by investigators by mid-morning.


TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: badsuvbadbadsuv; evilsuv; evilsuvs; globalwarming; killersuvs; suv; suvs; vehiclesofdeath
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To: presidio9

Calling a Honda CRV an "SUV" is an inult to all the real SUV's out there.

This should be patently obvious when you realize that the SUV killed it's own driver and not everyone else.


21 posted on 12/21/2004 11:09:31 AM PST by tbeatty (I didn't claw my way to the top of the food chain to eat salad.)
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To: tbeatty

Well, one can then understand the Honda's rage. We have to take a moment to understand, What did we do to the SUV to make it hate us?

Perhas if we were a little less judgemental, and more understanding, perhaps these SUVs would stop attacking us...


22 posted on 12/21/2004 11:11:23 AM PST by Chad Fairbanks ("Just because you were born stupid doesn't give you any right to be stupid!" - Paul Watson to Makahs)
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To: Chad Fairbanks

Look, I understand the urge you feel to reach out to SUVs and come to understand their POV. Especially in this, the holiday season. But you have to fight it. When you enable them you only encourage them to drive all over you. And they suffer just as much as you do.


23 posted on 12/21/2004 11:14:55 AM PST by presidio9 (Islam is as Islam does)
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To: presidio9

Trying to label a little CRV as "one o' dem EEEEEeeevil SUVs!" - now that is definitely pushing the envelope!


24 posted on 12/21/2004 11:15:05 AM PST by GOP_1900AD (Stomping on "PC," destroying the Left, and smoking out faux "conservatives" - Take Back The GOP!)
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To: presidio9
The driver of the SUV, which turned out to have been reported stolen from Largo the day before, was pronounced dead at the scene after his vehicle rolled twice.

SUV's are stealing drivers now. Is this a problem everywhere or are SUV's just stealing in the Largo area.

25 posted on 12/21/2004 11:15:10 AM PST by tbeatty (I didn't claw my way to the top of the food chain to eat salad.)
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To: presidio9

Also, I notice that a lot of these incidents are foreign SUVs... Perhaps we should reform our SUV Immigration Laws, so that these dangerous illegal vehicles (which are only here to kill the people that domestic SUVs don't want to kill) are not attacking us here, and we can bring the fight to THEM!


26 posted on 12/21/2004 11:16:26 AM PST by Chad Fairbanks ("Just because you were born stupid doesn't give you any right to be stupid!" - Paul Watson to Makahs)
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To: tbeatty

Well, too bad that SUV didn't cross state lines. Coulda brought the FBI in with the Mann Act... SUVs are killing people, stealing people, and who knows what other perversities are occurring under the hood?


27 posted on 12/21/2004 11:17:43 AM PST by Chad Fairbanks ("Just because you were born stupid doesn't give you any right to be stupid!" - Paul Watson to Makahs)
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To: presidio9

There are root causes to SUV rage!

Deal with those, and the SUVs will stay parked.


28 posted on 12/21/2004 11:18:20 AM PST by headsonpikes (Spirit of '76 bttt!)
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To: b4its2late

My SUV has decided that it does not want to dispense washer fluid to the front windshield. I have asked nicely, but my SUV still refuses.


29 posted on 12/21/2004 11:18:31 AM PST by dc27
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To: presidio9

"The driver of the SUV, which turned out to have been reported stolen from Largo the day before..."

Not only did the SUV try to elude the police, it did so with a stolen driver.....


30 posted on 12/21/2004 11:18:52 AM PST by NRA1995 ("Yew jes' go and lay yore hand on a Pittsburgh Steelers fan & Ah think yer gonna fin'lly understand")
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To: Chad Fairbanks

It's all that maniac George Bush's fault. Do you know that he is in favor of offering registration to these foreign SUVs?


31 posted on 12/21/2004 11:19:47 AM PST by presidio9 (Islam is as Islam does)
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To: dc27
You might have to gently rub the line that goes from the reservoir to the wipers. ;-)
32 posted on 12/21/2004 11:20:15 AM PST by b4its2late (Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.)
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To: dc27

Be careful. Many people think that owning as SUV is "cool", and treat them like toys... Often times, these SUVs are mistreated, and become violent over time... Be careful in your training - avoid abuse. Use a firm tone, and give it a timeout in the corner if necessary, but never ever under ANY circumstances, get violent. You only teach it to lash out...


33 posted on 12/21/2004 11:20:31 AM PST by Chad Fairbanks ("Just because you were born stupid doesn't give you any right to be stupid!" - Paul Watson to Makahs)
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To: presidio9

Figures. I wish Alan Keyes had run for president again - HE wouldn't put up with this clear and present danger. No sirree...


34 posted on 12/21/2004 11:22:05 AM PST by Chad Fairbanks ("Just because you were born stupid doesn't give you any right to be stupid!" - Paul Watson to Makahs)
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To: presidio9

"After crossing the bridge, it plowed head-on into a Ford pickup truck heading the other way with an impact so violent that both vehicles were barely recognizable afterwards."

A double FUBAR!!!


35 posted on 12/21/2004 11:22:16 AM PST by NRA1995 ("Yew jes' go and lay yore hand on a Pittsburgh Steelers fan & Ah think yer gonna fin'lly understand")
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To: headsonpikes

Sadly, some SUVs have been abused for so long that they are beyond redemption. In the end, the most humane solution is to have them put down as painlessly as possible.

36 posted on 12/21/2004 11:26:45 AM PST by presidio9 (Islam is as Islam does)
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To: b4its2late
You might have to gently rub the line that goes from the reservoir to the wipers. ;-)

That results in a Happy Car...


37 posted on 12/21/2004 11:27:25 AM PST by Chad Fairbanks ("Just because you were born stupid doesn't give you any right to be stupid!" - Paul Watson to Makahs)
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To: Chad Fairbanks

He was too busy making Barak Obama sit up and take notice. You call 70% of the vote a mandate?


38 posted on 12/21/2004 11:29:06 AM PST by presidio9 (Islam is as Islam does)
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To: tbeatty

Thanks!!


39 posted on 12/21/2004 11:30:43 AM PST by countrydummy (#RIGHTALK.. http://www.rightalk.com)
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To: presidio9
The gentleman in the vehicle refused all FHP trooper commands to stop and step out of the vehicle...

"Gentleman?" Is that a Southern thing, calling a perp a gentleman? Why not just "man"?

40 posted on 12/21/2004 11:32:40 AM PST by my_pointy_head_is_sharp
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