Posted on 10/26/2006 2:00:06 PM PDT by Coleus
The state trooper who ran a stop sign last month and killed two teenage girls was issued two traffic tickets yesterday, although the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office said it was still considering criminal charges. Trooper Robert Higbee received summonses for careless driving and failure to stop in the Sept. 27 accident in Upper Township that killed Jacquelin Becker, 17, who was driving, and her sister, Christina Becker, 19.
"The investigation is ongoing into the circumstances of the crash," Cape May Prosecutor Robert Taylor said in a statement, adding the tickets were issued only because of a 30-day statute of limitations on the offenses. "The summons will be held in abeyance pending the conclusion of the crash investigation and review for potential criminal charges." A preliminary investigation showed Higbee, 34, was on patrol in his marked 2005 Ford Crown Victoria "when he failed to stop at a stop sign" and collided with the Beckers' 2002 Dodge Caravan about 10 p.m.
Christina Becker, the front seat passenger, was not wearing a seat belt and the impact propelled both through the driver's side window, according to the preliminary report. The two sisters suffered fatal injuries when their vehicle struck a Mazda minivan that was stopped at the intersection.
Higbee, a trooper since April 2001, declined to comment on the summonses, but his attorney, D. William Subin, issued a prepared statement on the trooper's behalf. "Trooper Higbee is saddened by the tragic loss of these two women and has wanted to extend his deepest condolences to the family," Subin said. "However, because of the legal proceedings, he has been advised not to do so."
Subin said the trooper has been cooperating with the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office in its investigation of the crash.
(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...
So it's not about a police officer running a stop sign, it's about how fast the girls were driving. Having the right away has nothing to do with it all, after all, it's their responsibility to be sure a police car doesn't run the stop sign. okay, I see.
Oh well, he can't remember so it didn't happen. Hard to have sympathy for a police officer who intentionally disregards the law and then acts so callously towards the mother of those girls.
I am not making excuses for the guy. The whole thing is just so tragic.
The mom of the girls is having a VERY hard time with this. I just hope her loved ones stick very close to her.
Beautiful boy(((Hugs)))
"He did not have malicious intent. He was not intoxicated.
He made a moving violation as anyone else would do. Except this time, tragically, another car was in his path.
It could have happened to anyone..."
That may be. The only point I am making is that these days the law is applied differently to police officers in most cases. If this had been you or I then they would have already thrown the book at us without further need of investigation. But you are right that accidents do happen. There are times when one might miss seeing a light or stop sign for whatever reason. Not seeing that a car is comming the other way it harder though.
Negligent homicide is still homicide.
I saw the "M" word in your post and wondered if there was more to the story.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.