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 ...
How manly of him.
"I'd consider possibly apologizing for murdering your kids, but my lawyer says I shouldn't so . . . um . . . "
Have you seen this?
Maybe he could show us he's really sorry ~ then he wouldn't need to say anything ~ ever.
This stinks to high heaven.
The police formed a circle around their fellow officer and the public be damned.
Of course it can.
However, the morally correct frame of mind to be in in this situation is: "I killed two people through my own stupidity and recklessness. I deserve to be locked up with the key thrown away. Therefore, I don't care if apologizing hurts me in court, since I should get what I deserve regardless."
Basically, he's scared of taking the lumps he's earned, like any other criminal.
If the driver who ran the red light was not a cop then charges of manslauter would have been filed long ago.
The driver who was going the wrong way on the Long Island parkway was convicted of murder. This cop gets two tickets. Another smack in the face of the family.
Sounds to me like he ran a stop sign and ran into a car.
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...
L
"It could have happened to anyone..."
Only to idiots who run stop signs. Just cause you run stop signs all the time, don't think that everyone does.
Maybe it was justified? Was the girl reaching for her waistband? Maybe he saw something shiny? Cops don't make mistakes.
"The police formed a circle around their fellow officer and the public be damned."
They all belong in prison.
Cops always have the right-of-way. They're speshul. Duh!
I run stop signs all the time? I am glad you told me that cause I was unaware of that. What else do I do?
I have run a few before. Not intentionally. You mean to tell me that you have never, not once, ran a stop sign?
Only to fools who run stop signs.
Treat the cop as you would any other driver.
Two counts of negligent or vehicular homicide.
Never, and especially not ever blasted through them like I owned the road. Only drunks and maniacs do that. Since this cop was not drunk he must be a maniac. Of course we only have his fellow officers word that he wasn't drunk. Given their behavior I would say it's a pretty good bet he was drunk.
Others know the state trooper who hit the girls car. He is devastated and has told friends he can not remember what happen.
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