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Driver Painting Nails Hits, Kills Motorcyclist
cbs2chicago.com ^ | May 4, 2009 1:58 pm US/Central

Posted on 05/04/2009 2:13:06 PM PDT by martin_fierro

Driver Painting Nails Hits, Kills Motorcyclist

Biker Thrown 200 Feet In Lake Zurich Accident

LAKE ZURICH, Ill. (CBS) ―

Anita Zaffke was stopped at a red light when a Chevy Impala, driven by a woman in her 40s, struck her motorcycle from behind.

A woman painting her fingernails while driving is accused in a deadly crash with a motorcycle in northwest suburban Lake Zurich over the weekend.

The incident happened in a southbound lane of Route 12 at Old McHenry Road about 5:30 p.m. Saturday, according to Lake County Sheriff's police Sgt. Scott Morrison.

Anita Zaffke, 56, of the 1500 block of Eddy Lane in Lake Zurich, died about an hour later at Advocate Good Shepard Hospital in Barrington after suffering apparent chest and abdominal injuries from being thrown from her bike, Lake County Coroner Dr. Richard Keller said.

A Monday autopsy found Zaffke died of multiple internal injuries to the chest and abdominal area, as well as a spinal fracture, according to Keller, who said the death has been ruled an accident.

Zaffke's motorcycle was stopped at a red light at the intersection — which Morrison described as being T-shaped with a stop light — when a Chevy Impala, driven by a woman in her 40s, struck the motorcycle from behind at a high rate of speed, Morrison said.

Zaffke was thrown about 200 feet from her motorcycle, according to Keller, who said she was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

Keller said the female motorist told police she was painting her fingernails at the time of the crash and did not notice the light was red.

The woman, whom police have not identified, was cited with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, Morrison said. She was also hospitalized following the crash for non life-threatening injuries.

"There's a lot of analysis they still have to work out on the vehicle involved in the crash to determine speed and braking," Morrison said Sunday evening. "The investigation is ongoing but there should be charges against the woman in the very near future."


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Hobbies
KEYWORDS: crime; motorcycles
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To: martin_fierro
Make everyone take public transportation. It's only right. And safe. Helmets and knee pads mandatory.

Seriously, though, the driver should get jail time.

21 posted on 05/04/2009 2:52:08 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: martin_fierro

Funny pic.
A few years ago the Lt Gov of Ky’s wife (A Miss America) killed a man on a bicycle with her SUV while she distracted on her phone as I recall.
There were no consequences for her at all.


22 posted on 05/04/2009 3:01:26 PM PDT by nkycincinnatikid
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To: EGPWS
"We need to ban motorcycles so this will never happen again and yet maintain personal freedoms with an across the board agenda. /s"

Oh, come on... be realistic!

There will be new warnings on nail polish. "Do not apply when operating heavy machinery"

OTOH, this is the O era: It is clearly the Chevy Impala's fault. It's not a hybrid. Cars will be banned and we will be forced to drive those two seater electric go-carts.

23 posted on 05/04/2009 3:07:46 PM PDT by 1_Rain_Drop
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To: martin_fierro
"There's a lot of analysis they still have to work out on the vehicle involved in the crash to determine speed and braking," Morrison said Sunday evening. "The investigation is ongoing but there should be charges against the woman in the very near future."

Sometimes I wonder if spokespeople must pass a stupidity test before they get the job, you know, if their IQs are above a certain level they won't be hired. This women has admitted to painting her fingernails and running over the other woman on the motorcycle but this Morrison says that they are going to carefully analyze the situation to determine the cause.

I am almost always amazed by the crap these people say to the MSM.

24 posted on 05/04/2009 3:09:39 PM PDT by calex59
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To: martin_fierro

RIP.


25 posted on 05/04/2009 3:16:49 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps !"~~)
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To: martin_fierro

Manslaughter. Or Womanslaughter in this case.


26 posted on 05/04/2009 3:19:04 PM PDT by HighlyOpinionated (The Constitution & Bill of Rights stand as a whole. Remove any part & nullify the whole.)
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To: martin_fierro
Zaffke was thrown about 200 feet from her motorcycle ...

Damn. Just damn. This is manslaughter. The driver needs to spend a long, long time in prison.

27 posted on 05/04/2009 3:40:45 PM PDT by LiberConservative
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To: martin_fierro

How come we got the victim’s name, but not the driver’s name? Or did I miss it?


28 posted on 05/04/2009 4:06:56 PM PDT by I_be_tc
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To: Graybeard58
Throw the book at her.

This book?:

29 posted on 05/04/2009 4:24:15 PM PDT by Sensei Ern (http://www.myspace.com/reconcomedy)
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To: Little Pig

As if I didn’t already have *enough* to watch out for when *not* sitting still.....:-\


30 posted on 05/04/2009 5:16:11 PM PDT by Salamander (Cursed with Second Sight.)
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To: Mashood

After years of fighting for it, ABATE of MD *just* got the penalties for running down bikers jacked up to something actually substantial.


31 posted on 05/04/2009 5:20:57 PM PDT by Salamander (Cursed with Second Sight.)
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To: martin_fierro

A different article identifies the driver as Lora Hunt, aged 48, from Chicago. This is not some inexperienced driver here . . .

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2009/05/04/2009-05-04_chicago_driver_lora_hunt_distracted_while_painting_her_nails_hits_and_kills_moto.html


32 posted on 05/04/2009 7:01:54 PM PDT by BraveMan
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To: Little Pig
Let this be a lesson to all motorcyclists to make sure they watch their mirrors at traffic lights, keep the bike in gear and cover the throttle and clutch. All but the most anemic bikes have the acceleration capacity to drive out of the way of a potential wreck like this if the rider is attentive.

Thats what I always did, but then you still had the cars running thru the red-lights, and/or making the illegal left turn thru them. 

33 posted on 05/05/2009 12:15:45 AM PDT by valkyry1
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To: Little Pig
Over the course of my forty year riding career I was hit twice while stopped at a light, once by another motorcycle! Fortunately, no injuries. You bet I watch my mirror. The bike caught me by surprise though d8^(
34 posted on 05/05/2009 6:39:10 AM PDT by Chuckster (Neca eos omnes. Deus suos agnoscet)
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To: OldMissileer
MSF has the beginners course, which I took about nine years ago to brush up after getting off bikes for a couple of years, and then they have an Advanced Rider's course which is good to take every couple of years to brush up on emergency procedures.

I take the ARC every two years as a refresher. Best money I spend on this sport. Most of the folks I ride with understand that as motorcyclists, we are invisible. We're individually and personally obligated to do whatever is required to arrive alive.

35 posted on 05/05/2009 7:17:45 AM PDT by paulcissa (The first requirement of Liberalism is to stand on your head and tell the world they're upside down)
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To: Little Pig; Chuckster; valkyry1
In addition to watching mirrors, keeping the motorcycle in gear, plus covering throttle & clutch, another technique I employ is *blinking* the brakelight. I use a completely "random" pattern so it doesn't potentially lull a driver or make them target fixate. Good suggestions above from all.
36 posted on 05/06/2009 10:28:45 PM PDT by Blue Jays (Rock Hard, Ride Free)
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