Romanian rock star Teofil
Peter, who was killed in an
auto accident in Bucharest
last December.
Posted on 07/26/2005 7:40:55 AM PDT by robowombat
Marine accused in death of Romanian musician also faces adultery charge
By Lisa Burgess, Stars and Stripes European edition, Tuesday, July 26, 2005
QUANTICO MARINE BASE, Va. — A Marine accused of killing a Romanian rock star in an auto accident in Bucharest last December is also facing charges of adultery, according to Marine Corps prosecutors.
The adultery charge emerged during the first day of an Article 32 hearing for Staff Sgt. Christopher R. VanGoethem, 32, a former commander of the Marine security detachment at the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest, Romania.
The Article 32 hearing is best compared to a civilian grand jury hearing.
VanGoethem is facing charges that stem from an accident that killed 50-year-old Teofil Peter, veteran producer and bassist for the rock band Compact, on Dec. 4. VanGoethem was allegedly driving an embassy vehicle that collided with a taxi at an intersection in the Romanian capital, killing Peter.
After completing some administrative requirements, the investigating officer for the case, Lt. Col. Stewart Couch, opened the hearing Monday by reading the charges against VanGoethem.
In addition to negligent homicide and reckless driving charges, VanGoethem is accused of committing adultery with Ilse Wentworth, the daughter of Mark Wentworth, a public affairs official at the embassy.
VanGoethem is also charged with two counts of “solicitation to commit offense” because he allegedly asked Wentworth to delete all e-mails from him, and not to tell anyone about the relationship.
Special Agent James Loftstrom of the Naples, Italy, branch of the Naval Criminal Investigation Service, shed some light on the last two charges later that morning.
Loftstrom testified that VanGoethem, who is married, allegedly left the embassy Christmas party with Ilse Wentworth.
The couple stopped briefly at a bar, Coyote Ugly, and then went to VanGoethem’s residence, Loftstrom said.
The accident with Teofil Peter occurred after VanGoethem dropped Wentworth back at her father’s home, Loftstrom said.
The cab was hit so hard that it “flipped about four times” before coming to a stop, “resulting in the almost immediate death” of the rock star, Loftstrom said.
However, Loftstrom said, VanGoethem told a different story of the night’s happenings at first, and it wasn’t until the NCIS investigator interviewed Wentworth that they learned of the version above. VanGoethem was also charged with an Article 111, being drunk and disorderly on March 1, 2004, and an Article 92, wrongfully using a government computer to view pornography.
Oops. Sounds like an all-around bad apple.
Adultry isn't illegal in PA. My (soon to be ex) wife is proof of that.
But it's a violation under the UCMJ, isn't it?
(Bummer about your ex.)
"Bad choices often result in bad situations," I tell 'em everyday, but some of my guys just don't get it. Those are the ones I commonly refer to as "Knuckle Heads."
Except for the Commander in Chief. He did say he was on active duty when the articles of impeachment came down.
It's very unfortunate when the knucklehead kills someone, or more than one.
I forgot about that :-).
Not really. Just someone who made a wrong choice and had the bad luck to run into an accident. Certainly on the scale of wrong doing no more than a six.
Yes, it is a violation of the UCMJ. And the Marines are tough on that.
I'd say that goes past "bad luck."
I think that's wise of the Marines. "Days of Our Lives" scenarios have no good results for the Corps!
This turd must have slept through the lecture on Clayton Lonetree et al.
Without knowing more particulars I won't jump to conclusions.
That's fine.
Hard for me to believe that a Marine would have a sweetheart in another port. Surely they jest!
I've been told that it has no bearing on child custody in CA, either, during a divorce. Personally, I'd trade the liberals gay marriage for still criminal adultery laws. Somehow, I don't think the liberal advocates of marriage for all would take that trade.
Yes, I know, I'm shocked also.
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