Posted on 12/29/2010 8:50:55 AM PST by Responsibility2nd
McALLEN — Hidalgo County should ban funeral processions, county District Attorney Rene Guerra said Thursday.
A fatal crash during a funeral procession Wednesday has led to questions about the safety of the motorcades, where law enforcement officers guide traffic by blocking intersections. A Hidalgo County Precinct 2 constable’s deputy hit and killed an Alamo woman Wednesday when the deputy’s cruiser “t-boned” the vehicle she was traveling in.
Guerra said he’s been concerned about funeral processions for years now, but Wednesday’s crash has revived the debate and sharpened his concerns.
“I was afraid that what happened yesterday would happen,” he said.
Escorting funeral processions has become increasingly dangerous because there are many careless drivers who disregard the escorts, Guerra said. Processions also require a lot of man power and it’s unclear where the acquired funds should go, he added.
“One of the questions raised earlier was if the constables could keep the money or if they should turn it over to the county, especially when county officials are involved,” he said about the fees funeral homes pay the constables. There is also a debate about whether the money should be considered a donation or a payment, he added.
“It’s a situation that creates a problem for everybody involved in a funeral procession,” Guerra said. “I think that if funeral homes would calculate how much time it takes individuals to get out to the cemeteries after the services, people would be easily buried and everybody would have a chance to attend the funeral (without a procession).”
But the processions he would like to see banned are deeply embedded in the Rio Grande Valley’s culture, said Marc Gonzalez, funeral director for Rivera Funeral Home in McAllen.
“A lot of people are used to following the hearse and having a procession instead of just saying ‘We’ll meet at the church,’” he said. “If they ban escorts, I know it will get some people upset.”
Funeral homes usually contract peace officers, such as police officers and constable’s deputies, for the processions, Gonzalez said, because they are the only ones authorized by law to stop and direct traffic. But funeral homes also have another alternative: private escort companies. Rivera Funeral home usually contracts the service from a local company, except when the family of the deceased requests the constables or other law enforcement agencies, Gonzalez said.
Some funeral homes in bigger cities, like Dallas, have actually stopped offering the services because traffic can become quite heavy, he added.
“Even with escorts … some people out there are just in a rush,” he said. “They won’t slow down or they’ll try to beat the procession.”
Another important issue to consider is how the lines will be drawn if the processions are banned, Gonzalez said.
“What happens when you have a high ranking official who passes away, and here come (city police) and county officials providing an escort, but yet for regular people they can’t have one,” Gonzalez said. “That could be another problem.”
“If you’re going to do it, you’re going to have to do it across the board for everybody.”
Guerra said he understands that many see processions as a way to honor the dead but the issue deserves to be reviewed.
“I’m sure there’s a few who are used to the processions, but I think it’s something we have to look at,” he said. “I think the loss of one life is too many.”
Pharr police have not released the victim’s identity and are still investigating the accident, said Sgt. Santiago Solis. The deputy, who was being treated for non-life threatening injuries, is out of the hospital and the condition of the other driver is unknown, he said.
Investigators are waiting for blood-test results, which are always administered when a fatality is involved, he added.
“It’s all going to depend on the complete investigation and the blood results,” he said. “And if everything comes back clean, most likely there won’t be (any charges filed).”
Police, however, will submit the report to Guerra’s office, and it will make the final decision, Solis said.
Look pal. I’ve been watching you make an idiot of youself with DManA. I really wasn’t going to inteject myself into your problem you have with DManA, but now you posted your idiotic ramblings to me?
Go play in traffic. Better yet. Go find a funeral procession to play in.
I didn’t say the funeral parades were illegal. So it is inaccurate to call my argument moot since I didn’t make it.
I then took a short cut and caught up with the procession and let the State Troopers escorting the procession that they should have shut all the ramps down because the procession nearly got folks killed.
Mark me down: Ban processions of over a half-mile distance from the start of the procession until the entrance to the cemetery.
BTW, I’d ride escort in your funeral.
__________________________________
Thanks BraveMan.
lolol
Although some might wish you could have that opportunity RIGHT NOW...
I’m hoping the adage “the good die young” is true in my case.
lolol
To follow my last. A long distance procession is fine, as long as it is six cars or less. Break these long funerals into an official procession group of six cars and give everyone else a sheet of directions to the services and burial and let them get there on their own.
I agree. But upthread you see the sentiments....
“But poor Uncle Frank - from out of town - he’s not quite sure where the cemetary is. He needs to follow the procession and blah, blah blah...”
Two things.
1. Have Uncle Frank ride with Cousin Jim - who knows the way.
2. Realize that driving in a procession can be (and often is) WAY more difficult and dangerous than normal driving, even if you have to follow a map.
Actually, after reviewing your earlier posts, I realize that I owe you an apology.
I had mistakenly attributed a post by someone else, who claimed that bereavement was no excuse to break traffic laws, to you. That’s why I stated that your point about traffic laws was moot and for that I apologize.
I still don’t agree with you, in regards to funeral processions, but I do apologize for attacking you on a point that you didn’t make.
Make an idiot out of myself? How do you figure that? I admit that I had attributed something to him that wasn’t posted by him, and for that I apologized, but other than that what have I said that was off the mark?
What makes you more important than the people in the procession?
You know, I keep seeing people talking about processions of dozens, if not hundreds of cars in them.
What kind of funeral is that? I’ve never seen one go much over twenty cars, with most around ten or twelve. Who has a funeral procession with 100+ cars in it? Better yet, who has that kind of a family that it takes 100+ cars to transport them all?
I wasn’t going to explain the fallacies of your argument. But based on your apologies to DManA, I see that maybe you are open to reason, so I’ll give it a shot.
If I understand you - you believe that maybe 50 people in a procession overrides the rights of - say - 5,000 other motorists as they should defer to those mourners driving by - IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC.
So let’s disregard all those thousands of people who can’t get home on time - just so a funeral procession can amble on to the grave yard AT FIVE O’CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON.
And as we do that - let’s focus on those 50 greiving family members and loved ones who are trying desperately and futilely to keep pace in said procession during rush hour.
(Are you getting the idea yet?)
As as they sorrowfully proceed in RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, are they asking; “What (bleeping bleep-wad) decided NOW was the time to pay our final respects? Why did we not do this three hours ago?”
Trust me pal. If I’m asked to drive a procession during rush hour traffic, there will be drama.
I accept. No hard feelings.
My hang up is this. It does not matter when the procession takes place to me, the point is that those 5,000 people owe those 50 people that respect. Not because some law says they do, but because it’s the proper, honorable thing to do because, as it’s been said before, “...there, but for the Grace of God, go I”. Yes, it will inconvienence people momentarily, but what of it?
Again, with me it’s a matter of honoring the dead and their family. My appointments can wait, this is more important.
It DOES matter when the procession takes place. I’m not arguing that it matters to the 5,000 people, but to the 50.
If you don’t think these 50 mourning people will have any qualms about driving in a procession during rush hour, then why not subject them to doing this at - say - 3:00 in the morning.
Focus, please. If this is all about those 50 people, then can you at least accomodate them a little bit? Please?
You have a choice of having Uncle Harry drive in the procession at 2:00pm or 5:00pm. Why would you want to put him (and the other 50 mourners) through a rush hour procession?
Just to show those 5,000 other motorists that your grief takes precedence?
That’s being one totally selifsh bastard.
In some cases a big big family, in others, a big family and a well-respected multi-decade serving official. This is North Jersey.
That I can agree with. I was looking at it from the point of view that the 5:00 time would be the only time available to have the procession. I’ll readily agree that some other time would be better if it’s available.
That may be the difference. Where I’m from, the procession is strictly immediate family and very close friends, which usually involves less than 50 people. Everyone else is expected to make it to the cemetary individually.
Several months ago I exited Interstate (I-16) towards Soperton, Georgia on Rt 221 (two lane) and immediately saw an approaching funeral procession (cop car has flashing lights).
I slowed down (very slow) and made sure no one was about to hit me from behind and the funeral passed. I did not come to a stop nor did I move completely off the road because there was not enough room.
Five miles later in the City of Soperton I was surrounded by 3 cop cars and was informed that I did not stop for a funeral procession outside of town. I apologized and told all the officers that I would never be disrespectful to the dead and I was truly sorry. I only received a warning and was told that I must stop and this was GA law.
Sure enough, the law as shown below is pretty clear (i.e. [funeral procession] shall have the right of way in any street or highway through which they may pass”)
George Code 40-6-76.
(a) As used in this Code section, a “funeral procession” means an array of motor vehicles in which the lead vehicle displays a sign, pennant, flag, or other insignia furnished by a funeral home indicating a funeral procession unless led by a state or local law enforcement vehicle and each vehicle participating in the funeral procession is operating its headlights.
(b) Funeral processions shall have the right of way at intersections subject to the following conditions and exceptions:
(1) Operators of vehicles in a funeral procession shall yield the right of way upon the approach of an authorized emergency vehicle or law enforcement vehicle giving an audible and visual signal; and
(2) Operators of vehicles in a funeral procession shall yield the right of way when directed to do so by a traffic officer.
(c) Funeral processions escorted by the police, a sheriff, or a sheriff’s deputy shall have the right of way in any street or highway through which they may pass. Local governments may, by ordinance, provide for such escort service and provide for the imposition of reasonable fees to defray the cost of such service.
(d) The operator of a vehicle not in a funeral procession shall not interrupt a funeral procession except when authorized to do so by a traffic officer or when such vehicle is an authorized emergency vehicle or law enforcement vehicle giving an audible and visual signal.
(e) Operators of vehicles not a part of a funeral procession shall not join a funeral procession by operating their headlights for the purpose of securing the right of way granted by this Code section to funeral processions.
(f) The operator of a vehicle not in a funeral procession shall not attempt to pass vehicles in a funeral procession on a two-lane highway.
(g) Any person violating subsection (d), (e), or (f) of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $100.00.
(h) Any law enforcement officer who is directing or escorting a funeral procession in this state, whether such service is provided while on duty or not, shall enjoy the same immunities from liability as the officer possesses while in the performance of other official duties.
Sounds like a District Attorney may soon get Banned.
Smart method. One of my college roommates lost her grandfather to a car accident while he was on the way to speak at his best friend’s funeral. My faily tends to live into their nineties and they spend a lot of time going to family funerals. My father had about 25 sets of aunts and uncles. My mom had more like seven. My folks, who are in their early eighties, have at least nine aunts or uncles still kicking. All of their siblings and their spouses are still alive and well also. That’s a lot of oldsters traveling around.
I guess anyone can speculate anything. There is NOTHING in the text to support your speculations. If and when there is more information, I will read it and decide.
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