Road Rage Crash Blamed on '2 Stubborn People'

AP ^ | April 29, 2003

[new cruelty]

BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. (AP) _ Police are blaming a road rage crash on that left a passenger dead and three children without a father on "two stubborn people" who wouldn't back down.

Now both drivers face possible criminal charges.

Mark Raymond Bair, 29, of Brooklyn Park, was released from jail Tuesday pending a formal complaint. The other driver, Beth Ann Rademacher, 24, of Champlin, was being treated at North Memorial Medical Center for her injuries.

Precisely what sparked the deadly confrontation on Sunday afternoon is still a matter of investigation, but Bair told police that Rademacher had cut him off, starting a contest of wills on southbound Highway 169.

"These were two stubborn people, and neither would let it go," said Brooklyn Park Police Capt. Gregory Roehl. "Normally, someone ticks you off on the road and you mutter 'idiot' under your breath and keep going."

The motorists made obscene gestures, shaking their fists at each other, and even got out of their cars at several stoplights to vent at each other, police and witnesses said. At one point, Bair threw a screwdriver at Rademacher's Chevrolet Lumina. He also hurled a racial expletive at Rademacher's boyfriend, Marvin Lee Lindsey, 25, of Brooklyn Park, a black man who was riding in the front passenger seat of the car, police and witnesses said. Meanwhile, a bottle of pop came flying out of Rademacher's car at Bair's Oldsmobile Cutlass.

One motorist called 911 and relayed how the conflict unfolded: Rademacher's Lumina pulled onto the shoulder closest to the passing lane, apparently trying to drive around the Cutlass, and lost control. According to one witness, she left the shoulder and veered onto the grassy median. It appeared that she was trying to brake, when the car began fish-tailing and then rolling.

"The car rolled three times, but on the second roll a man (Lindsey) flew out of the passenger window, about 50 feet, over one of the signs that (says) 55 mph," said Emily Temke, 21, of Champlin.

Temke, who was riding with her mother in the northbound lanes, said they feared the rolling car was going to careen across the median into their car. The car finally came to rest on the driver's side. In the back seat were a 12-year-old boy, who is a nephew of Rademacher's, and Rademacher and Lindsey's 5-year-old daughter. Neither child was seriously hurt.

Lindsey was pronounced dead at North Memorial. Police interviewed Rademacher at the hospital Monday, but hospital officials wouldn't disclose her condition.

Bair stopped a short distance away, witnesses say. After talking with him and examining his car, police said there was no evidence that his and Rademacher's cars "had a major collision." Still, he was arrested.

Police said both could be charged with criminal vehicular homicide. Investigators said Tuesday they were waiting for the accident reconstruction report, toxicology reports and witness statements before turning the case over to the Hennepin County attorney's office for charging.

Records show Rademacher was arrested on a road rage charge a year ago and pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct; Bair also has a conviction for disorderly conduct and driving violations on his record.

Marvin Lindsey's family said his death leaves three children without a father.

"Right now, I just got mixed emotions about the whole thing," said his brother Lester Lindsey. "Them kids ... ," he said quietly, unable to finish the conversation.

[MineralMan]

Dumb, dumb, dumb! People do stupid things on the road all the time. They drive too fast or too slow. They change lanes unsafely, sometimes by mere accident.

Getting ticked at people who make driving mistakes does nobody any good. It distracts you from your own driving.

Road rage is the stupidest behavior I can think of that doesn't involve weapons. Feh!

[Onelifetogive]

Don't give me that innocent victim crap!!! He was in one of the cars. He could have gotten himself and his kid out several times.

[canuck_conservative]

What's that saying, "pride comes before the fall"?

Look where their fragile egos got them.

[w_over_w]

Records show Rademacher was arrested on a road rage charge a year ago and pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct; Bair also has a conviction for disorderly conduct and driving violations on his record.

Therein lies the problem . . . this whole roadrage thing needs to be treated the same way drunk driving was finally brought to the forefront by MADD. Time to make examples of these people and send a message.

[AppyPappy]

Some people should not be allowed to drive. It brings out the beast in them.

Thinning the herd of non seat-belt wearers.

[Lijahsbubbe]

The woman driving was on the radio locally this morning and said Lindsey had repeatedly told her to let it go.

[MineralMan]

"Some people should not be allowed to drive. It brings out the beast in them. "

You've got that right. The other evening, I went to a local restaurant to pick up a take-out order. I parked on the street near the restaurant. As I walked through the parking area, two pickups pulled in from different entrances. There were no available parking spots (that's why I parked in the street) and not enough room for the two trucks to bypass each other.

So, one driver honked, which, of course, led the other driver to honk back. Neither, apparently, wanted to back up. Next came the "Move it!" yelling, followed by the two men driving the trucks getting out of their vehicles and hollering threats at each other. I stopped watching and went into the place to get my order. When I came out, they were still yelling at each other, explaining the dire stuff they were going to inflict on the other person.

In the meantime, the passengers in the pickups, both women, were looking disgusted. I took off in my car, so I don't know what the final outcome of this whole business was, but I'll wager neither of the two guys got lucky that night.

What a couple of morons.

[Onelifetogive]

The woman driving was on the radio locally this morning and said Lindsey had repeatedly told her to let it go.

Yes but:

The motorists made obscene gestures, shaking their fists at each other, and even got out of their cars at several stoplights to vent at each other, police and witnesses said.

He had opportunities to protect himself and his child.

[Lijahsbubbe]

I think what's so hard to deal with is when people drive so carelessly and rudely, they're jeopardizing your life and your passengers' life. It's very hard for people (O.K., me) not to take that personally when someone almost kills you or your family.

However, reacting is just dangerous.

[Lijahsbubbe]

Okay, but I blame the two people driving.

[MineralMan]

"However, reacting is just dangerous. "

No, reacting is far more dangerous. You can't do anything about how others drive, but you are in control of how you drive.

I spend a lot of time on LA freeways, and have had to learn to drive in extreme defensive mode. I pick a lane and stay there. I drive whatever speed that lane is going and keep a really good gap between me and the car in front of me, but without slowing down the traffic. That lets the idiot lane-changers move into that space without crowding me. I know where my exits will be, and what lane I need to be in to take them. I change lanes well in advance of those exits, even if it means driving slower than I'd like for a bit. Again, I match speed and allow adequate room for the idiots who have to drive in the fastest lane until 100 yds. from the exit, then cross four lanes to exit.

I don't engage idiots on the road in any way. I drive.

So far, I've never been in an accident. I've never had a ticket, and I don't plan for that to change. Let the rest of the folks get their jollies. I'll drive defensively...always.

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

Road rage doesn't pay. Someday, you'll wind up getting into it with someone just as crazy as you, willing to go all the way. This is what happened in this case.

Just take a deep breath and let it go. What are you wanna-be tough guys gonna do, go after 'em for 200 miles, get out and cap 'em?? Better be prepared to do just that because the other guy just might be even more willing than you to do the same. Dumb@sses.

[Onelifetogive]

Okay, but I blame the two people driving.

Not to be argumentative, but she was going off the road to pass Bair.

Rademacher's Lumina pulled onto the shoulder closest to the passing lane, apparently trying to drive around the Cutlass, and lost control.

Rademacher get the most credit. I put the dead man second! He couldn't stop her, but he failed to take several opportunities to protect his child. He didn't even wear a seatbelt. He allowed his child to continue to be in the back seat while she went nuts.

I am all for individual responsibility. It was not Bair's responsibility to keep Rademacher from killing this guy or the kids. If he had gone off the road to pass her and caused the accident, I would blame him. He didn't. She did!

[MineralMan]

". It was not Bair's responsibility to keep Rademacher from killing this guy or the kids. If he had gone off the road to pass her and caused the accident, I would blame him. He didn't. She did!
"

No, it was not. However, Bair could have simply backed off, allowed this idiot to go on, then resumed driving. By engaging an idiot, you become one yourself. Letting the other guy win on the highway is the way to survive. Pride is a good way to die.

[Chemist_Geek]

This is exactly why I say this HAND GUN law that is going to allow 'law abiding people' in Minnesota to carry hand guns on them.... is going to cause road rage shootings, along with shopping cart rage ---- and ''flash to pass rage''.... all resulting in people SHOOTING EACH OTHER.

Well, that sentiment has been expressed in the state legislatures of the 37 (now?) states which have enacted shall-issue concealed carry laws...

To date, it's not been a problem in those 37 states, but just you wait, there'll be blood in the streets yet!

[Samwise]

Pitiful.

[Samwise]

Not acting like an idiot ought to be in there somewhere.