[sinkspur]

Drunk?

[Thane_Banquo]

Drunk?

His last name is O'Brien.

[Salvation]

For leaving the scene of a fatal accident

According to NewsAlert on FoxNews.

[Loyalist]

BUSTED!

[Salvation]

You are fast!

[sinkspur]

Bishop O'Brien arrested in fatal hit-and-run

Mark Henle/The Arizona Republic

After more than four hours of questioning, Phoenix police this afternoon arrested Bishop Thomas O'Brien in the fatal hit-and-run of a pedestrian this weekend.

Shortly after 1:30 p.m., the bishop left in a plain-clothes police car. Police said he was under arrest and being booked on a count of leaving the scene of a fatal accident, a Class 4 felony. He's expected to be arraigned later Monday.

O'Brien is accused of hitting and killing a 43-year-old pedestrian as the man was jaywalking across Glendale Avenue near 19th Avenue, authorities said.

The pedestrian, Jim L. Reed, was pronounced dead at John C. Lincoln Hospital-North Mountain folowing the accident, which occurred about 8:35 p.m.

A Phoenix police spokeswoman said two cars struck Reed, the first identified by witnesses as a four-door, tan Buick Park Avenue. The car was later traced to O'Brien, said the spokeswoman, Sgt. Lauri Williams.

The drivers of both vehicles fled.

During police questioning, O'Brien told investigators that he was the only person with keys to the Buick and that he was driving in the area Saturday night following a church mass in Buckeye.

According to Williams, the bishop said "he was driving the vehicle (Saturday night) and he might have hit something, but we don't know more."

The right front end and windshield of O'Brien's car sustained damage. Police took away the Park Avenue on a flat-bed truck as evidence.

O'Brien recently avoided possible criminal prosecution for obstruction of justice in connection with alleged sexual misconduct by Catholic priests in Arizona during the past two decades. He has been beleagured by calls for his resignation because of that scandal.

Police said O'Brien, who has a perfect driving record in the past 10 years, is cooperating with the fatality investigation, authorities said, and some details of the accident remain sketchy.

On Monday afternoon, Richard Moyer, vigar of the Diocese of Phoenix, issued a statement: "I sincerely regret reports I've received about Bishop O'Brien being involved in a fatal accident. The sympathies of all of us at the Diocese of Phoenix as well as our prayerful support go out to the victim's family. The Diocese will cooperate fully in any police investigation. No further statement will be made while the investigation proceeds."

A police search warrant has been served at O'Brien's house in north-central Phoenix.

Greg Leisse, in-house consul for the diocese, said after meeting with the bishop Monday at his house, "He seems upset, but he seems well." He didn't elaborate.

Leisse also said that the church is "trying to find out what happened and see what, if anything, the diocese needs to do so we can do the right thing."

Police are still trying to track down the second vehicle.

[jocon307]

Bishop O'Brien arrested in fatal hit-and-run

Mark Henle/The Arizona Republic

Dennis Wagner and Judd Slivka
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 16, 2003 01:55 PM


After more than four hours of questioning, Phoenix police this afternoon arrested Bishop Thomas O'Brien in the fatal hit-and-run of a pedestrian this weekend.

Shortly after 1:30 p.m., the bishop left in a plain-clothes police car. Police said he was under arrest and being booked on a count of leaving the scene of a fatal accident, a Class 4 felony. He's expected to be arraigned later Monday.

O'Brien is accused of hitting and killing a 43-year-old pedestrian as the man was jaywalking across Glendale Avenue near 19th Avenue, authorities said.

The pedestrian, Jim L. Reed, was pronounced dead at John C. Lincoln Hospital-North Mountain folowing the accident, which occurred about 8:35 p.m.

A Phoenix police spokeswoman said two cars struck Reed, the first identified by witnesses as a four-door, tan Buick Park Avenue. The car was later traced to O'Brien, said the spokeswoman, Sgt. Lauri Williams.

The drivers of both vehicles fled.

During police questioning, O'Brien told investigators that he was the only person with keys to the Buick and that he was driving in the area Saturday night following a church mass in Buckeye.

According to Williams, the bishop said "he was driving the vehicle (Saturday night) and he might have hit something, but we don't know more."

The right front end and windshield of O'Brien's car sustained damage. Police took away the Park Avenue on a flat-bed truck as evidence.

O'Brien recently avoided possible criminal prosecution for obstruction of justice in connection with alleged sexual misconduct by Catholic priests in Arizona during the past two decades. He has been beleagured by calls for his resignation because of that scandal.

Police said O'Brien, who has a perfect driving record in the past 10 years, is cooperating with the fatality investigation, authorities said, and some details of the accident remain sketchy.

On Monday afternoon, Richard Moyer, vigar of the Diocese of Phoenix, issued a statement: "I sincerely regret reports I've received about Bishop O'Brien being involved in a fatal accident. The sympathies of all of us at the Diocese of Phoenix as well as our prayerful support go out to the victim's family. The Diocese will cooperate fully in any police investigation. No further statement will be made while the investigation proceeds."

A police search warrant has been served at O'Brien's house in north-central Phoenix.

Greg Leisse, in-house consul for the diocese, said after meeting with the bishop Monday at his house, "He seems upset, but he seems well." He didn't elaborate.

Leisse also said that the church is "trying to find out what happened and see what, if anything, the diocese needs to do so we can do the right thing."

Police are still trying to track down the second vehicle.



Please return for updates later.


Here is the link for this:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0616obrien-fatality-ON.html

[Aloysius]

Maybe now the Vatican will fire this guy?

[Catspaw]

More from the Arizona Republic:

 

Bishop O'Brien arrested in fatal hit-and-run

Mark Henle/The Arizona Republic Bishop Thomas O'Brien talks with Phoenix police investigators Monday in the garage of his north Phoenix home.

Dennis Wagner and Judd Slivka
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 16, 2003 01:55 PM

 

After more than four hours of questioning, Phoenix police this afternoon arrested Bishop Thomas O'Brien in the fatal hit-and-run of a pedestrian this weekend.

Shortly after 1:30 p.m., the bishop left in a plain-clothes police car. Police said he was under arrest and being booked on a count of leaving the scene of a fatal accident, a Class 4 felony. He's expected to be arraigned later Monday.

O'Brien is accused of hitting and killing a 43-year-old pedestrian as the man was jaywalking across Glendale Avenue near 19th Avenue, authorities said.

The pedestrian, Jim L. Reed, was pronounced dead at John C. Lincoln Hospital-North Mountain following the accident, which occurred about 8:35 p.m.

A Phoenix police spokeswoman said two cars struck Reed, the first identified by witnesses as a four-door, tan Buick Park Avenue. The car was later traced to O'Brien, said the spokeswoman, Sgt. Lauri Williams.

The drivers of both vehicles fled.

Related links • More on Arizona's priest scandal »

During police questioning, O'Brien told investigators that he was the only person with keys to the Buick and that he was driving in the area Saturday night following a church mass in Buckeye.

According to Williams, the bishop said "he was driving the vehicle (Saturday night) and he might have hit something, but we don't know more."

The right front end and windshield of O'Brien's car sustained damage. Police took away the Park Avenue on a flat-bed truck as evidence.

O'Brien recently avoided possible criminal prosecution for obstruction of justice in connection with alleged sexual misconduct by Catholic priests in Arizona during the past two decades. He has been beleaguered by calls for his resignation because of that scandal.

Police said O'Brien, who has a perfect driving record in the past 10 years, is cooperating with the fatality investigation, authorities said, and some details of the accident remain sketchy.

On Monday afternoon, Richard Moyer, vigar of the Diocese of Phoenix, issued a statement: "I sincerely regret reports I've received about Bishop O'Brien being involved in a fatal accident. The sympathies of all of us at the Diocese of Phoenix as well as our prayerful support go out to the victim's family. The Diocese will cooperate fully in any police investigation. No further statement will be made while the investigation proceeds."

A police search warrant has been served at O'Brien's house in north-central Phoenix.

Greg Leisse, in-house consul for the diocese, said after meeting with the bishop Monday at his house, "He seems upset, but he seems well." He didn't elaborate.

Leisse also said that the church is "trying to find out what happened and see what, if anything, the diocese needs to do so we can do the right thing."

Police are still trying to track down the second vehicle.



Please return for updates later.

[Cicero]

The article says the pedestrian was jaywalking. That could mean almost anything, but it's possible he stepped into the road and the bishop didn't see him until too late. OTOH, leaving the scene of an accident, especially when there's some possibility you might be able to help the victim, just isn't done.

[hsmomx3]

Personally, I think this is the tip of the iceberg. Did they do a thorough search of his home as well? I have thought for a long time that he has/had much to hide and that he, too, was probably involved in many things that have been circulating in the AZ news lately.

How are church members handling all of this? Do they still leave their children with church leaders for church classes/events,etc.?

[Lockbar]

Damn him! He didn't even perform last rites on the guy before he drove away. Some servent of god, I say!

[Cap'n Crunch]

Wow, neither driver stopped?

Where's the love?

[aristeides]

Do bishops normally drive themselves? They don't have drivers?

[John Beresford Tipton]

Not to put to fine a point on it, but as a priest was he not also obligated to see if the guy under the tire marks wanted the Last Rites?

[Diddle E. Squat]

Maybe he hit an unclean and figured a Samaritan would soon drive by.

I wonder who will be guest hosting his show tonight?

[sitetest]

The postman always rings twice.

[Havisham]

I don't know when I've witnessed such bigoted zeal. O'Brien may not have known he'd hit a pedestrian. Such accidents commonly happen in Phoenix, especially at dusk when there are deep shadows and bright exposures. I've only been lucky not to have mown down many a jaywalker myself. If we had a show of hands, I think the proportion of catholic haters here would be depressingly high.

[HiJinx]

O'Brien is accused of hitting and killing a 43-year-old pedestrian as the man was jaywalking across Glendale Avenue near 19th Avenue, authorities said.

The posted speed limit on Glendale Ave. at 19th is 40 MPH (IIRC) and the actual speed of traffic there is closer to 47-50 MPH. It's just an unfortunate coincidence that Bishop O'Brien is the one who hit the jaywalker Reed...

Would we be seeing this on Fox News if the driver had been one of us? Somehow, I don't think so...and sadly, it could just as easily have been one of us.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Related article posted at today's Chicago Tribune:

Phoenix Bishop Arrested in Hit and Run

[TradicalRC]

Is it true he had a bumper sticker that read "God is my Co-pilot"?