Congressman driver in fatal crash

Police officials say U.S. Rep. Bill Janklow, R-S.D., was driving a car that collided with a motorcycle in rural South Dakota yesterday, leaving the biker dead.

The freshman congressman, 63, also had an unidentified staff member in his vehicle, according to the Sioux Falls Argus-Leader.

Janklow was driving a Cadillac near the small town of Trent, some 25 miles north of Sioux Falls, said Col. Dan Mosteller of the South Dakota Highway Patrol.

The Argus-Leader quotes Moody County Coroner Tad Jacobs as saying his dominant impression of the accident was that "the cyclist was not wearing a helmet. That's the major thing." Jacobs characterized the collision as "a motorcyclist headed eastbound. A car ran the intersection going southbound and struck the motorcyclist," who was pronounced dead at the scene "from extensive trauma from impact."

The Associated Press identified the victim of the crash as Randolph E. Scott, 53, of Hardwick, Minn.

Janklow's son Russ says his father feels "absolutely horrible'' about what happened, adding he's never seen his dad so distraught, according to AP.

Routine blood samples were taken to determine if alcohol or drugs factored into the cause of the crash, but results are still not in.

State Attorney Bill Ellingson offered no comment last night, so it's unclear if any charges are to be filed.

Janklow was just elected to the House of Representatives last November, after serving four terms as governor of South Dakota, as well as state attorney general in the 1970s.

He's also served in the Marine Corps from 1956-1959, and his father was a prosecutor at the Nuremberg war-criminal trials.

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Victim of Janklow Accident Remembered
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By WAYNE ORTMAN, Associated Press Writer

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - It's said that in small rural towns, everyone knows everyone. But Randy E. Scott was known well beyond the borders of tiny Hardwick, Minn.

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"I heard Randy described as the pillar of the community. I think I would more accurately define him as the most prominent name in the community," said the Rev. Mark Mumme.

Scott, 55, was killed Saturday when the Harley-Davidson motorcycle he was riding collided with a car driven by South Dakota Rep. Bill Janklow near Trent, about 25 miles northwest of Hardwick.

His funeral was scheduled for Wednesday morning in Hardwick, population 222.

"Randy was a man who knew everyone," Mumme said. "He knew the rich and poor, the prominent and the no names."

Preliminary reports indicate Janklow, 63, failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection, according to the prosecutor. No criminal charges have been filed.

It seemed like Scott knew someone wherever he went or would make it a point to meet someone, said friend Don Bryan of Hardwick.

"I would go with him to Sioux Falls or Sioux City (Iowa) and he'd walk into a room and some guy would come up and know him," Bryan said.

It was hard not to notice him — Scott was about 6-foot-6, Bryan said.

"He had an outgoing personality. He was just ultra friendly," Bryan said.

Scott had just purchased the motorcycle in the spring. He and another man were on a Saturday ride that included attending a birthday party for his ex-father-in-law, Bryan said.

Scott, whose father named him for the cowboy actor Randolph Scott, lived on the farm his grandfather started in 1907.

He was a 20-year member of the Hardwick Volunteer Fire Department, serving as both chief and assistant chief, and was a past commander of the local American Legion post.

Following a private church service Wednesday, Scott was to be buried in nearby Luverne, Minn., where he was born and attended high school.

Beautiful people??? Have you seen Janklow?? He looks like a constipated bulldog! Anyway, I'm not the least bit surprised he killed someone. He was probably drunk from the casino and his "AID" probably wasn't his "AID" And that little career he had in Rosebud....he was almost charged with the rape of a 15 year old Native American girl until she died before he was sentenced. Another Janklow victim?? I say yes but no hard evidence in front of me at the moment. He's a facist, a racist, and hopefully our soon to be EX-Congressman Bill Janklow. There's another messed up thing I heard about him concerning one of his properties in Sioux Falls that he rented out. Well if your interested or hate this I'm sure I'll see it in the replies!

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