Report: Janklow had close call at intersection last December

AP ^ | Sun, Aug. 31, 2003

[formercalifornian]

TRENT, S.D. - U.S. Rep. Bill Janklow had a close call with another vehicle late last year at the same Moody County intersection where he was involved in a fatal accident two weeks ago.

Jennifer Walters told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that Janklow nearly collided with her after he ran a stop sign on Dec. 29.

Walters and her family were headed to a relative's house for a holiday dinner when they heard the screech of tires behind them at the rural intersection. When she turned, she said she saw a white Cadillac trying to stop after running a stop sign.

"A split-second difference and the Cadillac would have hit us," said Walters, 30, of Trent. "That's how fast the car came through."

Walters, who was riding in a pickup truck with her husband and two sons, said she called Moody County authorities to report the driver and describe the make and color of the car. Within the hour, she said, a dispatcher called her back to say an officer had stopped the car and identified its driver as Janklow, who was then South Dakota's governor and had been elected to the U.S. House.

It was at that same intersection that Janklow was involved in an Aug. 16 crash that killed motorcyclist Randy Scott of Hardwick, Minn. In that crash, Janklow was speeding and had run a stop sign before colliding with Scott, authorities said.

Janklow was charged Friday with second-degree manslaughter, which carries a maximum 10-year prison term and a $10,000 fine if convicted. He also is charged with failure to stop, speeding and reckless driving.

Authorities have talked with Walters, but have declined to discuss her story or provide access to police records that could verify her account. Bill Ellingson, Moody County state's attorney, also would not say whether Walters' account played a role in building the felony charge against Janklow.

Ellingson told the Star Tribune that he considers any records on the alleged incident or subsequent stop of Janklow "to be confidential criminal justice information" as defined by state law.

But another South Dakota prosecutor said that a prior, similar incident at the intersection could help Ellingson establish that Janklow showed a degree of recklessness sufficient to support a second-degree manslaughter charge.

"In any type of case . . . past history is a factor," said Mark McNeary, the Brown County state's attorney in Aberdeen.

In charging Janklow, Ellingson said the mere fact that someone died in the Aug. 16 accident was not enough to establish a second-degree manslaughter charge. However, he said state courts have concluded that when "additional factors" are involved, a jury could find someone guilty if the actions appear to be "a conscious and unjustifiable disregard of a substantial risk." Ellingson made no reference to what those additional factors might be.

McNeary, however, said "that statement alone would indicate that there is something more than just traffic violations that he's basing this charge on. On this point, one would have to assume it's based on prior history."

Janklow's son, Russ, who has served as a family spokesman since the accident, said he did not know anything about the December incident.

There is no record that Janklow was ever ticketed in connection with Walters' call to police in December. Walters said she was told she could file a complaint but she did not.

"I was just a little concerned about who he was and who I am and carrying things any farther," she said. "I just let it drop and thank my stars that I'm alive."

Walters, an administrative assistant who works in Sioux Falls, said she requested access to records confirming her call. She said county authorities told her she would need a subpoena to get them.

Walters said that after looking at news photographs of the car Janklow was driving on Aug. 16, "it looks like the exact same car" that ran the stop sign in December.

Walters said the dispatcher who called her back that day never told her whether the Cadillac was speeding when the driver was stopped. But Walters said that when she asked the dispatcher why the driver ran the stop sign, the dispatcher "chuckled under her breath and said, 'It was Gov. Janklow.'"

Over the years, Janklow has developed a reputation for speeding and joked about it in one State of the State address and made reference to it in another.

His driving record shows numerous citations from the early 1990s, when he was ticketed 12 times for speeding and paid more than $1,000 in fines. In several cases, he was stopped for driving 15 to 20 miles per hour faster than the posted speed limits and once was caught going 90 mph in a 65-mph zone.

However, the records also show he has not received a ticket for speeding since October 1994, just before he was elected to his third term as governor.

Janklow was scheduled to appear in Moody County Court in Flandreau on Tuesday.

[AngrySpud]

Any day now we'll start hearing about State Troopers who were pressured not to cite him in other speeding and reckless driving incidents.

[formercalifornian]

That could well be.

[Held_to_Ransom]

We had a state rep do the same thing not too long ago. His though was a hit and run, and they couldn't pin it on him until the chased down the car where he sold it quickly to a junkyard. His victim was a homeless person. One can't help but think of Charles Dickens and the 'Tale of Two Cities.'

[formercalifornian]

What was the final outcome for your state rep?

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Since this person is a politician in America 2003 A.D. questions arise. At the time of the fatal accident was this creepy soul accompanied by the taxpayer supported 12 year old pleasure boy Benji? Was he distracted by Benji's attentions? Was he under the influence of taxpayer provided alcohol/ drugs? Was he watching a video porn screen in his vehicle-the latter vehicle taxpayer supported, of course. Can he still register and run for President? He will certainly carry-at a minimum- California and New York. The possibilities are endless.

[ambrose]

The reason he's not getting away with it this time is he killed an upstanding member of the community. I bet it would have been covered it up if it was just some ordinary peon.

[Held_to_Ransom]

Can't remember exactly, but i believe he is doing some time. Needless to say, he won't do the kind of time a poor person without political connections would do.

[joesnuffy]

Newsmax

Some readers were upset by our report last week about Rep. Bill Janklow, R-S.D. The New
York Times, Washington Post and other members of Big Media are writing his political
obituary because of his recent traffic accident that killed a motorcyclist.

Friday the congressman was charged with manslaughter. If convicted, he could face jail.

Why, these readers asked, should Janklow be history when Sen. Teddy Kennedy was not
charged with manslaughter and is repeatedly re-elected after his deadly automotive
shenanigans?

Two reasons:

1. South Dakota isn't packed with hardcore hacks who will support only one party no matter
what, as Taxachusetts is.

2. As NewsMax has reported in one article after another, Democrats are allowed to do
anything: commit treason, shred the Constitution, steal elections with "votes" from millions of
dead people and illegal aliens, lie, threaten... and worse.

Why? Because it supports their socialistic goals; the pro-Democrat media establishment lets
them get away with things it would crucify Republicans for doing.

Just compare Sen. Trent Lott to Robert "KKK" Byrd. Or Sen. Rick Santorum and Sen. Patty
"Osama Mama" Murray. Or Arnold Schwarzenegger and Cruz Bustamante. Or John
Ashcroft and Janet Reno. Or Hillary Clinton and Rick Lazio. Or ...

...And the far left complains "the right wing" controls the media.



2. GOP Wimps Let Democrats Run the Senate

Speaking of Teddy K., columnist Robert Novak reveals that this relic is dominating the
supposedly Republican-controlled Senate. The column is illustrated in the New York Post
with a pic of Kennedy's gigantic, swollen head, captioned "Large and in charge."

"At age 71, Teddy is at the peak of his power," writes Novak.

Kennedy is stalling President Bush's sorely wanted authorization bill for the State
Department by adding unrelated amendments for a higher minimum wage and a bogus
expansion of bogus "hate crime" laws.

He is the chief obstructer of judicial nominees and the chief critic of the president's huge
expansion of spending on failed government school monopolies, $50 billion more than Bill
Clinton ever dreamed of but never enough for the anti-choice leftist Dems who have ruined
America's schools.

That's what Bush gets for sucking up to Kennedy to pass that huge educrat spending
increase. Remember that nauseating photo opportunity with the two of them making goo-goo
eyes at each other? How swiftly things change.

So how come Democrats ran the Senate when they had the majority? When they had only a
plurality? And today run the Senate of which they are the minority?

Perhaps Washington's establishment Republicans are gutless.

"Except for retiring Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia, Senate Democrats tend to vote in lockstep. Up
to a half-dozen Republicans break party lines on key votes. Senate 'debates' on sensitive
issues are usually one-sided, with Democrats verbose and Republicans tongue-tied," Novak
notes.

Such is the danger of voting for RINOs.

[YaYa123]

This guy gives "an accident waiting to happen" new meaning.

I still hope he will have the decency to admit what he did, plead guilty, ask forgiveness and beg for mercy. All that, after he resigns his congressional seat.

[boothead]

Report: Janklow had close call at intersection last December

Rumor has it that Johnny Boy Edwards was seen lurking around the same intersection recently.

[formercalifornian]

I can't see Janklow doing this. I understand only two members have ever been forced out of the house and that was for using their office for financial gain or something like that. If this is the case, Janklow will just sit tight. He will be no contender for Daschle's Senate seat now, obviously.

[YaYa123]

He's been charged with a felony, and as I understand it, the Ethics Committee will have to meet and force him off committees. I can't remember how they finally got rid of Traficant but I don't think a member can be expeled until they are convicted.

That's why it would be so refreshing if an elected official removed himself...but I'm not holding my breath.

[The Great RJ]

Note that on the day of the accident he was 175 miles away at a speaking engagement little more than 2 hours before the accident and made a stop in between to visit his sister and mother. You do the math about how fast he was driving on that trip. It's a miracle he hasn't killed more people.

Janklow should RESIGN!!!

[tubebender]

I'm going to wait a week to see if there is support for this latest claim before I pass judgement on this accusation. I have seen too many of false starts to act now...