"I saw fear in his eyes," Palermo said. "The woman hit him head-on.... I don't know how she missed seeing him."
*I* know how.....she was probably merrily jabbering away on her cell phone about the latest "Desperate Housewives" episode.,....
I now make a practice when I am stopped at a light to check/count the drivers who cut across my front making a left turn to go down the street from which I am coming who are talking on a 'phone - almost half are talking and not driving!!
The worst offender (I believe - proving it is another thing) is the guy ahead of me who starts going much slower than traffic will bear and then, as I pull up along side him and see he's on a 'phone, picks up speed - he had to look up/select a number to dial!
I don't know what the answer is but I am thinking in terms of a zapper that will render a cell 'pnoe unusable for 2 to 5 minutes, in and out. Of course, all the 'phone users will then be able to blame EVERY problem on " being distracted by having the 'phone suddenly be zapped."
I find that very ignorant of you to assume that just because it was a 19 year old TEENAGE GIRL from NORTHERN VIRGINIA that she was "gabbing away on her cell phone" because in fact Ms. Matthews was not at fault at all, and clearly NOT on her cell phone; and when taken to the U.S. Attorney's Office, they refused to press charges. In fact, it turns out it was the officers own fault for stepping backwards into traffic, right into the line of the SUV. I guarantee you that if it had been a 40 year old woman with 4 children in a Honda civic, you wouldn't be saying the same ignorant statements directing the blame on some spoiled-suv driving-teenage girl from the wealthy suburbs. Focus on what is truly important, that this was a tragic accident.
Also... I find it funny that Palmero saw "fear in his eyes" when at the time of the accident, the officer was wearing sunglasses.