Yes, in Mass DUI is not taken seriously at all, it's practically considered a good given right to drive drink like having a gun in Texas. And a viable excuse for killing someone with your car. The perp we'll get much less time (ifany) than if they shot the same person even though the outcome is the same.
Bad people make bad things happen. Alcohol impaired his driving but he made a choice to drink alcohol when he knew he was going to be driving after. That's a conscious decision to risk killing people. Don't let people use alcohol as an excuse.
… he would likely not have been charged. There is never an excuse for drinking and driving and in this case it probably makes what happened to this fellow go from a non-charged offense to vehicular manslaughter. If the guy had been sober and hit a pedestrian on Storrow Drive, basically directly under a pedestrian bridge, MSP would probably call it a senseless tragedy and closed the book, chalking it up to the victim walking across Storrow Drive. Which, to be fair, they would probably be right to do. Storrow is not somewhere where, at night, you are usually looking for vulnerable road users, even if they aren't officially excluded from the roadway (google Rowinsky v Mass State Police). There's also a barrier and fence in the middle of the roadway. It's possible both actors here were impaired.
The answer of course would be to not build highways through parks, but then people driving cars might be inconvenienced, and we must put their convenience above the safety of the general public at all times.
Comments
He's out on bail?!?!?
He's out on bail?!?!?
Yes, in Mass DUI is not taken
Yes, in Mass DUI is not taken seriously at all, it's practically considered a good given right to drive drink like having a gun in Texas. And a viable excuse for killing someone with your car. The perp we'll get much less time (ifany) than if they shot the same person even though the outcome is the same.
Hopefully people keep that in mind
Lest they decide to jaywalk across a parkway. It's not safe.
Lest they decide to jaywalk
Neither is drunk driving.
The difference is that jaywalking rarely endangers anyone but yourself while drunk driving endangers everyone and yourself.
Do we need…
Do we need yet another reminder of the purpose of bail?
Bail is to make sure someone shows up at trial
but I believe bail is often not granted to people suspected of committing homicide.
Alcohol makes bad things
Alcohol makes bad things happen.
Bad people make bad things
Bad people make bad things happen. Alcohol impaired his driving but he made a choice to drink alcohol when he knew he was going to be driving after. That's a conscious decision to risk killing people. Don't let people use alcohol as an excuse.
Thank you, tracker vehicle operator.
Was it a lawyer who followed?
Ugh. To witness then follow... that takes some doing.
But assisting in an arrest is some minor compensation.
And if Miguel Rodriguez was that blotto, I suspect they don't even know how they got home.
Maybe the worst hangover they've ever had.
If he hadn't been drinking …
… he would likely not have been charged. There is never an excuse for drinking and driving and in this case it probably makes what happened to this fellow go from a non-charged offense to vehicular manslaughter. If the guy had been sober and hit a pedestrian on Storrow Drive, basically directly under a pedestrian bridge, MSP would probably call it a senseless tragedy and closed the book, chalking it up to the victim walking across Storrow Drive. Which, to be fair, they would probably be right to do. Storrow is not somewhere where, at night, you are usually looking for vulnerable road users, even if they aren't officially excluded from the roadway (google Rowinsky v Mass State Police). There's also a barrier and fence in the middle of the roadway. It's possible both actors here were impaired.
The answer of course would be to not build highways through parks, but then people driving cars might be inconvenienced, and we must put their convenience above the safety of the general public at all times.