TEXTING & KILLING

[Duchess]

I just saw a promo for tonight's 30 Rock (I think it's called). They are profiling those who kill people while texting & driving. One person got 45 days, another a couple weeks, those are just two examples. I am astonished at the leniency in those sentences. Are you?

[ramseycat]

I am as well. If you are texting while driving and cause an accident you should be punished more severely than 45 days. It's negligent homicide in my opinion.

[username]

Yes. I would think the penalties would be similar to killing someone while drunk driving.

[Duchess]

I was just telling someone about this & the show is called Rock Center, not 30 Rock, hahaha, apparently the other one is Tina Fey's show. Jeezus.

[HairOfTheDog]

TEXAS

I'm interested to see what criminal charges, if any, are brought in this tragic case.

20-year-old Jack Dillon Young (no pic available yet) was driving all over the road and speeding on Wednesday.

A witness, Jody Kulcher - 55, and his female passenger followed and video taped Young's white pick-up for 20 minutes.



Kulcher, who seems like a very good guy, called 911 at least twice begging for someone to get Young off the road before he killed himself or someone else. He was told by Real County sheriff's dispatcher that the vehicle was not in Real County jurisdiction.

The sheriff's dispatcher on the 911 call pisses me off.

[HairOfTheDog]

Minutes later, Young plowed into a church bus, killing 13 people (pictured below).

RIP.

Kulcher says he asked Young, who was pinned in his truck, "why?" He said Young told him he was sorry, he was texting, and asked Kulcher for help. Kulcher didn't smell any alcohol or detect slurring -- he thinks Young was simply speeding and not paying any attention to his driving.

Young is recovering in the hospital. An investigation is underway.

[ramseycat]

This is awful. That's why I am on my kids about texting and driving all the time.

[HairOfTheDog]

This is awful. That's why I am on my kids about texting and driving all the time.

It really is an awful situation for all involved.

Young was reckless and negligent behind the wheel and, for the rest of his life, he'll have to deal with the fact that he killed 13 people and hurt hundreds or thousands of others in the process (the victims' loved ones).

The loved ones of the victims will have to deal with the sudden, brutal and completely avoidable deaths.

Young's parents, if they're decent people, must also be going through hell. I can't see him avoiding criminal charges for at least negligent homicide, maybe even manslaughter depending on the circumstantial evidence gathered during the investigation.

And, though the victims' families seem forgiving at this point, there will undoubtedly be at least a couple of civil suits filed against Young. It could cripple the family financially for decades to come.

I'm glad you're always on your boys not to text and drive. I hope a lot of people who read this story are motivated not to even think about texting, checking Facebook, taking pics, etc....... while behind the wheel. It's not worth the risk. Pull the fuck over if it's urgent, I have to do it all the time for work. It's not hard.

[Clang McFly]

I'm on my brother all the time for talking on the phone while driving or rating the craft beers he's tried while driving.

His excuse: I'm only doing it while stopped at a traffic light."

[Duchess]

That kid is too stupid to live. I saw that video the other day and I watched it again just now. I stand by what I said, he's too stupid to live. I hope he pays dearly for his stupidity.

[sally]

rating the craft beers he's tried while driving.

My husband was doing that for a while. Not while driving, but every time we were at a restaurant he'd try a new beer and then rate it on the site. I wonder if it's the same one. Pretty silly if you ask me.

[Clang McFly]

rating the craft beers he's tried while driving.

My husband was doing that for a while. Not while driving, but every time we were at a restaurant he'd try a new beer and then rate it on the site. I wonder if it's the same one. Pretty silly if you ask me.

Yeah I agree it is silly. Ithink the main one he uses is Untapped,com? And also gotbeer.com. I sample the craft beers too, but I don't waste time rating them all.