OT: Fatality Accident Troop D - 3/19

[KE5CCA]

This driver tried to pass me on the shoulder and impacted me on my front passenger side causing us to become participants in a PIT maneuver. As he slid around in front of me, he became completely t-boned. His drivers side of the car on the bumper of my truck. I looked him in the eye. The dude was talking on his cellphone!! It was one of those moments in the movies where time seems to stand still.

I gassed it a bit and started pushing him towards the center median. This is when the rear of his car accelerated it's right-hand skid to where, at an instantaneous point in time, the front drivers fender of his car was touching the drivers side bumper of my truck. He was pointed west and I was point east.

I braked and steered left to the shoulder and he continued his spin to, I assume the wire barricade. There was a zillion troopers and SO deputy's in the pursuit that could have pinned/boxed him in, but they let him go.

I could not believe it!!

In talking with a trooper that stop alongside me on the shoulder, he said that "we have restrictions that prevent us from doing our job."

The dude ended up ramming a simi from behind about 3 miles or so down the road and died at the scene.

Missouri State Highway Patrol - Crash Report Details

High-speed chase ends in Springfield’s man death on I-44 | News-Leader.com | Springfield News-Leader

I attached a picture that took with my cellphone. It wavy because of snapping it while in motion. I do not recollect the end of the trailer looking like that. Check out the SOD with his gun drawn ...

[muhockey86]

Natural selection at its finest....traffic fatalities are never a good thing but at least he didn't take you or anyone else with him.

[redhelmet13]

Thanks Darwin! This guy gets one of your awards!

[muhockey86]

I guess the only positive is that the fire department got extra extrication practice this week...

[jhnbollinger]

Yep, That highway is famous for bull crap like that. Alot of motorist were lucky that day. There is no excuse for driving like that on that busy piece of interstate. We need more drivers education and more Troopers period.

[dpm3]

Originally Posted by KE5CCA

There was a zillion troopers and SO deputy's in the pursuit that could have pinned/boxed him in, but they let him go.

I could not believe it!!

In talking with a trooper that stop alongside me on the shoulder, he said that "we have restrictions that prevent us from doing our job."

Amazing story! You are lucky as are any number of other innocent motorists whom this jerk could have injured or killed. While the troopers and other law enforcement officers are restricted from taking the necessary action to apprehend such menaces, the MHP MIAC Office is directing troopers to BOLO for any vehicles displaying tax protest, anti-abortion (pro-life) and historic American flags (e.g. Gadsden flag) bumper stickers as such persons may be deemed dangerous fanatics and members of a militia organization (see: Gateway Pundit: Missouri Officials Target Rightwingers & Pro-Lifers For Terrorism). Somewhere along the line somebody's priorities got screwed up. We ought not to tolerate militia wackos, but lumping everyone who doesn't agree with the current politically correct agenda with those guys whilst ignoring real criminals is just plain stupid!

[buddrousa]

I can not say this is why the gun is out but I work in the Emergency Services and unless you have ever tried to remove the body and the pet dog is still alive you might have your hands full. You sometimes have to catch the dog and you want somebody to protect you just in case the dog becomes agressive.

[muhockey86]

I don't know about any dogs in this one...that's a pretty significant MOI, I don't see any dog still being alive, could be wrong though...