Darwin Award for 8/18/04.

[Fausto]

SAVANNAH ? A police chase that reached speeds of 110 mph turned deadly when state troopers trying to stop the fleeing vehicle rammed it off the highway, killing the driver and her 17-year-old passenger.

Authorities defended the trooper who steered his patrol car's front bumper into the fleeing vehicle behind its rear wheels, causing the vehicle to spin off the highway and strike a tree.

"The trooper executed his training. He acted properly," said State Patrol spokesman Larry Schnall. "It was a long, dangerous chase and we felt we needed to stop it before some innocent bystander got killed."

The chase began in South Carolina on Tuesday and spanned 66 miles into coastal Georgia on Interstate 95.

The driver, Katie Sharp, 21, of Holly Hill, Fla., started fleeing when police tried to stop her for speeding at 86 mph in a 70 mph zone, sheriff's Capt. Kent Tisdale said.

"As soon as she saw them, she just stomped on it. That's a good indicator that something's wrong," he said. "When we got into Georgia, she was swerving back and forth across all three lanes, very dangerous."

The Georgia State Patrol took up the chase when the speeding Nissan Pathfinder crossed the state line near Savannah.

Sharp and her passenger, Garrett Gabe, 17, of Pennsylvania, died instantly.

Sharp's father, Charlie Sharp, said his daughter had a suspended license, but he doesn't believe she was in any other trouble.

The former police officer said he doesn't blame authorities for his daughter's death. "I have to believe they did everything they did in the right way," he said.

WTF do people run? Cops have fast cars, radios, and helicopters. Odds are, you're not getting away and when they do catch your dumb ass, you get additional charges tacked on for running.

 

[GasX]

Sad, but it is refreshing to see a parent of one of these idiots not in a huff over the police's actions and threatening lawsuits...

 

[Ogg]

Youre right............what the hell was she thinking?

 

[Scarpozzi]

I agree with her dad for not suing them on principle....but then again... I'd do it for the money.

 

[mugs]

Fleeing in a pathfinder... what a moron.

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: Mwilding
Sad, but it is refreshing to see a parent of one of these idiots not in a huff over the police's actions and threatening lawsuits...

He was a police officer though, so he knew what would have happened, so he's got some sense, unlike most people.

 

[Freejack2]

You can't outrun the speed of radio.

I remember that one story from another forum supposedly about that guy and his friend driving a Porsche through Texas. He outran the state trooper but got greeted with lots of cops across the state line.

When will people ever learn to just pull over and take the ticket?

 

[Karsten]

So she wasted her and her frieds life for a couple hours of comunity serice... what a trade off

 

[NakaNaka]

Originally posted by: Freejack2
You can't outrun the speed of radio.

I remember that one story from another forum supposedly about that guy and his friend driving a Porsche through Texas. He outran the state trooper but got greeted with lots of cops across the state line.

When will people ever learn to just pull over and take the ticket?

Maybe she had something else in the car which is why she sped. Doesn't make it right but I have a feeling it wasn't just a ticket.

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: Karsten
So she wasted her and her frieds life for a couple hours of comunity serice... what a trade off

"wasted" is a bit strong a term, imo... "pruned" or "culled" is more fitting. At least no innocents were hurt.

 

[ohtwell]

It's stupid for people to run. They are putting themselves, and others, in unnecessary danger. I feel sorry for the father, because he is no without his daughter.

There was a possible innocent bystander in all of this. I consider the person in the car who wasn't driving an innocent bystander. What was he supposed to do, jump out of the car at 110 mph. The person in the passenger seat probably had no control over what she was doing, and is now dead because of her actions.


: ) Amanda

 

[Chadder007]

I know that some states have adopted a new rule to stop chasing after speeders that start to go past 85mph because it is more dangerous for both the cop and driver to be going so fast. Recogning that the driver will slow down a bit too since the police aren't chasing them anymore. Then again I see police down here in GA that have to be going faster than 90 for NO FREAKING REASON AT ALL. Ive had police admit that too because I know some of them. Its just one of their jobs "perks" to go fast.

 

[jpeyton]

Originally posted by: Chadder007
I know that some states have adopted a new rule to stop chasing after speeders that start to go past 85mph because it is more dangerous for both the cop and driver to be going so fast. Recogning that the driver will slow down a bit too since the police aren't chasing them anymore. Then again I see police down here in GA that have to be going faster than 90 for NO FREAKING REASON AT ALL. Ive had police admit that too because I know some of them. Its just one of their jobs "perks" to go fast.

I agree; if they have the power of radios, then stop chasing them at 100MPH+ and maybe they'll slow down.

 

[stnicralisk]

Originally posted by: jpeyton

Originally posted by: Chadder007
I know that some states have adopted a new rule to stop chasing after speeders that start to go past 85mph because it is more dangerous for both the cop and driver to be going so fast. Recogning that the driver will slow down a bit too since the police aren't chasing them anymore. Then again I see police down here in GA that have to be going faster than 90 for NO FREAKING REASON AT ALL. Ive had police admit that too because I know some of them. Its just one of their jobs "perks" to go fast.

I agree; if they have the power of radios, then stop chasing them at 100MPH+ and maybe they'll slow down.

A lot of states dont allow officers to go into high speed pursuit because it ends up taking lives so often. The officer should NOT have rammed the path finder. He should have got the license radioed ahead and stopped pursuit. They could have mailed her the damn ticket.

 

[Chadder007]

Originally posted by: stnicralisk

Originally posted by: jpeyton

Originally posted by: Chadder007
I know that some states have adopted a new rule to stop chasing after speeders that start to go past 85mph because it is more dangerous for both the cop and driver to be going so fast. Recogning that the driver will slow down a bit too since the police aren't chasing them anymore. Then again I see police down here in GA that have to be going faster than 90 for NO FREAKING REASON AT ALL. Ive had police admit that too because I know some of them. Its just one of their jobs "perks" to go fast.

I agree; if they have the power of radios, then stop chasing them at 100MPH+ and maybe they'll slow down.

A lot of states dont allow officers to go into high speed pursuit because it ends up taking lives so often. The officer should NOT have rammed the path finder. He should have got the license radioed ahead and stopped pursuit. They could have mailed her the damn ticket.

Werd....radio ahead and get a road block or something and just let that policeman back off and hope they slow down. Dumbas$es

 

[jyates]

Originally posted by: Chadder007
I know that some states have adopted a new rule to stop chasing after speeders that start to go past 85mph because it is more dangerous for both the cop and driver to be going so fast. Recogning that the driver will slow down a bit too since the police aren't chasing them anymore. Then again I see police down here in GA that have to be going faster than 90 for NO FREAKING REASON AT ALL. Ive had police admit that too because I know some of them. Its just one of their jobs "perks" to go fast.

That's about like the joke of legalizing drugs so people will stop using them and
all of society's problems will go away magically.

The cops don't have a born right to drive over the legal speed limit unless they
are in pursuit or on a emergency call. They may do it and if they cause an accident
then it should be on their heads. We had a dummy state trooper who hurt 2 people
very badly on an interstate wreck because of his ignorance and the state just paid
out some very big money to them.

My thoughts are if you run from the law then they have the right to pursue you and
if anyone gets hurt during the pursuit it goes on YOUR record and YOU bear any
and all burden of what happens for YOUR ignorance.

 

[Hankerton]

Werd....radio ahead and get a road block or something and just let that policeman back off and hope they slow down. Dumbas$es[/quote]

Finally, someone said it. The roadblock is where its at. Most states have the 100+ mpg rule now. Only follow pursuit by helicopter and stop the car using roadblocks.

 

[Kyteland]

Originally posted by: jpeyton

Originally posted by: Chadder007
I know that some states have adopted a new rule to stop chasing after speeders that start to go past 85mph because it is more dangerous for both the cop and driver to be going so fast. Recogning that the driver will slow down a bit too since the police aren't chasing them anymore. Then again I see police down here in GA that have to be going faster than 90 for NO FREAKING REASON AT ALL. Ive had police admit that too because I know some of them. Its just one of their jobs "perks" to go fast.

I agree; if they have the power of radios, then stop chasing them at 100MPH+ and maybe they'll slow down.

I think we should sue car manufacturers for making cars capable of exceeding 100 mph. Pure negligence.

 

[Armitage]

I don't know why the cops put up with that sh|t. If somebody was out on the street firing a gun, randomly endangering innocent bystanders, they'd take em out in a heartbeat. But doing effectively the same thing on the freeway, and they just chase em and maybe try to spike the tires, all the while everybody else on the freeway is at grave risk, especially the police. :roll: As far as I'm concerned, in some of these very dangerous high speed chases, deadly force should be authorized if needed to stop them. They need to mount mavericks on the police choppers.

 

[sharkeeper]

A lot of states dont allow officers to go into high speed pursuit because it ends up taking lives so often. The officer should NOT have rammed the path finder. He should have got the license radioed ahead and stopped pursuit. They could have mailed her the damn ticket.

Mail a ticket? I don't think so. Once the plates are run, they just send a squad car to the owner's address. They got to come home sometime. Cufftime when they do. Everyone's happy.

Southern state though. Figures.

Cheers!

 

[Ausm]

I out ran 2 state troopers in my 1982 King Cobra...But I wouldn't condone this action now that I am much older and wiser


Ausm

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: Fausto

SAVANNAH ? A police chase that reached speeds of 110 mph turned deadly when state troopers trying to stop the fleeing vehicle rammed it off the highway, killing the driver and her 17-year-old passenger.

Authorities defended the trooper who steered his patrol car's front bumper into the fleeing vehicle behind its rear wheels, causing the vehicle to spin off the highway and strike a tree.

"The trooper executed his training. He acted properly," said State Patrol spokesman Larry Schnall. "It was a long, dangerous chase and we felt we needed to stop it before some innocent bystander got killed."

The chase began in South Carolina on Tuesday and spanned 66 miles into coastal Georgia on Interstate 95.

The driver, Katie Sharp, 21, of Holly Hill, Fla., started fleeing when police tried to stop her for speeding at 86 mph in a 70 mph zone, sheriff's Capt. Kent Tisdale said.

"As soon as she saw them, she just stomped on it. That's a good indicator that something's wrong," he said. "When we got into Georgia, she was swerving back and forth across all three lanes, very dangerous."

The Georgia State Patrol took up the chase when the speeding Nissan Pathfinder crossed the state line near Savannah.

Sharp and her passenger, Garrett Gabe, 17, of Pennsylvania, died instantly.

Sharp's father, Charlie Sharp, said his daughter had a suspended license, but he doesn't believe she was in any other trouble.

The former police officer said he doesn't blame authorities for his daughter's death. "I have to believe they did everything they did in the right way," he said.

WTF do people run? Cops have fast cars, radios, and helicopters. Odds are, you're not getting away and when they do catch your dumb ass, you get additional charges tacked on for running.

Not to mention the fvck beat out of you for being such a dumbass.

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: jyates
That's about like the joke of legalizing drugs so people will stop using them and
all of society's problems will go away magically.

This pertains to the thread... how?

Anyway, smoke a bowl and maybe you won't be so uptight about it BTW, you've described almost exactly what has happened in Holland, although you're wrong on one point - there's nothing magical about it.

 

[austin316]

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
I agree with her dad for not suing them on principle....but then again... I'd do it for the money.

no amount of money can help you cope with the loss of a child.

 

[jyates]

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: jyates
That's about like the joke of legalizing drugs so people will stop using them and
all of society's problems will go away magically.

This pertains to the thread... how?

Anyway, smoke a bowl and maybe you won't be so uptight about it BTW, you've described almost exactly what has happened in Holland, although you're wrong on one point - there's nothing magical about it.

Go back and read the post I responded to. You are a smart boy, don't disappoint me this way