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Driver stops in traffic to check tire, four dead

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
47
91
I won't say it, but I'm sure someone wil...

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/18/nyregion/18van.html
TUXEDO, N.Y., March 17 ? Four people, including three minors, were killed and another child was critically injured when a tractor-trailer slammed into the back of their stopped minivan on the New York State Thruway on Friday morning, the police said.

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The van was carrying six passengers ? two mothers, each with two children ? who were headed to a swimming competition in Buffalo. The children were representing the Y.M.C.A. in Flushing, Queens.

The police said that the 47-year-old driver of the van, Shuk H. Tse, had stopped in the middle of the right traffic lane, not on the shoulder, to check on a tire. She was pronounced dead at the scene, along with her two sons, Kevin Kwan, 16, and Douglas Jaing, 10.

The other mother in the car, Karen Lao, 43, survived, but her 14-year-old daughter, April, died hours later at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla. Her 10-year-old son, Andy, was in the hospital's pediatric intensive care unit. The driver of the tractor-trailer, David Tichko, suffered a shoulder injury but was expected to be released from Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern late Friday.

The accident scene was one of devastation. The crash, which tied up northbound traffic for several hours, happened around 7 a.m. It forced both the tractor-trailer and the van, a 2001 Toyota Sienna, over the guardrail and down a steep embankment.

When the police arrived, some of the van's passengers, apparently ejected, lay on the shoulder of the highway. Backpacks, school books and a sneaker were strewn about the accident site, along with mangled pieces of the van.

"The van was ripped in half," said Capt. Edward Raso of the New York State Police. "The driver's side was sheared off. It was not a pleasant scene."

A spokeswoman for the Y.M.C.A. of Greater New York, Colleen Roche, said that the children in the van were among 120 traveling to Buffalo from the Y.M.C.A. in Flushing. They were scheduled to compete this weekend with several hundred other young people in the New York State Y.M.C.A. swimming competition at Erie Community College.

In a statement, Jack Lund, the president and chief executive of the Y.M.C.A. of Greater New York, said the "entire Y.M.C.A. family is devastated by this tragic and unspeakable loss of life." He added that members of the executive staff and grief counselors were on their way to Buffalo to console participants in the swim meet.

It was the second accident in a little over a month to claim four lives on the same busy stretch of interstate through Orange County, just south of the Harriman toll plaza. On Feb. 8, two parents from Rochester, traveling with their 3-year-old son, were killed when a driver lost control of his tractor-trailer and hit their Range Rover head on. The truck driver also died.

Captain Raso said that it was unlikely that charges would be filed against the driver of the tractor-trailer involved in the crash on Friday. "Speed played no role here," he said. "We believe he tried to avoid her. Those tractor-trailers cannot stop quickly even going at the speed limit."

Mr. Raso said much of the information about the accident came from Ms. Lao, who was conscious and talking at the scene. The police said she was also hurt in the crash, but they did not know the extent of her injuries. She was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital and was scheduled to be transferred to Westchester Medical Center later on Friday.

Ms. Lao, of Whitestone, Queens, told the police that Shuk Tse, who lived in Flushing, Queens, stopped to see if there was something wrong with a tire. After she got back into the van, the truck struck it from behind. Mr. Raso said he did not know why she did not pull into the shoulder, which he said was wide enough to accommodate the van.

The tanker-style tractor-trailer, which was empty and not severely damaged, belonged to Coppola Services Inc. of Ringwood, N.J., a company that services sewage plants and septic tanks. In a telephone interview, the owner of the company, Ralph Coppola, said he had spoken to Mr. Tichko by phone after the accident.

"He said he came around a corner and it was just there," said Mr. Coppola, referring to the stopped van. "He didn't have any time to do anything. It's a tragic thing. Something like this is about the worst thing that can possibly happen for a driver."

Kaing Lao, Ms. Lao's brother, said in a telephone interview on Friday night that he believed his sister and nephew's injuries were not life-threatening. "That's the only bright side in this whole debacle now," Mr. Lao said.
 

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
81
how sad. I feel so sorry for the kids.

BUT WHO THE FVCK STOPS IN TRAFFIC? damn.
 

zixxer

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2001
7,326
0
0
wtfever.



Driving tests should be repeated every 5-10 years. I don't understand how some people can get licenses.
 

iamtrout

Diamond Member
Nov 21, 2001
3,001
1
0
What a dumbfvck. Good riddance. And good riddance to the passengers who didn't tell the driver to pull over on the fvcking shoulder. Jesus fvcking Christ. Sucks to be the children and the truck driver. Everyone else got what they deserved. Poor tractor trailer.
 

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
81
Originally posted by: zixxer
wtfever.



Driving tests should be repeated every 5-10 years. I don't understand how some people can get licenses.

well this is not really a driving test issue. it is a ****** common sense issue.

how hard is it to think to yourself "is it a good idea to stop in the middle of a Thruway or the shoulder". i mean its really not that hard. I bet any of those kids in teh van could have told the moron not to stop there!

this just amazes me.
 

J0hnny

Platinum Member
Jul 2, 2002
2,366
0
0
Originally posted by: waggy
how sad. I feel so sorry for the kids.

BUT WHO THE FVCK STOPS IN TRAFFIC? damn.

WHOA, HOLD THE FVCKING JUDGEMENT! Don't depend only on this source! Other articles state otherwise!
 

markgm

Diamond Member
Aug 23, 2001
3,291
2
81
Originally posted by: iamtrout
What a dumbfvck. Good riddance. And good riddance to the passengers who didn't tell the driver to pull over on the fvcking shoulder. Jesus fvcking Christ. Sucks to be the children and the truck driver. Everyone else got what they deserved. Poor tractor trailer.


That's about what I thought too, minus all the references to God. Someone stops on the middle of a highway and no one thinks anything is out of the ordinary.
 

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
81
Originally posted by: J0hnny
That's weird, other articles state that they were on the shoulder.

http://www.nydailynews.com/03-20-2006/news/story/401239p-339895c.html
"They did not park in the road."

Wait until you hear the whole story: "Results from toxicology tests - commonly done after such accidents - were pending as of last night, police said."

Even from your link
Speaking in a soft, halting voice, Karen Lao was able to recall the terrible accident that happened just minutes after their minivan's driver, Shuk Tse, 47, pulled over in the highway's right lane to inspect a flat tire
"

Right lane!=shoulder


not to mention that article is very slanted.
 

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
47
91
Originally posted by: waggy
Originally posted by: J0hnny
That's weird, other articles state that they were on the shoulder.

http://www.nydailynews.com/03-20-2006/news/story/401239p-339895c.html
"They did not park in the road."

Wait until you hear the whole story: "Results from toxicology tests - commonly done after such accidents - were pending as of last night, police said."

Even from your link
Speaking in a soft, halting voice, Karen Lao was able to recall the terrible accident that happened just minutes after their minivan's driver, Shuk Tse, 47, pulled over in the highway's right lane to inspect a flat tire
"

Right lane!=shoulder


not to mention that article is very slanted.
pwned
 

BigJ

Lifer
Nov 18, 2001
21,330
1
81
Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: J0hnny
That's weird, other articles state that they were on the shoulder.

http://www.nydailynews.com/03-20-2006/news/story/401239p-339895c.html
"They did not park in the road."

Wait until you hear the whole story: "Results from toxicology tests - commonly done after such accidents - were pending as of last night, police said."

NY Times vs NY Daily News...

Hmmmmmmmmmm

The NY Daily News is some of the most sensationalist, biased, bullsh!t to ever be printed. Nobody should take that paper seriously.
 

J0hnny

Platinum Member
Jul 2, 2002
2,366
0
0
Originally posted by: waggy
Originally posted by: J0hnny
That's weird, other articles state that they were on the shoulder.

http://www.nydailynews.com/03-20-2006/news/story/401239p-339895c.html
"They did not park in the road."

Wait until you hear the whole story: "Results from toxicology tests - commonly done after such accidents - were pending as of last night, police said."

Even from your link
Speaking in a soft, halting voice, Karen Lao was able to recall the terrible accident that happened just minutes after their minivan's driver, Shuk Tse, 47, pulled over in the highway's right lane to inspect a flat tire
"

Right lane!=shoulder


not to mention that article is very slanted.

Which is why I'm going to reserve judgement until more reports come out.
 

J0hnny

Platinum Member
Jul 2, 2002
2,366
0
0
Oh yeh, I used to teach children how to swim at the YMCA in flushing (the one where the kids are from), so I'm biased.
 

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
47
91
Originally posted by: J0hnny

Which is why I'm going to reserve judgement until more reports come out.

Why? What more reports do you need? SHE WAS STOPPED IN THE ****KING RIGHT LANE. The semi hit her from BEHIND. If she was stopped in the shoulder, the semi would have had a better opportunity to avoid her.

The police said that the 47-year-old driver of the van, Shuk H. Tse, had stopped in the middle of the right traffic lane, not on the shoulder, to check on a tire. She was pronounced dead at the scene, along with her two sons, Kevin Kwan, 16, and Douglas Jaing, 10.

You cannot dispute fact. Where is the grey area here? What more reports do you need?

Do you have some personal attachment to this family or something?
 

BigJ

Lifer
Nov 18, 2001
21,330
1
81
Originally posted by: J0hnny
Originally posted by: waggy
Originally posted by: J0hnny
That's weird, other articles state that they were on the shoulder.

http://www.nydailynews.com/03-20-2006/news/story/401239p-339895c.html
"They did not park in the road."

Wait until you hear the whole story: "Results from toxicology tests - commonly done after such accidents - were pending as of last night, police said."

Even from your link
Speaking in a soft, halting voice, Karen Lao was able to recall the terrible accident that happened just minutes after their minivan's driver, Shuk Tse, 47, pulled over in the highway's right lane to inspect a flat tire
"

Right lane!=shoulder


not to mention that article is very slanted.

Which is why I'm going to reserve judgement until more reports come out.

So you want to believe the words of one of the victim's brother-in-law, who wasn't even there, and is obviously grief-stricken and upset over the words of the authorities in both the Times and the Daily News?

Sure, makes alotta sense.
 

J0hnny

Platinum Member
Jul 2, 2002
2,366
0
0
Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: J0hnny

Which is why I'm going to reserve judgement until more reports come out.

Why? What more reports do you need? SHE WAS STOPPED IN THE ****KING RIGHT LANE. The semi hit her from BEHIND. If she was stopped in the shoulder, the semi would have had a better opportunity to avoid her.

The police said that the 47-year-old driver of the van, Shuk H. Tse, had stopped in the middle of the right traffic lane, not on the shoulder, to check on a tire. She was pronounced dead at the scene, along with her two sons, Kevin Kwan, 16, and Douglas Jaing, 10.

You cannot dispute fact. Where is the grey area here? What more reports do you need?

Do you have some personal attachment to this family or something?

Originally posted by: J0hnny
Oh yeh, I used to teach children how to swim at the YMCA in flushing (the one where the kids are from), so I'm biased.
 

jtvang125

Diamond Member
Nov 10, 2004
5,399
51
91
Let's all give a hand for women drivers.

On a serious note, it's hard to feel sympathy for committing something so mind-boggling stupid.
 

fbrdphreak

Lifer
Apr 17, 2004
17,555
1
0
The police said that the 47-year-old driver of the van, Shuk H. Tse, had stopped in the middle of the right traffic lane, not on the shoulder, to check on a tire. She was pronounced dead at the scene, along with her two sons, Kevin Kwan, 16, and Douglas Jaing, 10.
Any questions?

Sucks about the kids tho, not their fault their mother was a bloody moron
 

Vich

Platinum Member
Apr 11, 2000
2,849
1
0
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Good fvcking God why would you not use the shoulder?

Viper GTS

Honestly, thats just commen sense...

Poor passengers.