Girls kills bicycilists and gets an improper lane change charge

[luckysnafu]

Here is her myspace page - http://www.myspace.com/jenniebob18

 

[Scarpozzi]

The prosecutor is simply GUTLESS.

 

[luckysnafu]

It is also on the front page at fark so it will be getting a lot of publicity. I feel for the family of the cyclist and makes me think when getting on my bike and riding to work every day. Luckily I don't have to ride much on high speed roads but I have had times when people have almost hit me. The 19 year old should definitely get a much harsher punishment for killing the cyclist. I am going to email the state attorneys office about the prosecution in this case. I am going to post the info in case anybody else wants to contact them.

Office of the State's Attorney
Julia Rietz
State's Attorney
Office Contact Information
State's Attorney Julia Rietz
Address Main Office
(Adult Diversion, Criminal Division, Domestic Violence Division, Misdemeanor Division, Traffic Division, Victim/Witness Services)
Courthouse 2nd Floor
101 E. Main St.
Urbana, IL 61801
Map & Directions


Civil Division
Brookens Administrative Center
1776 E. Washington St.
Urbana, IL 61802
Map & Directions

Support Enforcement Division
Brookens Administrative Center
1776 E. Washington St.
Urbana, IL 61802
Map & Directions
Phone Main (217) 384-3733
Adult Diversion (217) 384-3802
Civil Division (217) 384-3776
Domestic Violence Division (217) 384-3750
Misdemeanor Division (217) 384-3813
Support Enforcement Div. (217) 384-3849
Traffic Division (217) 384-3815
Victim/Witness Services (217) 384-8625
Fax Main (217) 384-3816
Civil Division (217) 384-3896
Domestic Violence Division (217) 384-6591
Support Enforcement Div. (217) 384-3851
Public email Main: statesatty@co.champaign.il.us
Support Enforcement Division: supportenforcement@co.champaign.il.us
Hours Monday-Friday (except Holidays)
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM

 

[Injury]

That's a freaking joke. I hope she gets nailed by a drunk driver and paralyized so she can never drive again.

 

[zixxer]

Originally posted by: Injury
That's a freaking joke. I hope she gets nailed by a drunk driver and paralyized so she can never drive again.

wtf dude.. that's a little extreme.. and this is coming from someone who's daily driver is a motorcycle.. (granted, even though I ride a motorcycle in atlanta traffic I feel safer than the 'idiots' on bicycles riding IN the road.. (and they are idiots.))

The girl should have her license revoked for 3-5 years, at least. I don't understand why she wasn't charged with reckless driving (a much more severe offense)

 

[boredhokie]

Proof that nobody likes bicyclists

 

[timosyy]

Originally posted by: chusteczka
Matthew Wilhelm

Matthew Wilhelm, who completed his MSME degree in May, died on September 7 after being hit by an automobile while riding his bike on September 2.

Matt earned a BSME from our department in 2004, with minors in Mathematics and in Technology and Management. He programmed for the departmental web site, and did research in the Center for Machine Tool Systems. He continued here in graduate school, working in the Polymer Processing Lab and completing his MSME degree in May 2006.

Matt was an outstanding student. His many academic honors included membership in both Tau Beta Pi and Pi Tau Sigma, as well as the Senior 100 Honorary and Bronze Tablet. He was a Chancellor's Scholar, a James Scholar, and on the Dean's List. He received the ASME Outstanding Junior Award, the department's H.H. Korst Award for scholarship in thermal sciences, and the Clarence L. and Harriette Johnson Award as one of the department's best undergraduate students. As a graduate student he held an FMC Fellowship.

Matt was extremely active in student societies. For ASME he served as Webmaster, Social Chair, and Engineering Open House Chair, organizing exhibits that won third place in EOH two years in a row. He was also involved in SAE, Engineering Council, SME, and the Society of Business and Management Engineers. Matt was deeply committed to Campus Crusade for Christ, and spent many of his vacations doing service activities with that group. He held internships with Caterpillar and with General Electric Aircraft Engines, and had recently accepted a permanent job at Caterpillar.
Matt was known for his ready smile and his upbeat approach to life. He was passionate about helping anyone who needed it, and he tutored everyone from high school students to classmates. His friends will remember his scruffy baseball cap, his insistence on wearing short pants no matter how cold the weather, and his enthusiasm for whatever was coming next.

MechSE Alum Dies in Accident
Matthew Charles Wilhelm, Chancellor's Scholar, Class of 2004
Helmut H. Korst Awared, Bronze Tablet, and Senior 100 Honorary, page 5
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering - Outstanding Junior Award, Clarence L. & Harriette Johnson Award
Peer Tutor 2001
Bronze Tablet Recipient 2004 - Top 3% of College of Engineering

Seriously, this makes me .

 

[allisolm]

They didn't suspend her license, but at least she does have to attend traffic school - gee, why doesn't that make me feel any better? :disgust:

 

[JulesMaximus]

People should be locked up for a year for even touching a stupid cell phone while driving. :|

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: allisolm
They didn't suspend her license, but at least she does have to attend traffic school - gee, why doesn't that make me feel any better? :disgust:

Well, maybe the fact that she killed someone will weigh heavily on her for the rest of her life...one can only hope.

Personally, I hope she hits a big oak tree the next time she's driving down the road with her head in her ass instead of mowing down a person on a bike.

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: michaels

Woman is sentenced for bicyclist's death
By Mary Schenk
Thursday, November 30, 2006 11:38 AM CST

URBANA ? Jennifer Stark wiped away tears and nodded that she understood the maximum sentence a Champaign County judge gave her Wednesday for improper lane usage.

The 19-year-old Urbana woman appeared in court, flanked by her parents, to plead guilty to a petty offense and be sentenced for actions that led to the death of Matthew Wilhelm.

The 25-year-old former Champaign resident, a University of Illinois mechanical engineering graduate working for Caterpillar in Peoria, died on Sept. 8 from head injuries he received Sept. 2 when Stark hit him with her car because she was downloading ring tones to her cell phone instead of paying attention to driving.

Mr. Wilhelm was bicycling north on Illinois 130 east of Urbana when he was struck from behind about 7:15 p.m. Stark was so far off the road that she hit Mr. Wilhelm from behind with the driver's side of her car. He was wearing a helmet.

"I can only apply the law I have in front of me, not as I wish it would be," Judge Richard Klaus told Stark and the approximately dozen others who had gathered to see her sentence. They included the parents of Mr. Wilhelm and other friends and relatives of the Wilhelm family who have mobilized forces to try to get the law changed regarding distracted drivers.

"I am appalled by your conduct and the manner in which you have driven in the short time you've had a license," Klaus told Stark, who had three prior convictions since May 2005 one for disregarding a traffic light and two for speeding. The last speeding conviction came about five weeks before she hit Mr. Wilhelm.

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/...oman_is_sentenced_for_bicyclists_death

WHAT THE FVCK??? Ever hear of mother fvcking vehicular manslaughter? That judge is a god damn idiot, i wouldn't be surprised if he got paid off.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: boredhokie
Proof that nobody likes bicyclists

^^Proof that you're a jackass.

 

[NFS4]

Money rules in this country...always has.

Sorry to say it, but **IF** you guys were in this situation (and I do mean IF you were this stupid to have cause the accident and killed someone -- not likely, but just consider it) and you had the money and the means, I'm sure that you would use your money/power/influence to get out of going to jail.

 

[Stuxnet]

I'm speechless.

At the very least she should be doing community service every weekend for the next 5 years and shouldn't be permitted to drive until she's 25.

HOWEVER, I'm sure that Mr. Wilhelm's parents will file a wrongful death suit, and this gum-smacking airhead will get taken to the cleaners. Well, her insurance, that is...

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: jbourne77
I'm speechless.

At the very least she should be doing community service every weekend for the next 5 years and shouldn't be permitted to drive until she's 25.

HOWEVER, I'm sure that Mr. Wilhelm's parents will file a wrongful death suit, and this gum-smacking airhead will get taken to the cleaners. Well, her insurance, that is...

I'm sure. One can only hope that they get a piece of her parents too. Small consolation for losing a child though...

 

[n7]

Wow.

That's all i can say without launching into a huge tirade.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Fcking Bull$hit. :| She should do time, end of discussion. :|:|++

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: jbourne77
I'm speechless.

At the very least she should be doing community service every weekend for the next 5 years and shouldn't be permitted to drive until she's 25.

HOWEVER, I'm sure that Mr. Wilhelm's parents will file a wrongful death suit, and this gum-smacking airhead will get taken to the cleaners. Well, her insurance, that is...

I'm sure. One can only hope that they get a piece of her parents too. Small consolation for losing a child though...

yeap hope they lose every fvcking cent they have.

hopefully this is in the news a LOT so maybe so maybe something happens. such as the girl gets kicked out of school something.

 

[cyclistca]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: jbourne77
I'm speechless.

At the very least she should be doing community service every weekend for the next 5 years and shouldn't be permitted to drive until she's 25.

HOWEVER, I'm sure that Mr. Wilhelm's parents will file a wrongful death suit, and this gum-smacking airhead will get taken to the cleaners. Well, her insurance, that is...

I'm sure. One can only hope that they get a piece of her parents too. Small consolation for losing a child though...

I'll second this. This is where justice will be served. I hope anyway. One a positive note she did take responsibility for her actions and apologize to the family.

Besides what will be accomplished by locking her up for the rest of her life?

On the other hand they should take away her driving privileges for the rest of her life.

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: jbourne77
I'm speechless.

At the very least she should be doing community service every weekend for the next 5 years and shouldn't be permitted to drive until she's 25.

HOWEVER, I'm sure that Mr. Wilhelm's parents will file a wrongful death suit, and this gum-smacking airhead will get taken to the cleaners. Well, her insurance, that is...

I'm sure. One can only hope that they get a piece of her parents too. Small consolation for losing a child though...

yeap hope they lose every fvcking cent they have.

hopefully this is in the news a LOT so maybe so maybe something happens. such as the girl gets kicked out of school something.

I don't really agree with the parent's losing everything they have because of hte daughter's mistake. I guess the money has to come from somewhere...

 

[cubby1223]

I guess the precident is clearly set in America. If O.J. could get away with murder, and even write about about doing so, than what kind of justice could be had for anyone else.

The last time a verdict pissed me off so much was a few years ago some redneck father & son ran onto the field during a White Sox game and beat up the Royals first base coach giving him hearing loss in one ear. Their sentance was only like probabtion and 100 hours community service.

But really, locking up this person in jail isn't going to do any good, leave the jail space for the real menaces, like O.J. for one. The drivers license absolutely has to be suspended for atleast a year in my opinion. And a very hefty sum of money paid to the victim's family.

 

[laurenlex]

Originally posted by: halik

Originally posted by: michaels

Woman is sentenced for bicyclist's death
By Mary Schenk
Thursday, November 30, 2006 11:38 AM CST

URBANA ? Jennifer Stark wiped away tears and nodded that she understood the maximum sentence a Champaign County judge gave her Wednesday for improper lane usage.

The 19-year-old Urbana woman appeared in court, flanked by her parents, to plead guilty to a petty offense and be sentenced for actions that led to the death of Matthew Wilhelm.

The 25-year-old former Champaign resident, a University of Illinois mechanical engineering graduate working for Caterpillar in Peoria, died on Sept. 8 from head injuries he received Sept. 2 when Stark hit him with her car because she was downloading ring tones to her cell phone instead of paying attention to driving.

Mr. Wilhelm was bicycling north on Illinois 130 east of Urbana when he was struck from behind about 7:15 p.m. Stark was so far off the road that she hit Mr. Wilhelm from behind with the driver's side of her car. He was wearing a helmet.

"I can only apply the law I have in front of me, not as I wish it would be," Judge Richard Klaus told Stark and the approximately dozen others who had gathered to see her sentence. They included the parents of Mr. Wilhelm and other friends and relatives of the Wilhelm family who have mobilized forces to try to get the law changed regarding distracted drivers.

"I am appalled by your conduct and the manner in which you have driven in the short time you've had a license," Klaus told Stark, who had three prior convictions since May 2005 one for disregarding a traffic light and two for speeding. The last speeding conviction came about five weeks before she hit Mr. Wilhelm.

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/...oman_is_sentenced_for_bicyclists_death

WHAT THE FVCK??? Ever hear of mother fvcking vehicular manslaughter? That judge is a god damn idiot, i wouldn't be surprised if he got paid off.

It isn't the judges fault. The prosecutor is the one who presses charges, and didn't do his/her job.

 

[chairbornrangerx]

its disgusting! She should have to ride a bike down the road and have someone run her ass over

 

[OS]

heh, if she had been drunk instead of playing with her cellphone, her ass would be parked in jail

 

[FallenHero]

Some of you need to learn your laws. She can't be charged with manslaughter because it does not fit the elements of the crime.

"A person who unintentionally kills and individual without lawful justification commits involuntary manslaughter if his acts weather lawful or unlawful which cause the death are such as are likely to cause death or great bodily harm to some individual, and he performs them recklessly, except in cases in which the cause of the death consists of the driving of a motor vehicle or operation a snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle, or watercraft, in which case the person commits reckless homicide."

"In cases involving reckless himicide, being under the influence of alcholor or any other drug or drugs at the time of the alleged violation shall be presumed to be evidence of a reckless act unless disproved by evidence to the contrary."

Basically, they can't charge her with reckless homicide because it simply doesn't fit the elements. She wasn't under the influence of drugs which is one of the elements needed.

Besides, how would putting her in prison for a minimum of 6 years solve anything?