Sprint Executive Killed By Boulder

[keird]

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Sprint Executive Killed By Boulder

PITKIN COUNTY, CO -- A Sprint executive died Friday night when a boulder fell off a Colorado mountain and landed on his car.

Thomas Murphy, 45, and his family had just finished their vacation and were on their way back to their Kansas City area home.

The Colorado State Patrol said they were driving on Colorado Route 82 in Pitkin County, which is where Aspen is located.

A boulder that was the size of a briefcase fell off a mountain and hit the family's 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe.

It hit Murphy and knocked him unconscious.

His wife, Jennifer, put the SUV in neutral, hoping it would stop.

After traveling a little more than one mile, Jennifer Murphy, working from the front passenger seat, finally managed to get the vehicle stopped.

Thomas Murphy was transported to Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs, where he was pronounced dead.

The Murphys were traveling with their three boys, ages 4, 8 and 11.

The 11-year-old was injured.

The other two were not.

Murphy worked for Sprint since September 1996, most recently serving as a vice president in the Corporate Brand Marketing division.

He was a member of Sprint's NASCAR team and served as chairman of the Sprint Foundation.

A statement released by Sprint says, "The employees of Sprint are deeply saddened on the death of Tom Murphy... All of those at Sprint who knew and worked with Tom express deepest sympathy and concern for his family."

 

[Pheran]

That is horrible - just taking a family vacation and boom you are dead.

 

[paulney]

Holy crap, what are the chances.

 

[paulney]

After traveling a little more than one mile, Jennifer Murphy, working from the front passenger seat, finally managed to get the vehicle stopped.

Where's the handbrake on Tahoes?

 

[Ronstang]

Originally posted by: paulney
Holy crap, what are the chances.

In the case of Mr. Murphy 100%. Murphy's Law?

 

[Ronstang]

Originally posted by: paulney

After traveling a little more than one mile, Jennifer Murphy, working from the front passenger seat, finally managed to get the vehicle stopped.

Where's the handbrake on Tahoes?

The Tahoe has a footbrake that is near the floor in front of the driver's door. There is no way to reach it from the passenger's seat. Mrs. Murphy should have downshifted to slow the vehicle while trying to reach the brake pedal with her left foot until it was traveling slow enough to throw it in park. This is one of those times when woman's logic could have been disastrous.

 

[MedicBob]

Holy cow....

Death sucks sometimes.

What a horrible thing for the family to experience.

 

[dsity]

hand brake was probably located by left foot

 

[Ika]

Wow, that's nuts. Think of it from the kid's point of view - you're driving along, going home from a family vacation, and all of a sudden you hear a giant CLANG and the roof above your dad just caves the fuck in. You'd be scared as hell...

 

[destrekor]

that'd be one helluva traumatizing experience for the youngsters. Poor kids.

 

[lifeobry]

That's just... random.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Originally posted by: Ronstang

Originally posted by: paulney
Holy crap, what are the chances.

In the case of Mr. Murphy 100%. Murphy's Law?

Damn you beat me to it, I was going to make a reference to Murphy's law.

But yeah, very random. Not every kid can say that their dad died from a boulder falling on the car during a family vacation. Sucks though.

 

[techs]

Was he texting at the time?

 

[paulney]

I was always wondering why certain manufacturers turn a hand brake into a foot brake and move it in the most obscure place in the cabin.

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: paulney
Holy crap, what are the chances.

it happens more than you think. the only reason you are hearing about it this time is because of who was killed.

<<lives in colorado

 

[BudAshes]

I remember me and my friends being in yosemite and trying to push this 1000+ lbs rock down a cliff. After trying for 10 minutes and barely moving it 2 people came walking up from right from below where we were pushing it. That wouldn't have been good.

 

[keird]

Do disgruntled malcontents from Colorado just go pushing rocks off mountains as a form of venting?

 

[Jeff7]

<related rant>
I always loved those signs by steep cliff faces by roads:
"Falling Rocks"

I guess rather than doing something about the problem, the local government can post a sign like that and say, "Not our fault, we warned you!" when something like this happens.

 

[MotF Bane]

Smite.

 

[l0cke]

When you see the falling rocks signs, should you drive faster or slower?

 

[keird]

Originally posted by: l0cke
When you see the falling rocks signs, should you drive faster or slower?

Have a buddy stick their head out of your sun roof and they can tell you.

 

[Oceandevi]

The car makers are to blame! Are we not safe from rocks and debris in the comfort of our vehicles? Balderdash!

 

[SandEagle]

that is awful.

whats even worse is the missing awful ATOT puns that always come with news like this

 

[cliftonite]

Man what are the odds.

 

[keird]

Originally posted by: SandEagle
that is awful.

whats even worse is the missing awful ATOT puns that always come with news like this

You couldn't even stop that shit with Disco.