Motorist in El Tour accident pleads guilty to “leaving the scene of an accident”
Story here.
This is the driver who hit and seriously injured Gary Stuebe. (He hit several others as well). After the accident, the driver inspected the damage to his car and then drove away. Once home he tried to remove the evidence of the accident.
Stuebe remained in a coma for months and is severely impaired. He faces a long recovery.
There is plenty of outrage in the cycling community over this, but it doesn’t surprise me all that much given the historic lack of protection given to bicyclists in this “gold” community. In fact I remember expressing surprise that Gary Stuebe wasn’t ticketed in the incident. Readers of this Website will know that cyclists are rarely given a fair shake in Pima County, whether they are attacked with baseball bats, deliberately struck by cars, hit by wrong-way drivers, left bleeding on the pavement by hit-and-run drivers, or killed by drug-impaired drivers. I have had clients that have suffered all of the above, with no justice done.
It’s quite disappointing and I for one would sure like to see it change.
Mr. Wilson, the driver in this case, should have been charged with much more. I agree there is little point in putting a 91 year-old man in prison, but that’s up to the judge. Seeing the prosecutors bend over backwards to give this guy a break is hard to stomach for me.
–Erik Ryberg
May 7th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
I’m pretty goddamn offended that the writer of that (linked) story stated flatly in the article, “steube’s condition was not available wednesday.” So this effing douchebag author spent all of, what, 15 minutes to try to find out? It seems the family wants the information out there, it’s available from several sources. What, it was available Tuesday and every goddamn day before that, but it wasn’t available to be put in the story. God forbid we make the public aware that the victim is permanently disabled. I know personally, from my job, what this man has gone through since his injury. It’s goddamn horrific. Horrific. If any of the know-nothings who commented on the article in the paper had to sit and watch those surgeries, and see his recovery, and sit with him in the ICU and treat the pneumonias he got while having a breathing tube, watch his family’s joy at his being able to pass a test showing he can SIP WATER after he was previously a high functioning athlete….well, the hell with them.
May 7th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
I think Ed’s points are the most salient here – because the issue of “putting a 91 year old in prison” is a COMPLETE red herring. It has no relevance whatsoever to the crime, the statutes violated, and the punishment. I would challenge anyone to point out where, in the criminal statutes, they read: “unless the court determines you to be too old.”
Most importantly, this is ALL ABOUT awareness. Awareness on the part of the 91 year old that they have striking limitations. If the 91 year old is unable or unwilling to “be aware” of their limitations, then there are others who are responsible for them. Be it heirs of the estate (to give children a stake in safety) the state (the state has an interest in not paying $1.2 million in medical bills), and insurance companies (which are stung by both medical and legal bills in cases like this).
This degree of error cannot be responded to with an “oops, my bad!” Assets should be confiscated to pay for medical bills. Prison time should be served as a deterrent to others.
THAT would raise awareness. The public outcry of non-cyclists might be vocal…but they would then be more aware as to the degree which their cars can be weapons – and how they can be held responsible for their actions. They might feel that it is unfair to them….but as the law is upheld, as loopholes are closed…they might actually see them as laws they can’t “wiggle out of.”
And to those who are concerned that this outcry would make cycling less safe because of malicious acts by drivers…well, this is a circular argument. If the punishment has teeth, and there is no wiggle room, they will, eventually, be caught, prosecuted, and put in prison.
May 7th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Erik you might want to get the IP addy and identify user #6969 as a potential bicycle assaulter. He has repeatedly stated thea cyclists deserved to be squished for the crime of slowing him down.
May 7th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
I read some where that he worked on the bomb. That about says it all for a guy who tries to clean the flesh off his car. I can see the Karma: wakes up while being cremated over and over again.
May 8th, 2009 at 8:36 am
Erik,
I have a neighbor that is the manager of the restaurant at Westward Look. He stated that the female police officer directing traffic that day at the light was up at the restaurant several times taking breaks, and was not present when Mr. Wilson turned in front of the riders. He claims the TPD has a lot to do with this tragedy happening.
I’m not sure when this happened, but the city removed all the vegetation from the median after motorcyclists were killed there—I don’t know—after the El Tour crash? But I can tell you the city did remove all the trees and cactus as the median is barren—I ride past this spot on my bike commute everyday.
Was the police offer at the scene? That point was never brought out in any of the accounts you’ve posted. I would be interested in knowing.
Cheers! Bruce
May 12th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
I have an awful feeling that William Wilson is going to get a wrist-slap with probation and that’s it. This whole thing really sickens me.
I see that the sentencing of Mr. Wilson is scheduled to take place in the Pima County Superior Court on June 22. Is this something that the public can attend? I’d like to be there and maybe other cyclists in this community could attend as well.
May 12th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Bruce in #5…..crews stripped that median of vegetation just days after Gary’s accident in El Tour. Apparently residents there had complained for quite some time that it was hard to see oncoming traffic when trying to make the left turn into Westward Look but it took multiple accidents (Gary’s accident included) and close calls for something to finally be done. This of course does not excuse Mr. Wilson’s actions, but it does make you wonder if things would have turned out differently had the median been cleared earlier as it should have.