Report from the William Wilson sentencing
I couldn’t attend, but a reader has written this:
The sentencing for the Mr. Wilson was this morning and I attended. Tucson’s TV channel 13 crew was also there so it will be on today’s news. Bottom line: no jail time, 3 years of probation, he never drives again and he is to remain in an assisted living center in Georgia.
The whole thing had nothing to do with the accident that the driver caused but the fact that he left the scene of the accident. The judge felt that since the driver did contact an attorney (2 freakin’ days AFTER the accident!!!) he complied with the law’s intent that a driver accept responsibility. Never mind the fact that he went home and removed human tissue and bike paint from his car to try to cover up the accident. Whatever. They did mention that a civil suit is going on, that the driver has a $3 million insurance policy, yada yada yada. But the victim with the most serious injuries, the one who was in a coma for 3 months, the one who had multiple brain surgeries, the one who was declared mentally incompetent by the court and now has his wife as his legal guardian because of his brain injury, the one who already has $1.5 million in medical bills hanging over his head…..he had to sit there and watch the driver get off with a slap on the wrist. I was actually crying there in court, the whole thing was so sad. I should also mention that one of the other bicyclists who was injured that day gave an extremely emotional plea to the judge, asking for no leniency in the case. That had to have been so difficult to do, and my hat goes off to him.
I just have a very empty feeling in my stomach now. Damn, damn, damn
–Peter
Update: The Arizona Daily Star’s article on the sentencing is here (but I think Peter’s report is much better).
Second update: more thorough AZ Daily Star article here.
EBR
June 22nd, 2009 at 11:11 am
this is tragic in so many ways. I want to cry for the Steubes…
June 22nd, 2009 at 11:38 am
When will crimes against cyclists be treated as crimes?
June 22nd, 2009 at 12:00 pm
I am never, ever moving to Arizona.
June 22nd, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Those are three non-consequences, I think.
And, although I’m hardpressed to suggest
what might be an appropriate consequence
for a 91-year-old person, I think some
token jail time should be in order.
Here in Arizona.
He probably would not be treated as an
ordinary prisoner. The sentence would serve
more as a notice for the public and
victims rather than punishment for
the defendant.
Maybe the law doesn’t work that way,
I don’t know.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Hi Eric,
Thx for keeping us up to speed. Curiously, has Wilson made an attempt to hide assets? If he has, wouldn’t that open up new criminal charges?
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Seems motorist Wilson has been sentenced to house arrest. Depending on how long he lives, his assets, and cost of assisted living facility, this could prove costly for his heirs. If you seek a poster boy for lack of socially responsible family involvement in an elder’s life, Wilson may be it.
If you seek a poster boy for flat-out mayhem and roadway chaos in Tucson, that might be motorist Jesse James Segebartt…
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:29 pm
@Omri,
don’t worry, you will be run over without consequences in other states too.
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:33 pm
[...] June 22, 2009Wilson was sentenced today, according to reports at tusconbikelawyer.com , “Bottom line: no jail time, 3 years of probation, he never drives again and he is to remain [...]
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:50 pm
According to the previous news reports, wilson was to “pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of attempted leaving the scene of an accident”.
Can anyone tell me exactly what he was charged with? in particular what does the modifier “attempted” mean? the only law I see with regard to hit and run is 28-661, and I don’t see any escape hatches for attempting as opposed to a successful hit-and-run
http://www.azleg.gov/ars/28/00661.htm
June 22nd, 2009 at 8:39 pm
I saw the report on the local news tonight. The “apology” could not have been lamer. Wilson is “sorry that all of this happened” — where is the remorse for his specific action? I’m shocked that the judge was this lenient. The prosecutor had asked for jail time.
Mindy
June 22nd, 2009 at 9:10 pm
@mickey, true, but I’ll take my chances where there are fewer geezers in land yachts.
June 23rd, 2009 at 7:42 am
I think this brings up a larger issue about the justice system and how we deal with bike, pedestrian, and auto fatalities. It seems that we have a system where, unless you are intoxicated, the chance of punishment is rare. Also, add in the fact that if you have the cash to lawyer up, you are also treated differently. (I know this strikes no one as a surprise.)
All we have to do is look at the recent collisions involving fatalities on our roadways and we see an inconsistent approach to charges. For example, Mr. Wilson was charged with leaving the scene while Mr. Segebart is charged with manslaughter. I understand that there was a fatality in one and not the other but there are plenty of other collisions where the charges are inconsistent to say the least.
June 23rd, 2009 at 10:00 am
#12–speaking of inconsistencies, there has been NO action, to my knowledge, in the killing of Allen Johnson, the off-duty police office riding on Old Spanish Trail. He was hit from behind by a motorist. Why is there NOTHING on this? I can’t understand it.
June 23rd, 2009 at 11:17 am
Alison, the County says they need the time to complete toxicology tests on the driver. My sources at the prosecutor’s office (these are sources I find quite trustworthy, btw) assure me that sometimes these tests really do take that long, though they have no good explanation why. So, I am waiting to see what happens. I am hopeful that this case has not been buried, even though it really does seem that way. And if it has been buried, we will do what we need to resurrect it. But I think patience is in order now.
EBR
June 23rd, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Are insurance companies
interfering with
the justice system?
June 24th, 2009 at 1:45 am
I know someone who has been sent to trial 4 times, and his blood tests results have not come back yet. Done in Feb weekend of super bowl till June 10th ish. Judge is getting mad.
You would think they just would post pone the trial till they get the results.
June 24th, 2009 at 9:08 am
You know, it’s interesting. I read that the guy who recently stole Lance Armstrong’s time trials bike is going to jail for 3 years for the offense.
June 24th, 2009 at 10:14 am
I really don’t get the
“attempted” part of this.
Could they not have proven
that he successfully left
the scene? There was an
officer present to protect
him from the irate cyclists
if he feared for his life.
Who benefits by Wilson not
being declared the cause of
the crash? I think this case
has huge ‘behind the scenes’
documentary potential.
June 24th, 2009 at 11:01 am
Karma will send a car to run old Mr. Wilson down. Now what to do about the spineless judge…?
June 24th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
What good is Karma now? He’s 91 freakin’ years old. I am not sure Karma will even have the chance to get to him. Looks like Mr. Wilson will spend the last of his years indoors withering away in the assisted living center in Georgia watching Pat Robertson on TV. How the heck someone could be driving a car just months prior to checking into an assisted living facility is beyond me.
Not only has he escaped legal punishment for the wrongs he committed by leaving people half-dead in the street….he won’t even be in the same state where he committed those wrongdoings. How does probation and a suspended license even apply to someone checked into an assisted living center? I’m just saying, the consequences don’t seem to bear much impact on Mr. Wilson’s life now.
A few years from now when the Stuebe family is still suffering from the mental and physical hardships of Gary’s condition, Mr. Wilson won’t even be around anymore. The whole thing is just so wrong on so many levels.
June 24th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
I see what you mean, Lauren, and I am sorry to say that you are right.
There is a chance that this is Karma getting back at him for how he lived his life; you know, for all the suffering he has already caused that people are not aware of, Karma is now showing the public.
Mr. Wilson did not escape legal punishment, he paid somebody off; Was it Richard NIchols? Was it somebody above Richard? Are there political ties between Mr. Wilson and Richard Nichols? Are they members of the same gang? How much money did this judgment cost? The courts are mostly about money, this I understand firsthand; those that do not pay, do not pass-go.
I guess Karma credited the good-guy account by showing people just how broken the legal system in AZ is (and everywhere else that has abolished common law), and left the dirty work up to the honest folks, as always… sigh…
I have tried to contact the office and residence of Richard Nichols, but have not found the right number. If there is anybody that can help me out, I would really appreciate the chance to ask Mr. Nichols if there is anyway to persuade him from any further malfeasance; or does he mean to continue failing at justice and making a sham of the courts?
I’ve been in his courtroom before; he is either completely uninterested in justice or has no sympathy for humanity, and it shows. He is an ugly man, and I do not use that word loosely.
June 25th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
I found this number for Richard Nichols: (520) 740-3567. I also have the number for Richard Fields, (520) 740-8434, (the presiding judge over the criminal bench), I suggest people call him and express their grievance with the court. I’m still looking for an address and house number for Dick Nichols; Does anybody out there know this thing, oops, I mean guy?
June 26th, 2009 at 4:52 am
Has anyone even the considered these facts? The cones were taken down? The police officers who were directing traffic earlier in the morning were gone? Several large bushes were in the and now “conviently” have been removed by the city? The entire thing is sad!!!! 91 years old? Their was 1 officer who showed up. While their was several screaming and angry people. Do I think it was right that he left? NO!!!! Do I think what he was charged with was right? YES! Why? Because he DID leave the scene but, he did not cause the accident. Cones down,Large shrubs,Nobody controlling traffic!! Has ANYBODY considered the role the city or the race itself played? Should anybody have been hurt that day? NO!!!! And in the end I feel truly sorry for the injured and their families! I pray for them everyday!!
June 26th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Here are some facts for you, Popeye: Mr. Wilson caused criminal damage. Mr. Wilson fled in order to escape prosecution; The act of fleeing is an admission of guilt. The dishonorable judge gave Mr. Wilson a slap on the wrist and told him to be a good boy and not do it again. Mr. Wilson deserves to either die behind bars, be beaten within inches of his life with a baseball bat (and die in a coma), or be run down by a car; These punishments are justified; Letting him walk away is not.
How about you tell me the role the city or the race played behind the wheel of Mr. Wilson’s car, and tell me what or who was the cause of the accident. You might as well tell since you know.
June 26th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Out of curiosity, Popeye, who do you blame when you hurt somebody? Do you say the city you live in is responsible for the consequences of your actions?