Governor Corzine Crashes the Pines...Literally

[Teegate]

Lets look at it from a different perspective. First, we have to assume the true facts on how the accident occurred is not really known by us. And if they truly believe he did not know what he did then why should he be charged for leaving the scene of the accident. If he did not know he caused an accident, he did not know he caused an accident.

The news is saying the governor is not pressing charges. I wonder how he told them that? In any case, I firmly believe that if a person involved in a crime or accident does not want the person who caused it charged, they should have their say in the matter. Why should the law go pressing forward when those involved don’t want that?

But I am wiling to bet that him not wearing a seat belt has quite a bit to do with this. It may turn out that the only person who broke the law was the governor, so who is to blame other than him. I don’t know all the facts, but I applaud the decision to weight the facts and do the right thing. If the governor or his family somehow made that decision, my opinion of them has changed. I voted against him.


Guy

 

[Teegate]

Here's some more info:

It sounds like they talked to him and truly believe he did not mean to cause the accident, or know he did. They made the right decision as far as I am concerned. Kudos!

Guy

 

[Sue Gremlin]

It does seem like he was not driving recklessly as was originally reported.

 

[suresue592003]

The label "special needs" can include a wide variety of imperfections. Please don't read me wrong here, but how does a person who has developmental disibilities obtain a drivers license? Does it depend on what exactly the disibility is? About a month ago a female friend of my sons came to visit. Sadly her parents had no restricitons, time limits or had even arranged to pick her up. She insisted she had her own ride with a "friend". The whole situation was very strange to say the least. He couldn't fine my house so we met him at a corner store. He got lost, went to a different store and called her cell phone. He was unable to read the sign for the store and had to spell it out to her. So we went to him. We pulled in, he got out of his car and proceded to urinate in front of my car. Afterward, I called him over and tried to speak to him to little avail. He could barely speak!
Please excuse me, I am not making fun of anyone. I understand some people are highy functionable. How this particulair man acted was'nt much different then some drunks...just the same. I wonder. On my next free day I think I will take a trip to motor vihicle and inquire.

 

[Monkeywrench]

I'm glad they've straightened this out, but from the way it sounds the Governors's motorcade was really exceeding the speed limit.

 

[Boyd]

from the way it sounds the Governors's motorcade was really exceeding the speed limit.

Wow... people exceed the speed limit on the Garden State Parkway? I'm shocked!

 

[bobpbx]

We pulled in, he got out of his car and proceded to urinate in front of my car. Afterward, I called him over and tried to speak to him to little avail. He could barely speak!

Sue, if that kid was not drunk, I'll eat my hat.

 

[james ungehajer]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070415/ap_on_re_us/corzine_crash

Latest update.

 

[pinelandpaddler]

Looks like the driver of Corzine's vehicle was at fault. When you go 100 mph, you are creating unsafe conditions. The driver of the red pick-up probably got flustered and who can blame him?

 

[Teegate]

Looks like the driver of Corzine's vehicle was at fault. When you go 100 mph, you are creating unsafe conditions. The driver of the red pick-up probably got flustered and who can blame him?

Where did you get the 100 mph from?

Guy

 

[pinelandpaddler]

A reliable source.

 

[Teegate]

Here is the best article I have read so far. The kid seems like a good kid and the snipit below tells it all as far as I am concerned.

http://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/story/7412314p-7307592c.html

“He was very upset this morning when he got into his truck, Tizol said. “I heard him screaming, ‘It's not my fault! Why do they want to lock me up? It's not my fault he wasn't wearing a seat belt!

But it looks bad for him after this line.

“He's a victim of somebody else's wrongdoing, said David Jones, president of the State Police Fraternal Association of New Jersey. “He was in service to the people of New Jersey. All of that will play itself out later


Guy

 

[Boyd]

Was the meeting with Imus an emergency?

From USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-04-17-corzine-recovers_N.htm?csp=34

The sport utility vehicle carrying Gov. Jon Corzine was traveling 91 mph just before it crashed on the Garden State Parkway last week, leaving the governor, who was not wearing a seat belt, critically injured, state police said Tuesday.

State Police Superintendent Col. Joseph "Rick" Fuentes said troopers driving governors have discretion whether to speed or use their lights in emergency situations or to avoid standing traffic for security reasons.

He refused to say whether Corzine's trip from Atlantic City to Princeton for a meeting at the governor's mansion between fired radio personality Don Imus and the Rutgers University women's basketball team constituted an emergency.

Information retrieved from a black box on Corzine's trooper-driven Chevrolet Suburban showed it was going 91 mph five seconds before the crash and 30 mph when it crashed through a guard rail in Galloway, Atlantic County.
------------
State police said the investigation has reached a point where the State Police Motor Vehicle Accident and Vehicular Pursuit Review Board can immediately begin an examination of whether Corzine's driver, Trooper Robert Rasinski, 34, could have prevented the crash and should be disciplined.

Fuentes said Rasinski told investigators he wasn't aware he was going 91 mph and that Corzine did not instruct him to speed to Drumthwacket.

 

[Jerseyman]

Possible charges for charging

I understand from an article in today's Courier Post that Corzine's driver, a State Trooper, may be charged with a criminal offense pending the outcome of the investigation.

Amazing--within the span of five days we've gone from an all-out manhunt for the driver of the red pick-up truck to Corzine's trooper-driver facing possible charges. We truly live in strange times!

Best regards,
Jerseyman

 

[pinelandpaddler]

Emergency? That's a scary proposition.

 

[omega]

I'm not sure which is scarier, that he was driving 91 mph, or that he didn't know he was driving 91 mph.

 

[Badfish740]

I posted this over at www.the-jersey-devil.com but I'll put it up here too:

I just heard the State Police spokesperson's statement about the accident. I'm paraphrasing here because I can't find it in print, but this is the gist of it:

"You cannot allow the vehicle to be tailed, blocked, paralleled, or otherwise boxed in-that's executive protection 101. The issue at hand is that a guy lost control of his vehicle because he panicked and the Governor was the victim of his inability to do so."

 

[Teegate]

I posted this over at www.the-jersey-devil.com but I'll put it up here too:


"You cannot allow the vehicle to be tailed, blocked, paralleled, or otherwise boxed in-that's executive protection 101. The issue at hand is that a guy lost control of his vehicle because he panicked and the Governor was the victim of his inability to do so."

I am betting the State Police are waiting to see what Corzine says before they do what they have been chomping at the bit to do.....go after the driver of the red truck. With Corzine’s car going 91 mph, and him not wearing a seat belt, what we need to see from him is a flat out rejection on going after anyone. He should get up before the camera and apologize to all involved. Until we see that we will witness what we have always witnessed from him.

Guy

 

[Boyd]

I just heard the State Police spokesperson's statement about the accident. I'm paraphrasing here because I can't find it in print

That's basically what he said in the USA Today article I linked to:

State Police Superintendent Col. Joseph "Rick" Fuentes said troopers driving governors have discretion whether to speed or use their lights in emergency situations or to avoid standing traffic for security reasons.

 

[Boyd]

I am betting the State Police are waiting to see what Corzine says before they do what they have been chomping at the bit to do.....go after the driver of the red truck.

Well the police spokesman seemed pretty clear on that point:

The pickup drivers will not be charged, Fuentes said.

Of course it wouldn't be the first time they've changed stories either. If there was ever a graphic example of why you should wear a seatbelt, this is it.