When a drunk driver who killed is a hero

fishbane · 10-04-2003, 12:16 AM

Well my first post on the 8 firefighters who got killed passing on curve this summer was yanked so I expect this one will be too.

Now They have come out and said the driver had been drinking and so had some of the others. They have proof that they purchased alcohol not long before the accident.

So the first stupid mistake was drinking and driving.

The second passing on a curve.

8 men died when they didn't need to all.

I protested calling this man a hero and now even more so.

The worst part is now they are talking about charging and sueing the company and the fire boss.

The family of the driver should be sued if anyone.

Oh but they are heros

Okie · 10-04-2003, 04:34 AM

The lawsuit will probably fail because the real persons responsible for the accident are dead.

It's asad story that is repeated all to often.

Careless driving, drunk or not.

BrionLutz · 10-04-2003, 08:45 AM

Fishbane,

Hyperbole by the press and public on both sides of the story.

They were fire fighters doing a job they chose and loved. Admirable but heroism involves risking one's life to save someone else's. Press and the public are a bit uncritical on hero status these days.

That they were young and drinking and driving could make them anyone's son or daughter, makes them admirable people who made a bad decision with tragic results.

Brion

1pump · 10-04-2003, 09:58 AM

I've been wondering about something........this is just speculation on my part, and I have no proof and have not heard any rumors to this effect.

News reports said that the van that collided with the Swift truck was in radio contact with the other crew vehicles ahead of it. I also heard that they lost contact just before the crash.
I wonder if the lead vehicle was telling the others following behind when the road was clear so they could pass. It's common practice among truck drivers, but not a very smart one.
I can't imagine why anyone would pass on a blind curve unless they had good reason to believe it was clear. :whazzup:

HammondSeaRanger · 10-04-2003, 02:50 PM

or they were drunk 1pump .... that explians alot.

(edit for spelling)

[ 10-04-2003, 03:51 PM: Message edited by: BluePig ]

1pump · 10-04-2003, 03:12 PM

After posting the above I went out for breakfast and read the Oregonian article.
Apparently they bought beer in Vale something like 20 minutes before the crash. If this was the only alcohol they consumed that day, then I highly doubt they were drunk. Irresponsible for sure, but not impaired.
The state ME even stated that it was very difficult to get an accurate alcohol reading on badly burnt tissue.

IMHO, The Oregonian should have left this one alone unless they had better evidence that they were drunk. For the families' sake , anyway.

Digifish · 10-04-2003, 03:46 PM

fishbane,
I understand your point.

Quote:

Originally posted by BrionLutz:
Press and the public are a bit uncritical on hero status these days

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Brion,
Unfortunatly I agree, the press passes out hero status to just about anybody. Even with this issue not withstanding, there are plenty of heroic things happening and the press reporting on it. The tragic part is the selling of the "heroes". I can't watch the local news programs, they make me wince with their shallowness and their unexplainable ability to cheapen the couragous and heroic.

[ 10-04-2003, 06:35 PM: Message edited by: digifish ]

Corkie Monster · 10-05-2003, 07:59 AM

Here is a link to the investagation. wildlandfire.com 8 Firefighters killed in traffic accidents.

Sofar they won't release info that if infact Alcahol was present in their bodies. Who knows, they could have been just transporting it and not drinking it.

CM