Thread: When drunks kill

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/n ... 238732.htm

Posted on Wed, Nov. 23, 2005
When drunks kill

N.C. should throw book at driver when DWI causes death


Some disasters are so outrageous that they make you want to throw up your arms and scream at the injustice, then throw the book at the person who caused it. Based on what's known so far, that's the case in the horrible death of a UNC Charlotte student whose car was hit by an SUV driven by a drunk.

Authorities say Jorge Humberto Hernandez-Soto had broken many, many laws Saturday just after midnight when the Ford SUV he was driving slammed into the Nissan 350Z driven by Min Chang.He was a Mexican citizen here illegally. More than a dozen times beforehe had been caught in this country illegally and sent back to Mexico. He had no driver's license. He was driving north in the southbound lanes of Interstate 485 at speeds exceeding 100 mph. He admits to having had six beers before the crash. Records show he'd been arrested for drunken driving in other states at least twice. He smelled strongly of alcohol and "was totally out of it" after the collision, according to a state trooper at the scene.

Laws prevent crimes only if people obey them or lawbreakers are caught before they do any harm. In the case of a lawbreaker who kills, all the law can do is punish the killer. If Mr. Hernandez is guilty as charged, North Carolina should put him away for as long as possible.

This situation points to a problem that isn't news to anyone: Our borders are a joke. The federal government makes immigration law and has a duty to enforce it, but plainly doesn't. Rep. Sue Myrick, R-N.C., of Charlotte has introduced legislation to allow local police to enforce federal immigration laws and raise fines against employers who hire illegal immigrants. Certainly local officials shouldn't ignore immigration law violations, but our already overloaded police department (and local taxpayers) shouldn't take on the feds' job. It would accomplish little until federal officials decide to police the border.

Urge N.C. legislature to act

WHAT: Several proposals to crack down on drunk driving were introduced in the N.C. legislature's 2005 session but didn't become law. In 2006 they should. Among them:

• Make it clear that state law says an Intoxilyzer reading of 0.08 or more is enough evidence for a DWI conviction.

• To buy a keg of beer, require a state permit showing who's buying and where the keg is going.

• Toughen the punishment for felony death by vehicle, a charge used in drunk driving cases.

• Tighten the law on drinking by commercial drivers. WHO: Sen. Tony Rand, a Fayetteville Democrat, is the Senate majority leader and a key legislator on this topic. Let him know you want these bills to become law. Contact him at 300-C Legislative Office Building, Raleigh, NC 27603-5925 or Tonyr@ncleg.net

There was a story on the news last night regarding a young mother who was killed in NC just a few months before Scott Gardner. The last name was Williams but I can’t find any more information. Anyone that can help, please post it.

I am wondering if there are any lawyers that would take the civil case against the federal government for contribution to wrongful death in its negligence to make sure a criminal, recidivist idiot, doesn't kill a sovereign US citizen. What else is government for but to protect it's citizens and look out for their well being.?

Oh I forgot, there is so much time time taken up by lying, obfuscation and spending tax money. Sorry, what was I thinking?

Sue the Dept. of Homeland Security civilly for negligence. What do people think? cheers glenn

Originally Posted by naturalglenn

I am wondering if there are any lawyers that would take the civil case against the federal government for contribution to wrongful death in its negligence to make sure a criminal, recidivist idiot, doesn't kill a sovereign US citizen. What else is government for but to protect it's citizens and look out for their well being.?

Oh I forgot, there is so much time time taken up by lying, obfuscation and spending tax money. Sorry, what was I thinking?

Sue the Dept. of Homeland Security civilly for negligence. What do people think? cheers glenn

I think we've had enough in NC recently for a class action suit!

Is it even POSSIBLE to sue the Federal Government??

Originally Posted by Bootsie

Is it even POSSIBLE to sue the Federal Government??

Probably not but, if an illegal alien can take a deportation case all the way to the Supreme Court, this Charlotte family should be the one to test the waters. I think I read somewhere they had a lawyer.

I did read they had a lawyer but I ASSUME they are going to try to sue the illegal. I sure don't know where they hope to get with that one. I wish they COULD sue the government and maybe I'm wrong about that.