Thread: TN: Police: Illegal Immigrant Responsible For Crash

Vasquez is only charged with a misdemeanor for driving without a license, and authorities cannot check his citizenship unless charges against him become serious enough to put him in jail.

Thats alot of BS! I am sick and tired of police protecting illegal aliens. Quit with al of the PC crap! It is destroying the country. If someone is SUSPECTED of being in our country illegally they should be prepared to show a proper id. Its a smalll inconvenience that all of us should be required to do.

Hey, something is fishy here. OK so we have an Illegal Immigrant running a muck without a drivers license in a car owned by someone?

Our country needs to focus on these problems quick!!!
My concern is that when we want to make a noise to our government for change, we need something to go to them with to prove change is needed.
I am just wondering why this story is getting so much attention and why anyone should be donating a single dime to help???

On Saturday, [Tiffany] Coe learned she can't get any medical care, and since none of her family members can take her in, she's homeless.??

No medical care is an issue in this country..yes... but did Tiffany Coe's dad have auto insurance????
When was the last time you heard of a family member being refused help for living when she is orphaned? Well..is she orphaned?? Tiffany Coe has a fiance ..right??
Last time I heard of a family turning away aid to a member of the clan was when said family member was not welcomed because of [her] questionable behavior and the safety of the family taking in a person with questionable behavior.

I would like nothing better than to take a story like this to congress if it had something of truth to it.

Illegal Immigration, Health insurance are key problems in this country today that effect everyone in different ways, but ask yourself these questions about this story....

1. What is the name of the auto insurance carrier?? and why are they not taking care of the Bodily injury claim???
2. Why is a family and fiance leaving Tiffany Coe homeless?
3. How did the Illegal Immigrant effect effect Tiffany Coe's health-care needs?
4. How did the Illegal Immigrant effect Tiffany Coe's living situation when Tiffany Coe has a family and a fiance???
5 Why does the Tennessee law allow an unlicensed driver to walk away from any kind of crash???

Do not give me the facts I already know: An fatal auto accident, Ricky Otts Sr. was killed, Tiffany Coe was critically injured.

I think this whole story needs to be rolled up real tight so someone could stick it in the eye of Carley Gordon of WSMV-TV.

Carley Gordon took a story and altered it to give it the appeal to the masses. You should write to the station manager and complain. Carley Gordon failed to give any substantial support to the support of changing the laws of Illegal Immigration or problems with Tenncare.
Do not be suckered into the media and be a pawn. The truth about Tiffany Coe and her situation with Tenncare and her homelessness should have been written out as well.

Welcome to ALIPAC joeskoal. You bring up good points. this part of the article struck me as being a little odd.

"The worst part about it all was seeing them walk away, seeing them be told that they could leave," said Otts.

Who was they and them??

Was the guy transporting other people? They said that "they" could leave. the van wasn't his???

It sounds like they changed lanes on top of the motorcycle and killed a man and crippled his daughter. did see them or didn't look?

What part of that is not negligence or to the point negligent homicide? It is more than not having a license or insurance - it sounds he killed the man by not paying attention.

There are more issues than just not detaining the illegal that casued the accident.

Latest crash renews grieving mom's push for better emergency response
Nearest unit should respond, she says
By Chris Echegaray • THE TENNESSEAN • October 20, 2010


Lori Gregory, who lost her son in a car crash on Springfield Highway, says a fatal wreck on the same stretch of road last weekend shows the continued need for the closest ambulance available to respond rather than have such aid stop at the county line.

A 59-year-old motorcyclist and his daughter were struck on Saturday in Goodlettsville when a vehicle switched lanes. It happened 10 feet from the site of the crash that took the life of Gregory's son, J.R. Ballentine, on May 30.

A few miles down the road, county ambulances were available in Greenbrier and Ridgetop in Robertson County, Gregory said. They were never called, she said.

"We can talk to astronauts on the moon, so why can't we coordinate our 911?" Gregory said. "It's frustrating. All it takes is a phone call. Metro and the counties need to do something."

Gregory is reaching out to state representatives about the issue she says will persist near county lines. She wants a law enacted that would erase political boundaries in medical emergencies and require that the closest unit respond. A 2004 state law authorizes and provides a framework allowing emergency agencies across Tennessee to request and provide mutual aid. Assistance has to be specifically requested and is not automatic throughout most of Middle Tennessee.

In Davidson near Robertson County
Gregory's 18-year-old son and a passenger died in a two-vehicle crash a mile from the Robertson County line. The accident was called in at 5:10 p.m. Ambulances sent from other parts of Davidson County picked them up, and they arrived at Vanderbilt University Medical Center minutes before 6 p.m.

Saturday, Rickey Otts, 59, was barely alive after the collision. His daughter, Tiffany Coe, 32, was his passenger on the motorcycle. She was injured but conscious. A Good Samaritan helped them and waited for emergency crews to get to the stretch of road that's in Goodlettsville, part of Davidson County.

Nashville Fire Department District Chief Charles Shannon said that he would not be able to get the response time to Saturday's crash until today.
Greenbrier Mayor Billy Wilson said Metro has the option to call for mutual aid.

"He still had a pulse," said Wilson, also chief of the small town's volunteer fire department. "We have a mutual aid agreement. All Metro has to do is ask for it. We can't just show up."

Liability, insurance and concerns about boundaries keep available ambulances from helping, Wilson said. "We can't self-dispatch," he said. "It opens it up for a lawsuit."

The Good Samaritan was Wilson's daughter, a trained medical first responder.

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20101 ... RKAROUND01

THEN THERE IS:

Greenbrier biker killed
STAFF REPORTS • October 17, 2010

A 59-year-old Greenbrier motorcyclist was killed in a Saturday afternoon collision with a vehicle on Springfield Highway.

Rickey Otts died at the scene and his passenger, Tiffany Coe, 32, also of Greenbier, was critically injured and taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, police said.

Otts and the driver of a Jeep Grand Cherookee were traveling south on the highway at 1:50 p.m.

The jeep switched from the the right lane to the left and struck the motorcycle.

The driver, Jose Vasquez, 28, of Ashland City, told police that he didn't realize the motorcycle was next to him when he switched lanes.

Police said there is no evidence of alcohol or drugs involved in the crash.
Vasquez, who was driving without a license, was not injured. He was not charged as of Sunday afternoon, police said.

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20101 ... RKAROUND01

Link to the pictures. The Jeep Grand Cherokee's front left (driver's side) fender is smashed.
The link:
http://www.wsmv.com/slideshow/25423070/ ... l?taf=nash

Criminally negligent homicide is a Class E felony. Reckless homicide is defined under Tennessee law as the reckless killing of another and is considered a Class D felony. Tenn Code Ann. § 39-13-215 (2007) "Reckless" refers to a person who acts recklessly with respect to circumstances surrounding the conduct or the result of the conduct when the person is aware of but consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the circumstances exist or the result will occur. The risk must be of such a nature and degree that its disregard constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care that an ordinary person would exercise under all the circumstances as viewed from the accused person's standpoint. Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-11-302 (2007).

It would seem to me that failure to obtain a license is proof that any person is failing to see if they are capable to drive. We rely on our government officials to test people to see if the can drive as well as tell people they have to have a license. Now we do not wish our law enforcement officials to be burdened with arresting everyone without proof of license or insurance and put in jail etc etc etc
BUT!!!!!
When someone is killed!!!!! should we expect our police to detain someone for Criminally negligent homicide???
When I was 19 years old, I knew I had to take a road test and obtain insurance. I knew I had to learn, practice and prove I was capable to operate a motor vehicle on the road. I did not scoff at the law and say Ha!! "I no need no freaken license, i drive tractor on watermelon farm for years!! I drive truck on construction site for years!!!

I had driven legally since 14 years of age before I obtained a license. I was within the law to operate farm equipment on roadways for years. But that did not prepare me for operating a motor vehicle...so I read a manual, take a test, get a permit, have a licensed operator with me when driving, take a road test...i am good to go and hope to gain experience over time and avoid hurting myself or others when driving OH YES!! and get insurance !!!
But the ACLU and local District Attorneys will not waste the time to push such a crime. They say "The hell with all that!"

Jose Vasquez said "The hell with all that!

What should happen here is...

Tiffany Coe needs to tell police that her dad stuck his middle finger up and said "get out of my country you [mod edit]!!" Next thing you know...Jose Vasquez uses his vehicle as a weapon to retort this fine American gesture.