Truly a sad story, my condolences to all the family and friends involved. Another lesson that we should all learn from, and hopefully not forget all too soon!

 

Is there a reason that aside from the original freaking-out-over-the-top media reports, I can't find anything that puts the MINI driver's speed at more than 70 MPH?

Very much a tragedy...but it also sounds like things were being exaggerated somewhat at first. It will be interesting to see the police report.

 

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...6B1I.DTL&tsp=1

"The 19-year-old man who caused a crash on Highway 37 east of Novato that killed a family of four and himself during Thanksgiving weekend did not have any alcohol in his system, authorities said today."

"Toxicology reports showed that there was no alcohol in Culbertson's system, said Sgt. Trent Cross of the California Highway Patrol.

"Now we have to continue to try to determine why this crash took place," Cross said.

He said investigators are looking at driver inattention as one possibility. The CHP is reviewing cell-phone records to see if Culbertson was using the phone at the time of the crash, Cross said.

Culbertson had his license suspended for a year in 2007 for drunken driving and had been involved in a previous crash, according to records with the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

The finding that Culbertson was not drunk when the Nov. 28 crash happened casts doubt on a report from a man who said he had seen the teenager earlier in the evening, drinking in a Petaluma restaurant and bar called Traxx."

 

Those are some extreme feelings.


What a sad and tragic event.

 

Melissa, hope you're doing well in Wisconsin! As for this issue, nothing was exagerated in the news report. It was such a horrific collision that Hwy 37 was closed in both directions from Hwy 101 in Novato to Hwy 121 (where Infineon Raceway is located) & Lakeville was shut down to all but local farm traffic in Petaluma until about noon the next day. The MCS crushed the minivan so heavily that it was almost unrecognizable. The most recent report that has now surfaced said the driver did not have alcohol in his blood so he was cooking along Lakeville on pure adrenallin...

 

If this one wasn't bad enough, check out this link from the REME site of another Northern California MINI vs. larger vehicle:
http://www.redding.com/news/2009/dec...d-bella-vista/