Cops: MINI Cooper going 100 mph caused crash that killed family of four

Bay City News Service
Posted: 11/29/2009 03:33:03 PM PST
Updated: 11/29/2009 03:33:24 PM PST


Members of a family of four who were killed in a multi-vehicle crash Saturday night near Novato have been identified, a California Highway Patrol officer said today.

Johnathan Maloney, 45, was driving a Nissan Quest with his wife, 42-year-old Susan Maloney, and their two young children, Grace and Aiden, east on state Highway 37 when a MINI Copper ran a red light and broadsided the minivan at about 9:20 p.m., CHP Officer Jon Sloat said.

All four family members, who lived in Sonoma, were pronounced dead at the scene.

The 19-year-old driver of the MINI Cooper has life-threatening injuries and remained hospitalized this afternoon, Sloat said.

Two other vehicles were involved in the wreck, but no one else was seriously injured.

The crash began when the MINI Cooper was speeding south on Lakeville Highway and clipped the back of a 2004 Honda CR-V going the same direction, according to the CHP.

The Honda's driver and passenger, 61-year-old Thomas Graham of Petaluma and James Parker of Stockton, weren't injured.

After hitting the Honda, the driver of the MINI Cooper continued south on Lakeville Highway and ran a red light at Highway 37. CHP Sgt. Trent Cross said he was driving about 100 mph.

At the intersection, the MINI Cooper hit the Nissan Quest as it was traveling east on Highway 37.

The family's Nissan was pushed into a 2002 Mitsubishi Galant that was also traveling east on Highway 37, the CHP reported.

Novato resident Carrie Rodriguez, 52, and her passengers Liberty Rosario, 47, of Fairfield, and Adelaida Nicholas, 53, of Novato, were taken to local hospitals and treated for minor injuries before being released, according to the CHP.


Speed is considered a factor in the crash and alcohol has not been ruled out.

 

just tragic...

 

Sounds like the teenage driver was a ticking time bomb.

A sad waste of life on all sides.

 

 

May they all Rest in Peace. My Thoughts and Prays with the families left behind.

 

Just sad.

 

The video can be seen here.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/21753157/detail.html

The Mini looks like a white JCW. The driver of the Mini died this afternoon.

 

That's awful. On all accounts. For every reason. May they all rest in peace.

 

Tragic and so avoidable... God bless all the families and friends...

 

Makes you take a step back and take a deep breath.

 

A daily event in America the Beautiful - Thanks to the crappy Judges we have on our benches these days soft on crime permitting drunk drivers to roam our country sides even after 3-4 prior drunk driving offenses !

Would it be harsh now to put that MINI drivers family in front of a firing squad.......I think not......being soft on individuals like this only makes it worse for everyone else.....

 

Um...the driver DIED. You are suggesting his family deserves more punishment than losing their son?

--Dan
Mach V

 

could have been avoided if he slowed down

 

Ditto.....

 

Hmmm, there was a post awhile back in the Norcal section where a Vette driver witnessed reckless driving from a white MINI near Alice's. Same guy, maybe? Probably not but one can't help but wonder.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...0-11-09-a.html

 

Sad to see the loss of a life and in this case 5 with countless others affected.

 

sad...

 

Dang, this guy was an idiot. Regards to family killed. At least he won't burden our state with court costs, cause he is dead. Looked, like an R56 MCS, not sure if that is the right car for a 19 year old so parents take note. I know there is exceptions, or well trained 19 year old drivers, but 99.99 are not, Period. Get them a slow **** bucket to drive, please.

 

The bolded words says it all... . Spoiled kids

 

In a word Dan.........Yup !

 

What a bunch of Azz Goblins, Both the Kid for murdering the Family and the News company for their headlines.
Stuff like this happens everyday in America and it aggitates me how they put forth the EXTRA effort to name a MINI in the accident headlines. As if to demonize the car or something. Very seldom are exact makes lablled in the news...Especially in the HEADLINE. You never see headlines like, "Driver of Fullsized Tahoe kills/ injures 8."
Well I hope they dont try to illegalize Mini Coopers now that people in larger cars realize they arent as safe as they thought.
God rest the innocents souls, Such a terrible thing when innocent people get mixed up in this.

 

Even if the offending driver was your son?

 

With all due respect to all those effected, that kid is lucky he died. Living with something like this on your conscience would not be fun.

 

Just a couple of things:

I agree with Matty125. The make of the car is not the point, but it does seem to be the focus of the article. But the headline could've just as easily been: "Family of 4 dies when their Nissan Quest is destroyed." A horrible thing happened. No need to try to make MINI look responsible.

And to suggest that the driver's family should be punished is horrible. We are individually responsible for our own actions. The driver was 19. Its not like they let a 14 y/o go out for a spin by himself. The driver was an adult, responsible for his own choices, which I am sure the parents had no involvement in.

 

The parents are probably also going through their own he11 right now.