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DVD-Watching Driver Charged with Murder

Posted by michael on from the now-he'll-never-find-out-how-it-ends dept.

joke-boy writes "CNN reports that a driver in Alaska is being charged with second-degree murder for allegedly causing a fatality accident by driving while watching the movie 'Road Trip' in an in-dash DVD player. The driver contends he was just listening to music. Alaska has no laws prohibiting drivers from watching DVDs, although many other states do."

11 of 613 comments (clear)

  1. Keeping Up With Technology by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Driving laws have not kept up with technological changes, Weiser said.

    They don't need to, because technology hasn't changed anything. Manslaughter is still manslaughter. Negligence is still negligence. Careless driving is still careless driving. When laws address general principles, ephemeral trends don't make any difference.

    What, is the "keeping up" going to change what is obviously totally irresponsible negligent manslaughter, into murder? That's not keeping up, that's perversion. The crime is manslaughter.

    1. Re:Keeping Up With Technology by Hognoxious · · Score: 5, Informative
      Careless driving is still careless driving. When laws address general principles, ephemeral trends don't make any difference.
      Well said, Sir. The UK government passed a law against using a mobile phone while driving - totally unnecessary,there was already the offence of "driving without due care and attention". The Belgians passed a similar one and they can't even enforce traffic lights.

      If you drive, you concentrate on the road, and if you don't do that, you face the consequences when the inevitable happens.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    2. Re:Keeping Up With Technology by jhunsake · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You're only looking at the small picture. There are *many* people that believe that, unless something is expicitly illegal then it is legal. While they are wrong, as you point out, they do happen to sit on juries all the time. Some of these people are so dense that it doesn't matter how much the prosecuter or judge explains the law, unless they can read the "no DVD players in cars" law themselves, they won't convict.

      What really needs to happen is to have a minimum IQ for serving on juries.

    3. Re:Keeping Up With Technology by Dizzle · · Score: 5, Funny

      You're only looking at the small picture

      So was the driver.
      Sorry about that.

      --
      -Dizzle
      "I most likely AM so interested in myself."
  2. This is YRO how? by JohnGrahamCumming · · Score: 5, Funny

    YRO now extends to driving around while not watching the road? If this didn't involve a DVD player, but involved a driver distracted by the aadvark he'd let loose in the truck would it be YRO?

    John.

    1. Re:This is YRO how? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Well, that depends. Are we talking about a digital aardvark?

    2. Re:This is YRO how? by danheskett · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Read the law sometime. Unless you are familiar with the statues of Alaska, you are probably very wrong.

      In most states, 2nd degree murder can also be qualified when you show "gross and flagrant disregard for human life". Manslaughter usually carries with it the tag of "negligent", "careless", etc.

      What this man is accused of is showing an amazing indifference to others safety while operating a heavy fast machine. He acted with malice ("my DVD-watching enjoyment is more important than your right to avoid being killed in a car crash") towards his fellow citizens.

  3. Re:I'm confused... by Lacutis · · Score: 5, Funny

    He obviously started watching Road Trip, and then when he realized what he was doing, he swerved into oncoming traffic.

  4. Re:Make an Example Out of This Guy by StillAnonymous · · Score: 5, Insightful

    While I agree that what he did was wrong, and he should face the consequences, I don't agree with "making an example" out of anyone when it comes to the law. Everyone should be treated fairly and equally, with no exceptions.

  5. Re:The story behind the story by axjms · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I think you may be trolling here but I guess I will bite.

    I actually live right off the Seward highway and was returning home from a fishing trip when this very accident occurred. I was stuck at a standstill with 10,000 of my closest friends for about 45 minutes.

    During the summer this road is the main artery from Anchorage (pop. about 300k) and the Kenai Peninsula (where all the fun is). This narrow winding road is literally glutted with motorhomes, trucks towing large boats, and rental cars on weekends. Often it is moose that cause accidents on this road but more often it is people drifting over the center line. If this guy was watching a movie he deserves to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

    --
    It is not enough to succeed, others must fail. - Gore Vidal
  6. Just like drunk driving ... by magicianuk · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ... speeding, drug taking, discharging a firearm in a public place, taking a gun on board an airplane, running a red light, driving without insurance, using a false passport, yelling "fire" in a crowded theater etc.

    Part of being a member of society, is that you accept that society places restrictions ("laws") on what is and isn't acceptable behaviour. I have a right to LIFE as well as Liberty (according to the Constitution) and sometimes those contradict.

    Liberty is not selfishness. Liberty is about each person taking personal responsibility, and when enough people show that they can't exercise their freedom and liberty in a safe and sensible manner, then, for the safety and freedom of all, restrictions (I believe) are sensible though regrettable.

    I may feel perfectly safe using a cellphone while driving ... but there are enough idiots out there that feel exactly the same but are not safe (several of whom have nearly hit my car in the last year or two).

    YMMV