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niyad

(113,257 posts)
Mon Dec 24, 2012, 04:05 AM Dec 2012

a mass murderer who never seems to make the lists--priscilla joyce ford, 6 dead 23 wounded

on 27 November 1980 (Thanksgiving Day) Priscilla Joyce Ford drove her lincoln continental up the sidewalk on virginia street in reno, killing 6 people and wounding 23. (I was there, had just pulled into my parking lot seconds before her rampage, but saw the horror of what she did)

. . . .

It takes another minute for the Lincoln to make its way to 100 feet south of the southeast corner of Second and Virginia streets. At 2:59 p.m., the Lincoln jumps the curb and careens down the sidewalk. It hits the curb at about 20 miles an hour, a speed not likely to blow the tires. The car rapidly accelerates to as high as 40 miles an hour, driving 100 feet down the sidewalk, witnesses will later say. It crosses the Second Street crosswalk and continues another 322 feet down the sidewalk in front of the bank, in front of Harrah’s, Nevada Club and Harold’s Club. Then it’s back on Virginia Street, crossing to the southbound lane and stopping two blocks later behind traffic at the Fifth Street traffic light. The light is red.

Destruction follows the car’s path like an indictment. Five people are killed immediately, and 24 are injured. Fourteen people will be sent to Washoe Medical Center; the remaining 10 to St. Mary’s. Street signs, body parts, clothing and the wounded and dead lie on the sidewalk and in the gutter like victims of a natural disaster. But this is an entirely unnatural disaster.

It takes only a few seconds for Ford to drive that five-block total. For the victims, every second following the attack is an eternity, waiting for help to arrive, for family members to come, for the news of survivors and casualties. But the longest wait, some will later say, is for justice.

The two daily newspapers, the Nevada State Journal and the Reno Evening Gazette, contain chilling accounts of the killings in progress.
“It looked as though someone had gone through the streets with a lawnmower, mowing people down,” a woman from Canada who’d witnessed the massacre from the Onslow Hotel-Casino tells the Gazette. “It looked like a battlefield—there were bodies all over the place.”

. . . .

http://www.newsreview.com/reno/day-terror-came-downtown/content?oid=20584

42 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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a mass murderer who never seems to make the lists--priscilla joyce ford, 6 dead 23 wounded (Original Post) niyad Dec 2012 OP
I read about her before TorchTheWitch Dec 2012 #1
1980 was a very difficult year in NV--the bombing at harvey's in august, the fire at the mgm just niyad Dec 2012 #4
"i was there" - I doubt it. NashvilleLefty Dec 2012 #2
Murder by car BainsBane Dec 2012 #3
Cars are licensed and registered tblue Dec 2012 #6
Agree entirely BainsBane Dec 2012 #9
your doubts do not change the fact that I was there. niyad Dec 2012 #7
I have no doubt you were there-- if you said it, you were ailsagirl Dec 2016 #37
how in the world did you find this? and thank you for your response. never did figure niyad Dec 2016 #39
I came across this yesterday ailsagirl Dec 2016 #40
and, again, my thanks. every thanksgiving brings that memory back. niyad Dec 2016 #41
... ailsagirl Dec 2016 #42
niyad has been a highly respected DUer since 2003. yardwork Dec 2012 #13
Check out his sig line. DURHAM D Dec 2012 #14
I don't believe him. /nt yardwork Dec 2012 #16
After this self-deleted OP, I consider the source. REP Dec 2012 #33
thank you so very much, yardwork. niyad Dec 2012 #17
Just saying the truth. yardwork Dec 2012 #18
And you are? Starry Messenger Dec 2012 #22
And you doubt it because...? Gormy Cuss Dec 2012 #29
Calling a long time well-respected DUer a liar for no reason is a shitty thing to do. nt Marrah_G Dec 2012 #35
What is it with (some) people?? ailsagirl Dec 2016 #38
I remember that! tblue Dec 2012 #5
her story changed many times--jesus told her to do it, the devil told her, she was punishing niyad Dec 2012 #8
Lucky she didn't have a gun n/t intaglio Dec 2012 #10
we had an incident like that here in Santa Monica, CA but... yurbud Dec 2012 #11
How many mass murders have been commited by car... 99Forever Dec 2012 #12
amazingly enough, this has nothing to do with the nra--it was brought to mind by an earlier niyad Dec 2012 #19
Way to deliberately miss the point. 99Forever Dec 2012 #26
Oh, and BTW... 99Forever Dec 2012 #27
Damn Good Thing Cars Are WELL REGULATED, Isn't It? Skraxx Dec 2012 #15
There have been 32 mass shootings this year alone. alarimer Dec 2012 #20
I am well aware of the statistics. but one is allowed to think of other situations as well, to niyad Dec 2012 #21
Her alcohol level .16. There's a law against it, you know. mainer Dec 2012 #23
One murder.. just one (not a few) and they take away your guns. OneTenthofOnePercent Dec 2012 #32
That was not murder. It's called negligent homicide: accident from negligence resulting in death.nt Honeycombe8 Dec 2012 #24
and yet, she was convicted of six counts of murder, and 23 counts of attempted murder, NOT niyad Dec 2012 #25
Oh, I see. I didn't read far into the article. It was intentional, but sounds like she was Honeycombe8 Dec 2012 #36
It appears to me she was and had been mentally ill for quite a while. Shrike47 Dec 2012 #28
I was there Debbie357 Dec 2012 #30
welcome to DU--glad you missed it. niyad Dec 2012 #34
Luby's restaurant in Killen, Texas, 1991 panader0 Dec 2012 #31

niyad

(113,257 posts)
4. 1980 was a very difficult year in NV--the bombing at harvey's in august, the fire at the mgm just
Mon Dec 24, 2012, 04:24 AM
Dec 2012

a week before the reno horror.

niyad

(113,257 posts)
7. your doubts do not change the fact that I was there.
Mon Dec 24, 2012, 04:27 AM
Dec 2012

and what it has to do with is the seemingly endless list of mass murders by whatever means.

niyad

(113,257 posts)
39. how in the world did you find this? and thank you for your response. never did figure
Fri Dec 30, 2016, 01:13 PM
Dec 2016

out what that person was all about.

ailsagirl

(22,893 posts)
40. I came across this yesterday
Fri Dec 30, 2016, 01:59 PM
Dec 2016

I felt compelled to make a comment over a completely gratuitous post.

yardwork

(61,588 posts)
13. niyad has been a highly respected DUer since 2003.
Mon Dec 24, 2012, 11:56 AM
Dec 2012

You joined DU just last January, so you might not know that.

Niyad rarely posts about guns or gun control, afaik. She is interested in women's issues and other progressive ideals. If she says that she witnessed this incident I have no reason to doubt her.

niyad

(113,257 posts)
8. her story changed many times--jesus told her to do it, the devil told her, she was punishing
Mon Dec 24, 2012, 04:29 AM
Dec 2012

people for her daughter being put in foster care--she thought she was divine--the list was endless.

yurbud

(39,405 posts)
11. we had an incident like that here in Santa Monica, CA but...
Mon Dec 24, 2012, 11:42 AM
Dec 2012

those seem to be more rare than the gun kind.

99Forever

(14,524 posts)
12. How many mass murders have been commited by car...
Mon Dec 24, 2012, 11:51 AM
Dec 2012

... in the last 3 months?

Your NRA propaganda attempt case happened over 32 years ago.

Got something a little more recent. We've got some gun nut shooting and killing firefighters TODAY!.

niyad

(113,257 posts)
19. amazingly enough, this has nothing to do with the nra--it was brought to mind by an earlier
Mon Dec 24, 2012, 12:23 PM
Dec 2012

post (in jest) about semi-automatic cars, and how the poster could only mow down 30 because of switching gears.

and, 32 years or not, I remember it far too well.

99Forever

(14,524 posts)
26. Way to deliberately miss the point.
Mon Dec 24, 2012, 01:24 PM
Dec 2012

Funny how common that is among those spewing NRA talking points, isn't it?

99Forever

(14,524 posts)
27. Oh, and BTW...
Mon Dec 24, 2012, 01:27 PM
Dec 2012

... how many mass murders with vehicles has been committed in those 32 years compared to how many mass murders with guns?


I'll bet you won't give an honest answer to that question, will you?

Skraxx

(2,970 posts)
15. Damn Good Thing Cars Are WELL REGULATED, Isn't It?
Mon Dec 24, 2012, 12:06 PM
Dec 2012

Tests, insurance, licensing, inspections, regulations regarding where you can use them and HOW you can use them and WHO can use them etc. Sounds good doesn't it?

alarimer

(16,245 posts)
20. There have been 32 mass shootings this year alone.
Mon Dec 24, 2012, 12:30 PM
Dec 2012

How many of these types of incidents that you mention? None.

It is estimated that by 2015, the number of people killed by guns will exceed those killed by cars.

niyad

(113,257 posts)
21. I am well aware of the statistics. but one is allowed to think of other situations as well, to
Mon Dec 24, 2012, 12:35 PM
Dec 2012

remember them, even if not the current headlines.

mainer

(12,022 posts)
23. Her alcohol level .16. There's a law against it, you know.
Mon Dec 24, 2012, 12:43 PM
Dec 2012

A few DUIs and they take away your car. But the "car lobby" doesn't have a problem with confiscation of that sort.

 

OneTenthofOnePercent

(6,268 posts)
32. One murder.. just one (not a few) and they take away your guns.
Mon Dec 24, 2012, 03:35 PM
Dec 2012

The NRA doesn't have a problem with that. Hell, you can loose your right to own a gun for actions 100% not gun related (felonies, other criminal record).

Do you really want to compare auto/gun legislation? There some 20,000 firearm laws on the books. You just hate to admit it, but guns ARE extensively regulated... you just don't the existing regulations.

niyad

(113,257 posts)
25. and yet, she was convicted of six counts of murder, and 23 counts of attempted murder, NOT
Mon Dec 24, 2012, 01:02 PM
Dec 2012

negligent homicide. there was no "accident" about what she did, as the story makes quite clear.

Honeycombe8

(37,648 posts)
36. Oh, I see. I didn't read far into the article. It was intentional, but sounds like she was
Mon Dec 24, 2012, 08:37 PM
Dec 2012

insane, although not found insane. She heard voices, thought she was "divine," etc. She was at first ruled incompetent to stand trial.

Goes to show you how a mental health list won't work. She wouldn't have been on one, but she was nutty as a fruitcake, and very dangerous.

Shrike47

(6,913 posts)
28. It appears to me she was and had been mentally ill for quite a while.
Mon Dec 24, 2012, 01:49 PM
Dec 2012

Mentally ill and drunk is not a good combination for any use of a potentially dangerous device of any kind.

Debbie357

(28 posts)
30. I was there
Mon Dec 24, 2012, 03:25 PM
Dec 2012

Missed being on the street by 5 minutes. I'll never forget that day. I live in Reno and was working at Cal Neva at the time.

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