Road rage suspect turns himself in, faces murder charges
Source: CNN
(CNN) A man accused of shooting and killing an 18-year-old woman in a case of road rage is being held without bail on murder charges after turning himself in Sunday morning, authorities said.
David Desper, 28, faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder and reckless endangerment, Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said.
CNN affiliate TV station WPVI tweeted a photo of Desper released by police.
/snip
Police said he shot Bianca Nikol Roberson after he became angry as their vehicles were merging on the same lane of a highway Wednesday evening in West Goshen, Pennsylvania, just west of Philadelphia.
Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/02/us/pa-deadly-road-rage-arrest/index.html
Add'l link - http://www.philly.com/philly/news/police-flooded-with-tips-on-road-rage-killing-of-bianca-roberson-18-20170701.html
This was just senseless.
raccoon
(31,110 posts)Like life without parole. This is a mad dog.
cstanleytech
(26,291 posts)he can experience and see some of what he could have been doing had he not wasted all those years in jail due to his own actions.
ailsagirl
(22,896 posts)but WHY did he kill that woman?? There's no excuse I can fathom for taking another's life. None.
Life has become very cheap here
IthinkThereforeIAM
(3,076 posts)... while trying to drive?
cstanleytech
(26,291 posts)and he can spend the time in there trying to come to grips with the fact that had he never bought the gun in the first place that he wouldnt have had it to shoot her and he wouldnt be in prison now for murder.
Egnever
(21,506 posts)They are all responsible gun owners till they aren't. Till life throws them that curve ball that hits the right buttons and they kill someone.
Without the gun that young lady would be continuing down her very promising path, and this clown would have been over being mad with no one the worse for wear.
cstanleytech
(26,291 posts)if they were we would have a hell of alot more murders in this country.
CanonRay
(14,101 posts)they had a bad day, somebody pisses them off, and there's the gun, nice and handy. Doubt this guy ever shot at anyone before in his life, so he wasn't like "this guy" either.
cstanleytech
(26,291 posts)Now my personal opinion on handguns is that unless you are a member of law enforcement or have a real need for a handgun (such as a spouse dealing with a physically abusive ex thats been stalking you) that you have no business carrying a loaded handgun on you in a vehicle but again thats only my personal opinion.
EL34x4
(2,003 posts)If they are going to hand out concealed carry permits to everyone who asks for them, they need to make it very clear that if you're going to be a hot-head and exercise your Second Amendment rights by shooting motorists who won't let you merge, the sentence you receive will be without mercy.
This way, there might be guys out there who stop and think, "Maybe I shouldn't keep a gun in my car. I'm kinda hot-tempered on the road and I'd probably shoot someone just like that dumbass did."
sinkingfeeling
(51,454 posts)paleotn
(17,912 posts)yardwork
(61,604 posts)BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)😪 a dude with anger issues, a gun conveniently nearby, and because of that a young women who had the makings of someone remarkable is dead.
I'm sick of guns and I'm sick of dudes with no training in testosterone management.
JI7
(89,249 posts)lark
(23,099 posts)I am a believer in the death penalty for people like this who are a menace to general society.
SCantiGOP
(13,869 posts)that the death penalty is racist, arbitrary, discriminates against the poor and is ineffective?
Or is it just that you should be able to decide who is killed and who isn't?
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)The way it is used can be, tho.
SCantiGOP
(13,869 posts)The death penalty in the United States is much, much more likely to execute those who are outside of the white, middle class structure. It always has and it will continue to do so.
I consider opposition to the death penalty one of the major civil rights questions of our time.
WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)SCantiGOP
(13,869 posts)But 80% are black, so his race really isn't relevant.
lark
(23,099 posts)Yes, I do believe all those things and for those reasons do think that the death penalty ought to be rare. I am also against incarcerating anyone who didn't actually harm some other person - so stupid that so many people get put in jail for the crime of being poor and unable to pay traffic fines, as a great example. So, no, I don't believe that the criminal system in this country is good and in many cases is corrupt and just wrong. I do believe that in a better world we should be able to isolate killers, people who deliberately kill someone else, and give them the ultimate penalty. Oh, and I am also strongly, strongly, against "stand your ground" and hate that it's in place in my state.
bitterross
(4,066 posts)Last edited Sun Jul 2, 2017, 03:46 PM - Edit history (1)
State sanctioned murder is still murder and the taking of a life. No matter how you justify it to yourself to make yourself feel okay about it. The justification you provide in you post is particularly weak and prone to abuse:
"...for people like this who are a menace to general society."
That justification has been used to jail, torture, and murder millions of people. Who is to say that all of us here on DU aren't a menace to general society. I would imagine that the GOP would classify us that way. Certainly Trump classifies the media as a menace to society. He has repeatedly labeled them as enemies of the people.
lark
(23,099 posts)You don't know anything at all about me, you just made assumptions based on a very brief post. Wouldn't it be better to ask questions than to just make gross assumptions? Guess that's not your style though. Yes, I could have made a more in-depth argument that people who kill on purpose deserve this action, but still, your post takes the counter argument to extremes. Of course, there has been political persecutions throughout history and duh, I'm not in favor of that.
bitterross
(4,066 posts)Good luck with that.
Life is way too short to deal with people that twist the truth - like you
Bye forever. I'd wish you good luck but you would just twist that into something nasty. Have to deal with that when I turn on tv, not getting into it on the safe place for people that loathe drumpf and what he's doing to our country. Doubt that fits you, but can't say for sure just based on 2 posts.
USALiberal
(10,877 posts)USALiberal
(10,877 posts)Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)insisted he get treated for that, starting with his family. And now look at what's happened because of his anger issues. Stupid. Horrible that he killed someone. Tragic that he ruined his own life. His life is over. He will now be a sardine in a can for the rest of his life (I hope).
tblue37
(65,340 posts)"Police found the gun in Desper's bedroom. He had bought in legally in November 2015 and had a permit for it, Hogan said."
H2O Man
(73,537 posts)I hate seeing things like this.
VermontKevin
(1,473 posts)H2O Man
(73,537 posts)Odd timing -- I read that as we were preparing for the extended family to arrive for a picnic.
VermontKevin
(1,473 posts)I'm sorry it took what it did to put him where he belongs.
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)😪
VermontKevin
(1,473 posts)SCantiGOP
(13,869 posts)I read that they buried an adult son who died of heart disease 4 years ago, and now they will see this miserable asshole go to jail for life.
csziggy
(34,136 posts)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Robersons have experienced a loss in their family before. Bianca's older brother died of heart disease when he was 22 years old in 2013.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/pennsylvania-hs-graduate-shot-head-road-rage-incident-article-1.3290266
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the OP: https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029271762
SCantiGOP
(13,869 posts)VermontKevin
(1,473 posts)I support the 2nd amendment. But I also know that it's just too damn easy to do violence with a gun.
EL34x4
(2,003 posts)...about a quarter mile down the road.
I see this crap all the time. Light turns green and both vehicles floor it, trying to make the other driver slow down and merge behind them.
It's like a damn pissing contest. Neither driver wants to "lose" and be the one that has to slow down.
I shake my head. It's only a matter of time before something like this happens.
BumRushDaShow
(128,936 posts)they are mostly 2 lane streets where the left lane becomes "Left Turn Only", so the jockeying happens to get over to the right lane before the cars reach the intersection. And what happens is that some drivers will use that left lane to shoot ahead to the front of the right lane's cars because inevitably, the right lane will have a longer line of cars (as most are planning to straight and not turn).
Texin
(2,596 posts)I live in Texas and we hear examples like this more often than anyone could rationally believe. About a decade ago, I was merging onto an interstate and the guy driving the truck in that lane coming up to the merge ramp must have perceived I had tried to cut him off. That wasn't the case, but it didn't make any difference. He went leadfoot and raced up behind me, tailgating. When I slowed down, he changed lanes, raced in front of me then started pumping his brakes and trying to force me off the road. This continued for about a mile or two. I was able to change lanes and put some distance between us, but he charged over behind me in the same lane and proceeded to repeat his actions. I actually entered the service lane/median and saw a police car stopped ahead of me. I drove up behind the police car and stopped. The pickup guy moved on from there, but it left me shaken. This truck had a gun rack in the cab's back window and I've no doubt he was probably carrying a handgun or more as well, and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have hesitated to unload it. I'm grateful that the police officers were there. I got out of my car and (non-threateningly) approached the police officers. I explained to them what had just happened and, unfortunately, they weren't able to call anything in, as they didn't see it happening (think they had pulled another vehicle over for speeding just previously and were getting ready to get back onto the road from the service road) when I pulled in behind them. I got back on the road and took my time, because I didn't want to meet up with the lunatic on down the interstate. Thankfully, I didn't, but I don't want to even contemplate what could have happened if that police car wasn't there at the time.
barbtries
(28,793 posts)that many americans want a gun so if someone pisses them off they can shoot them, and damn the consequences. thank you NRA.
EL34x4
(2,003 posts)This guy will spend the next many, man-years wishing he had a do-over. Wishing he had let her merge ahead of him. Wishing he didn't keep a gun in his car.
barbtries
(28,793 posts)at least i hope so. they should all face consequences, but wouldn't it be better if they considered it before leaving the house with a loaded gun
tblue37
(65,340 posts)him to shoot her, thus ruining his life because she was such a #$%.
IOW, he will spend his time thinking about (and complaining to anyone who will listen) how SHE was to blame, because people like him don't take responsibility for the choices they make that mess up their lives.
Aristus
(66,329 posts)"LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO!" is a pretty common refrain among people like that.
csziggy
(34,136 posts)From the link in the OP:
"Shortly before Bianca approached the merge, police said her vehicle and the pickup truck began jockeying for position. PennDot images show that the truck was in the left lane, Roberson in the right. Signs on the side of the highway warn drivers that the left lane ends."
The photo the police released of the two vehicles show the red truck in the left lane slightly ahead of Bianca's green Malibu:
https://www.facebook.com/WestGoshenTownshipPoliceDepartment/photos/pcb.784452925053646/784719371693668/?type=3&theater
SunSeeker
(51,550 posts)I'm guessing he wouldn't have shot her dead if she was a young white girl.
barbtries
(28,793 posts)but unless he cops to it we'll never know.
dalton99a
(81,485 posts)He saw that she was black. It was 5:30 pm - plenty of daylight.
Response to BumRushDaShow (Original post)
Name removed Message auto-removed
not fooled
(5,801 posts)?
RoBear
(1,188 posts)n/t
petronius
(26,602 posts)You'll find it by pushing the "smilies" button while posting, or just type : sarcasm : without the spaces.
Welcome to DU!
DoctorJoJo
(1,134 posts).... how this turd voted?
JoJo
Turbineguy
(37,324 posts)It's easy to get angry at other drivers. Some are better able to control it than others. If you curse at others or call them names, that's one thing. But it's also a sign you probably should not keep a loaded weapon nearby.
I joke that untold numbers of people will die in their beds because I listen to classical music while I drive.
Whatever it takes to sublimate.
workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)The enraged nutter saw a black female and his gun hand couldn't resist. I believe this killer was licensed and trained in CC, you know, a "good guy with a gun".
Until he wasn't.
mountain grammy
(26,620 posts)that, because this white man murdered a black female, he would still be the NRA's ideal as a "good guy with a gun."
workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)mommymarine2003
(261 posts)A couple months ago, my son was hit from behind by a young man in a car. My son was on his way to work on his motorcycle, and this man started throwing things out the window to try to hit him. My son passed him to get away. It appears the young man became angry and was going about 100 mph down the road according to witnesses. My son was exiting the freeway, and he hit my son from behind going about 60 mph. My son flew from his motorcycle and traveled about 100 yards (the length of a football field) face down. The driver fled the scene, but a witness followed him and got his license plate. It was a miracle my son survived although his hand was broken in 3 places and he lost some skin. He said the freeway was full to cars, but they all swerved and missed him. The man's trial is next month, and I know he faces a felony and several gross misdemeanors. His life is forever changed. My son is getting married next month. We are so very lucky that we are looking forward to his wedding and not a funeral. My son had two deployments to Iraq, and it has taken several years for him to get back on is feet. We came close to losing him then, but it is dangerous here, too. How lives can change in an instant.
BumRushDaShow
(128,936 posts)Thanking him too for his service!
mommymarine2003
(261 posts)I hate motorcycles almost as much as I hated him going to war. We are proud of his service to our country, too. Happy 4th!
jcmaine72
(1,773 posts)I simply can't believe, given this country's history of racism and genocide, that this coward didn't look into the face of this African American child and simply see her as an animal before he shot her. Then again, I'm not surprised that the podunk police department in lilly white West Goshen isn't investigating this as a hate crime.
BumRushDaShow
(128,936 posts)I suppose some things (and people) "change".
3catwoman3
(23,975 posts)...people have such a casual disregard for life.
ailsagirl
(22,896 posts)xxqqqzme
(14,887 posts)to be found.
USALiberal
(10,877 posts)Sancho
(9,070 posts)This is my generic response to gun threads where people are shot and killed by the dumb or criminal possession of guns. For the record, I grew up in the South and on military bases. I was taught about firearms as a child, and I grew up hunting, was a member of the NRA, and I still own guns. In the 70s, I dropped out of the NRA because they become more radical and less interested in safety and training. Some personal experiences where people I know were involved in shootings caused me to realize that anyone could obtain and posses a gun no matter how illogical it was for them to have a gun. Also, easy access to more powerful guns, guns in the hands of children, and guns that werent secured are out of control in our society. As such, heres what I now think ought to be the requirements to possess a gun. Im not debating the legal language, I just think its the reasonable way to stop the shootings. Notice, none of this restricts the type of guns sold. This is aimed at the people who shoot others, because its clear that they should never have had a gun.
1.) Anyone in possession of a gun (whether they own it or not) should have a regularly renewed license. If you want to call it a permit, certificate, or something else that's fine.
2.) To get a license, you should have a background check, and be examined by a professional for emotional and mental stability appropriate for gun possession. It might be appropriate to require that examination to be accompanied by references from family, friends, employers, etc. This check is not to subject you to a mental health diagnosis, just check on your superficial and apparent gun-worthyness.
3.) To get the license, you should be required to take a safety course and pass a test appropriate to the type of gun you want to use.
4.) To get a license, you should be over 21. Under 21, you could only use a gun under direct supervision of a licensed person and after obtaining a learners license. Your license might be restricted if you have children or criminals or other unsafe people living in your home. (If you want to argue 18 or 25 or some other age, fine. 21 makes sense to me.)
5.) If you possess a gun, you would have to carry a liability insurance policy specifically for gun ownership - and likely you would have to provide proof of appropriate storage, security, and whatever statistical reasons that emerge that would drive the costs and ability to get insurance.
6.) You could not purchase a gun or ammunition without a license, and purchases would have a waiting period.
7.) If you possess a gun without a license, you go to jail, the gun is impounded, and a judge will have to let you go (just like a DUI).
8.) No one should carry an unsecured gun (except in a locked case, unloaded) when outside of home. Guns should be secure when transporting to a shooting event without demonstrating a special need. Their license should indicate training and special carry circumstances beyond recreational shooting (security guard, etc.). If you are carrying your gun while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you lose your gun and license.
9.) If you buy, sell, give away, or inherit a gun, your license information should be recorded.
10.) If you accidentally discharge your gun, commit a crime, get referred by a mental health professional, are served a restraining order, etc., you should lose your license and guns until reinstated by a serious relicensing process.
Most of you know that a license is no big deal. Besides a drivers license you need a license to fish, operate a boat, or many other activities. I realize these differ by state, but that is not a reason to let anyone without a bit of sense pack a semiautomatic weapon in public, on the roads, and in schools. I think we need to make it much harder for some people to have guns.
3catwoman3
(23,975 posts)You make excellent points.
Sancho
(9,070 posts)Frankly, too many people are apathetic (not DUers), and so they allow dangerous people to wander around with guns. It's truly a tragedy and history will wonder, "What were they thinking?"
3catwoman3
(23,975 posts)...well child visits as part of my home safety discussion. I also advise parents to make sure they discuss this with the parents of their kids' playmates. Some have already done so. A common response, however, is, "Oh my God, I never thought about THAT!"
The NRA would like to prohibit health care providers from even bringing up this topic. Screw 'em!