Drunk+Driving+speeding+cell Phone+ No Seat Belt = Death

[n2doc]

Drunk official on cell, speeding


Prosecutor not using seat belt in fatal crash

By James Kimberly and Ted Gregory
Tribune staff reporters
Published May 26, 2007
Two weeks after a top DuPage County prosecutor was killed in a crash in which she was driving drunk in a county car, the sheriff released a report showing that she was traveling at 85 m.p.h. in a 45 m.p.h. zone, not wearing a seat belt and using a cell phone when the wreck occurred.

The Friday afternoon release of the report into Jane Radostits' death coincided with the announcement that Radostits' close friend and colleague, Deputy Chief Assistant State's Atty. Jeffrey Kendall, who was with her at a restaurant where she was drinking for several hours before the crash, resigned.

"Words cannot express all of the emotions I am going through these last few weeks or my feelings upon reading this report," State's Atty. Joseph Birkett said Friday. "Jane suffered a terrible death in an otherwise remarkable career. My heart is broken. On top of that, losing Jeff is a terrible blow, but we will get through it."

The 32-page report, which covers interviews with colleagues of Radostits and witnesses to the crash, states that Radostits, Kendall, as many as six other prosecutors and a secretary in the office met at an Oak Brook restaurant after a bomb threat prompted the evacuation of the state's attorney's office about 9:30 a.m. May 11.

Before going to the restaurant, Radostits and Kendall, who was driving a county vehicle, "took care of some personal errands in the Wheaton area," the report states. Then Kendall contacted Assistant State's Atty. Liam Brennan, who was at a coffeehouse in downtown Wheaton with fellow prosecutors Brian Perkins, David Imelski and Chris Hage.

more:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-prosecutors_26may26,1,69258.story

[Roon]

1. I was in an accident

I wasn't on my cell phone but I just hung up after fighting with a friend. If it wasn't for that fight, I would have never wrecked.

[blondeatlast]

2. "Friends don't let friends..." but apparently cronies do.

The Friday afternoon release of the report into Jane Radostits' death coincided with the announcement that Radostits' close friend and colleague, Deputy Chief Assistant State's Atty. Jeffrey Kendall, who was with her at a restaurant where she was drinking for several hours before the crash, resigned.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. she made a name for herself prosecuting DUI-related fatalities

in dupage county.

I want to say something about karma, but the words escape me. Her drinking partner's resignation was a surprise. I guess some people still have some morals and ethics these days. He apparently knew just how trashed she was. She left a hubby and a couple of kids.

[AngryAmish]

4. DuPage County is very corrupt

Law enforcement thinks it is above the law. Prosecutors cannot get a ticket. Ever.

These chickens have come home to roost. One person is dead and others are crippled.

In DuPage they crucify you if you have a DUI. I wonder if they will change their tune.

I am frankly surprised this has not been swept under the rug. The civil lawsuit should also be fun.

[rocktivity]

5. Did the threat come in at 9:30, or is what when they got to the restaurant?

The 32-page report...states that Radostits, Kendall, as many as six other prosecutors and a secretary in the office met at an Oak Brook restaurant after a bomb threat prompted the evacuation of the state's attorney's office about 9:30 a.m. May 11.

..."Radostits was consuming drinks that were served in a martini style glass," the report states. Investigators say Kendall told them that Radostits had three or four of the drinks "and possibly a Lite Beer."

...The report states that Kendall left the restaurant with Radostits, Brennan and Perkins in Kendall's county car about 3 p.m...

We don't know how far the restaurant is from the building. And we don't know if the restaurant is allowed to serve liquor before noon. But that's an awful lof of drinking to be doing on company time. And the closer to 3PM she started, the more obvious it becomes why Kendall resigned.

:(
rocknation

[rasputin1952]

6. Who the hell goes drinking for Breakfast?

Especially someone like a prosecutor and cronies. If they got in the restaurant at, say 1000 hrs, we're talking about possibly 5 HOURS of drinking and Bullshitting. I've done my share of boozing it up in the past, but I never had an ETOH B'fast, and after 5 hours, I'd be pretty well snockered. I got a DWI back in 1984, quit drinking for a while after that, and for good some time later, but I'd never contemplate driving while drunk after the experience I had, (no accident/people injured, thank God).

It is sad that she left a family behind, but to be honest, my heart is not moved by her death, if she made a career out of being super tough on DWI's she clearly should have known better...None are so blind as those who refuse to see.

[DS1]

8. That's what I was going to post

Shit, I enjoy a few martinis down the road, but there's no way I drive even a block home afterwards. Let alone 85 in a 45, unbuckled, and yapping on the phone.


It's gotta suck for the person on the other end of that call, too.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

9. I was in court that morning. - they cleared the entire building

complex and continued all cases for some time.

then after her accident, when they continued all cases to the next week, they closed the criminal/misdemeanor courts again for the wake.
I am guessing it was not an Irish wake.

[rocktivity]

12. Do you "concur" with the "diagnosis"

of post #4?

:shrug:
rocknation

[ChairmanAgnostic]

15. THE NAZI party likes to get march permits there,

not because they make a point, or exercise their 1st amend. rights, but because the police and prosecutors are kindred spirits.

duppage (as I call it) changing, though, as immigrants, minorities, and non WASP bankers/CEOs/CPAs/ etc. move in and dilute the old base.
Bush is still highly popular there, which says a lot.

[MountainLaurel]

7. Wow, she hit the trifecta

Plus a couple bonus points.

[Catshrink]

10. Same thing with the Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock -- 4 strikes!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070504/sp_nm/baseball_pitcher_dc

[RamboLiberal]

14. Hancock's father has the audacity to be suing every in sight

The father of Josh Hancock filed suit Thursday, claiming a restaurant provided drinks to the St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher even though he was intoxicated prior to the crash that killed him.

The suit, filed in St. Louis Circuit Court by Dean Hancock of Tupelo, Miss., does not specify damages. Mike Shannon's Restaurant, owned by the longtime Cardinals broadcaster who starred on three World Series teams in the 1960s, is a defendant in the case along with Shannon's daughter, Patricia Shannon Van Matre, the restaurant manager.

Other defendants include Eddie's Towing, the company whose flatbed tow truck was struck by Hancock's sport utility vehicle in the early hours of April 29; tow truck driver Jacob Edward Hargrove; and Justin Tolar, the driver whose stalled car on Interstate 64 was being assisted by Hargrove.

The Cardinals and Major League Baseball were not listed as defendants. In a brief statement, the Cardinals said, "We hope this matter will come to a swift and fair resolution for all parties involved."

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=3211898

On these kind of cases I think there should be personal responsibility. Hancock was an adult, it is his responsibility to ensure he is not drunk and if he is to not drive his car. And I'm really ticked he is suing the guy who's car stalled and the tow company who's flashing lights Hancock couldn't see till too late in his drunken stupor.

[qdemn7]

17. That's outrageous!

i read about that the other day. His father is pure scum.

[Jed Dilligan]

11. I gotta say it

The hypocritical pig got what was coming to her.

[Skittles]

13. driving drunk is arrogance enough

but driving drunk while making a living prosecuting DWI's is pretty f***ing over the top.

[slowry]

16. The only positive thing about this.

Seconds before the tragedy, she had also apparently completed a complicated Sudoku puzzle, while braiding her hair, and composing a piece for string quartet.