Vanderman pleads no contest
Charges reduced to misdemeanors
By Bobbi Mlynar
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Bruce Vanderman of Madison pleaded no contest to Wednesday afternoon to two amended charges filed in conjunction with the death April 13, 2007, of Jerry L. Williams, 52, of Emporia.
Vanderman entered the plea before District Judge Jeffry J. Larson in Lyon County District Court. William Rork of Topeka represented Vanderman in the case.
Vanderman had been charged with two felonies, involuntary manslaughter and aggravated battery, on Sept. 12, 2007. The charges were amended to vehicular homicide, a Class A misdemeanor, and battery, a Class D misdemeanor.
He was attempting to pass a semi-tractor trailer when his pickup truck struck Williams' pickup truck head-on.
Williams died of his injuries and a passenger in the Vanderman truck, Joshua Vanderman, then 11, of Madison, was taken by ambulance to Newman Regional Health.
Vanderman was taken to Stormont-Vail Health Care in Topeka for treatment of his injuries.
An accident report from the Kansas Highway Patrol stated that dusty roads limited visibility and contributed to the cause of the accident.
The plea hearing on Wednesday was delayed more than one hour and a half because Rork was not present in court to represent his client.
Read the full story in Thursday's Gazette.
madpoet (anonymous) says...
A family has lost a beloved member and the person responsible gets a misdemeanor?! It's nice to know that you can be totally reckless and kill someone and get a slap on the wrist. At least it spared the family the trauma of a trial, I guess. What a sad world we live in.
January 15, 2009 at 8:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
OutsiderJ (anonymous) says...
Though the driver was being a little reckless (passing with poor visibility), it was still an accident. I was involved in a similar crash as a teenager and my best friend was killed. Back then they nailed the driver to the wall. So not only did a family lose a loved one, I lost a friend, and a young man's life was practically if not literally ruined by an unplanned, unintentional accident.
Let the man get on with his life, maybe he will do something positive with this experience, like educating young drivers, or lobbying the state to put warning signs about road dust, or something.
January 15, 2009 at 8:52 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Weltha (anonymous) says...
ditto outsider- You saved me a bunch of typing. We were not there that day. So, there is NO way to really know exactly how it all happened. I pray for both families losses.
January 15, 2009 at 10:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hellfirebluefish (anonymous) says...
It was clearly an accident....Nothing more. Madpoet, if it would have been you, would you agree with a felony charge? Let this gentlemen get on with life, as outsider says.
January 15, 2009 at 2:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madpoet (anonymous) says...
By what I heard he not only passed when he couldn't see but was driving extremely fast. I expect to pay for any mistakes I make and have in the past. If I killed someone thru carelessness, then I would expect to go to jail. People need to stop and think when they are behind the wheel how much power and weight they are controlling and how much damage they can inflict on people or property. It bothers me most that he had his kid in the truck with him at the time. I'm probably 5X more careful driving with my child in the car. I hope this plea bargain will bring some closure for both families. We can hope it serves as a lesson to others but I'm not holding my breath. After the fatal hunting accident, there was a rash of careless shootings. I hope the outcome of this is better.
January 15, 2009 at 3:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
birch (anonymous) says...
I don't know if there will ever be closure for the families involved, especially for the Williams family who has lost a husband, father, son, brother, uncle and friend because of someone who was in to big of a hurry to drive safely. Anyone with a lick of sense would know not to pull out and pass another vehicle when visability is hindered. This "accident"was almost 2 years ago. What adds to this tragedy is that it has taken the court system this long to get anything done. To bad the State wouldn't work harder to make the felony charges stick and take to trial a long time ago. Yes it was an accident, but there should be consequences to "accidents" that are caused by careless and irrespondsible decisions. I hope Vanderman gets the maximum penalty.
January 15, 2009 at 3:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
foxxy76 (anonymous) says...
what happens if this happens again and someone else gets really hurt are we just going to turn our heads and let this happen just like some one is pulling the wool over our eyes. I thought that our courts system put away people who did something wrong...? Well i guess not? What about the familys they suffer to... I know what it feels like i also lost a parent in an accident and the person got away with only a slap on the wrist. They called it an accident cause when it happened there was ice on the roads and he didnt slow down. most people have common sense when its bad weather to slow down but he didnt and he was drinking also
January 15, 2009 at 3:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madpoet (anonymous) says...
Thank you birch and foxxy76. I didn't think I was the only one who thought it was a miscarriage of justice to give him a misdemeanor.
January 15, 2009 at 3:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Weltha (anonymous) says...
No one said anything about this guy drinking. I hope none of you people have a temperary lack of judgement and accidently hurt someone in the process. Before ya start on me I don't know this man. I feel deeply for both families but it was an accident. He did not go out and intentionally hurt anyone. Therefore he shouldn't be treated like he did. Yes, he was wrong and should have been aware of what was going on around him. Yes, he should pay a price for what he did. But he shouldn't be hanged for it like ya'll are making it sound. This could happen to anyone of us at any time. Not one person on here can honestly say they have NEVER messed up while driving. I know I can't. Messing up by not paying as much attention as they should for what ever reason. Phone call, eating, dropped something so looked or leaned down for it, smoking or just plain driving to tired. (but darn it I'm almost home, just 5 more miles) Granted it didn't end as his did but it could have.
Instead of stringing up the noose we should be praying that he has learned from this and that Judge Larson will do what needs to be done under this set of circumstances.
January 15, 2009 at 6:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )