empgazfan (anonymous) says...

These wild deputies need to slow down. Why, not long ago I read of a deputy in Maryland chasing a car at 80 mph in a 25 mph zone and he too drove into a tree, killing himself. Another deputy in Alabama was passing a car on a hill at nearly 90 mph chasing a speeder (the speeder stayed in the proper lane). When the deputy crested the hill he hit a car with a family of 4 in it, breaking it in half and killing everybody. Another deputy died in Georgia when he hit a tree while responding to a fight. These crazy immature deputies have to learn how to drive. They're not serving their community by killing themselves. Plus the taxpayers have to replace the cars they wrecked.

July 25, 2010 at 5:52 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...

My sympathies go out to this young man's family. Also, once again, my gratitude goes out to all law enforcement who put their lives on the line every day even for petty domestic disputes that easily turn into criminal acts of violence, all because at least one adult can't grow up and be one. I hope the people this deputy was trying to reach understand that if they hadn't been doing what they were doing, Deputy Smith wouldn't have been in that place, at that time and a family wouldn't be mourning this loss this morning.

July 25, 2010 at 8:13 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

k66080 (anonymous) says...

Wow empgazfan, really?

My thoughts and prayers are with Deputy Smith's family. A truly heartbreaking accident.

July 25, 2010 at 6:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

knute (anonymous) says...

empgazfan, where does the article indicate the deputy was a "crazy immature deput[y] [who had] to learn how to drive" ? As a county deputy, he probably logged more miles per week than most people do in a month so he probably "knew how to drive". This article indicates no facts other than he lost control. I don't know what happened - do you?

My prayers are for the deputy who died trying to respond to a domestic disturbance, a notoriously dangerous situation, to his family, friends and co-workers. And for the rest of the LEOs, EMS people and firefighters.

July 26, 2010 at 1:42 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

jmac (anonymous) says...

My thoughts and prayers as well go out to the deputies family.

Thank you for serving and protecting us.

July 26, 2010 at 8:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

empgazfan (anonymous) says...

knute, that's my point! A deputy has more driving experience than the average driver, is better trained and has better interaction with his car. Therefore his threshold for losing control of his car is much higher than for others. All of which means he must have been going extremely fast, unjustifiably fast. All the aforementioned deputies were 20-somethings, under 24. They are young and inexperienced at high speed driving. A call comes in and they spring into action, letting their adrenaline take control. They speed off not realizing what danger they put the public and themselves in. Few situations, even emergency situations, merit such dangerous responses.

July 26, 2010 at 8:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

REWBA (anonymous) says...

Jeez empgazfan! I thought that I was insensitive.

I have a 23 year old son and I can only imagine the pain and grief his family is is suffering over their tragic loss.

July 26, 2010 at 9:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

tpflug (anonymous) says...

empgazfan: You are a nut ( nicer word than the other 3-letter word I was going to use.) You should be removed.
My kid lived next door to Sam in the dorm. He was OK, though young. Perhaps it was his youth and inexperience that hurt him. And, his family seems to be as nice as they come. We are going to try to be at the funeral, although it is a 4 hour drive.

July 27, 2010 at 7:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Blackshirt (anonymous) says...

Emegazfan will be the first one to complain when they call 911 and it takes the officer a little longer to get there because they don't "spring into action". It's nice that this writer has been able to pass to judgement on the deputy based on what has happened in other parts of the country. That ability must make you an excellent pick to be on a jury.

Why don't we wait and see what happened? Could there have been a mechanical malfunction? A deer in the road? Or, yes, the officer could be at fault. Plain and simple, we don't know yet.

July 27, 2010 at 8:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

spectator (anonymous) says...

Emegazfan, if, and I hope it NEVER happens, if YOU require the assistance of law enforcement, fire or EMS people, how do you want them to respond? A politically safe answer would be "As quickly as reasonable under circumstances" and that's fine.

The truth of the matter is that, realistically, they can't get there fast enough. When seconds count, 911 and help are only minutes away.

In this tragedy, one or more deer may have been on the highway or cattle may have been out or mechanical failure or ? ? I still haven't heard facts from anyone, including you, as to what happened. I sure don't know based on what I've seen in the media.

Blackshirt said it well.

As for me, I still have compassion, sorrow and sympathy for the deputy and his family and friends and I refuse to trash him without the facts.

July 27, 2010 at 3:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

neighbor (anonymous) says...

Farm Raised, think Democratic mascot.

July 27, 2010 at 5:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

old_soldier (anonymous) says...

a$$??

July 27, 2010 at 9:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )