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Ped · 01-31-2019, 08:37 PM

I was leaning toward thinking that prison might not be the right place for him. As others have said, he made a mistake, but it's a mistake that countless people make all the time; most of the time, results are okay, and then something tragic happens.

But then I read the victim impact statements, particularly that from the Josephs, and I've rethought it. Yes, he made a mistake, but whether he deliberately blew the sign or just missed it (although I donn't understand how), he is a professionally trained driver that should know better.

Yes, even professionals make mistakes. But whatever he did resulted in the lives of 13 people, and the the families of the 16 that died, forever being altered, and not in a good way. He will undoubtedly be tortured by that for the rest of his life, and he does seem genuinely remorseful.

But still his actions resulted in tragic death and injury. No malice on his part, but there's not necessarily any malice in a slightly impaired person who thinks they are okay to drive and kills someone, and we expect that person to be punished. Obviously driving impaired is more a serious infraction, than blowing a stop sign, but the results can be the same.

He is already punished, and will be for the rest of his life. But that doesn't mean that legally he shouldn't be.

01-31-2019, 08:37 PM	#716
Ped Franchise Player Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Ontario Exp:	I was leaning toward thinking that prison might not be the right place for him. As others have said, he made a mistake, but it's a mistake that countless people make all the time; most of the time, results are okay, and then something tragic happens. But then I read the victim impact statements, particularly that from the Josephs, and I've rethought it. Yes, he made a mistake, but whether he deliberately blew the sign or just missed it (although I donn't understand how), he is a professionally trained driver that should know better. Yes, even professionals make mistakes. But whatever he did resulted in the lives of 13 people, and the the families of the 16 that died, forever being altered, and not in a good way. He will undoubtedly be tortured by that for the rest of his life, and he does seem genuinely remorseful. But still his actions resulted in tragic death and injury. No malice on his part, but there's not necessarily any malice in a slightly impaired person who thinks they are okay to drive and kills someone, and we expect that person to be punished. Obviously driving impaired is more a serious infraction, than blowing a stop sign, but the results can be the same. He is already punished, and will be for the rest of his life. But that doesn't mean that legally he shouldn't be.