Distracted Driving

By TChris, Section Other Politics
Posted on Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 06:45:59 PM EST
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The Philadelphia Inquirer reports a possible explanation for the traffic accident that sent New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine to the hospital.

New Jersey State Police are investigating an allegation that the trooper who was driving Gov. Corzine's SUV two weeks ago when it crashed going 91 m.p.h. may have been distracted by e-mails sent to his mobile phone or BlackBerry.

Perhaps Trooper Rasinski is adept at checking his BlackBerry while driving at high speeds, but was startled by the content of the messages.

A Berkeley Heights police sergeant was quoted in the Star-Ledger of Newark yesterday saying he sent an e-mail shortly before the crash to Trooper Robert Rasinski, confronting him over having a two-year affair with his wife, Susan. He said he enclosed a family photo as an attachment.

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Distracted Driving | 18 comments (18 topical)

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Speaking of Car Crashes- RIP David Halberstam (5.00 / 1) (#4)
by Molly Bloom on Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 07:41:07 PM EST

David Halberstam RIP

Pulitzer Prize winning author and journalist David Halberstam was killed in a three-car accident this morning in Menlo Park near the Dumbarton Bridge, the San Mateo County Coroner's Office announced.

that's so sad - if only because he could write (none / 0) (#5)
by scribe on Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 07:44:20 PM EST

about baseball, and now we won't have him to do that.
RIP.


Killed by a J School Grad Student (none / 0) (#7)
by jerry on Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 07:55:50 PM EST

Can you imagine having to face your thesis committee?


: Not so sure (none / 0) (#15)
by yerioy on Tue Apr 24, 2007 at 10:24:34 AM EST

In the articles that I have read the J school grad student was driving the car in which Halberstam was a passenger. I have not been able to find anything about the car which hit them except that it was an Infinity and that the driver was hospitalized.

Regardless... (none / 0) (#1)
by kdog on Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 07:12:56 PM EST

of whether the trooper was distracted by an email...I have to question is it justified for a trooper to break the law so a politician can make it on time to a self-serving photo-op? Or, as I suspect, does the speed limit never apply to troopers and politicians.

From previous articles ... (5.00 / 1) (#8)
by Sailor on Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 08:37:54 PM EST

does the speed limit never apply to troopers and politicians.

NJ is saying troopers can break the law when ever they want to. Speeding, no seat belts ... gee, it's a shame they can't break the law of physics.

Of course they originally blamed the accident on a 'mentally deficient' driver ... who was just trying to avoid a state trooper who had already been in a couple of accidents due to his, uuuh skills.

Can anyone show me a statute where cops are above the law?


: Here's a good question. (none / 0) (#10)
by manys on Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 09:03:15 PM EST

There are many laws that say that an officer may do whatever is required in the execution of their duties.
I once got into an accident because my unlit cigarette fell down on the floor and I reached down to pick it up. These cops might think it strange that afterwards my first instinct was not to find someone else to blame.
I hate to be trendy, but that whole "red/white truck" thing illustrates a form of corruption if both the sergeant and the driver knew about the CrackBerry and still looked to blame a citizen. Grr.

: Here's the statute: (none / 0) (#12)
by Peter G on Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 09:13:53 PM EST

N.J. Stat. 2C:3-3(a) states that "conduct [which would otherwise constitute a crime] is justifiable when it is required or authorized by: (1) the law defining the duties or functions of a public officer or the assistance to be rendered to such officer in the performance of his duties ...." I haven't tried to find "the law defining the duties or functions of" the state police executive protection detail, but I'll bet it closes this circle just fine. On the other hand, this law, as I read it, does not justify the Governor's failure to buckle his seat belt.

: It's professional courtesy. (none / 0) (#18)
by ThrowingGallStones on Tue Apr 24, 2007 at 11:11:52 PM EST

Regardless (none / 0) (#9)
by manys on Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 08:55:02 PM EST

You probably already know the answer to those questions, both of which are actually the same observation.


that kind of message (none / 0) (#2)
by Jen M on Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 07:21:39 PM EST

might be a little distracting, yes. At 91 miles per hour? They are lucky to be alive

ooops (none / 0) (#3)
by jimakaPPJ on Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 07:24:01 PM EST

Speaking of the screwing he got for the screwing he got... wow

Don't believe everything you read ... (5.00 / 2) (#11)
by Peter G on Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 09:06:48 PM EST

... in the papers. I have a funny feeling that the cuckolded husband fed that e-mail story to the press knowing it would cause a sensation and be published without corroboration, just to embarrass his wife and the trooper he believes had an affair with her. No reason in the world to believe it is true that the trooper tried to check e-mail while driving 91 mph in the left lane of the Garden State Pkwy. In fact, it doesn't ring true at all.


: Translation: (none / 0) (#13)
by manys on Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 09:18:01 PM EST

"I have a funny feeling for no reason in the world."
Everything else you mention is pure conjecture.

: Peter G (none / 0) (#16)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Apr 24, 2007 at 11:40:08 AM EST

Either way, it still works.

: Corzine trooper (none / 0) (#17)
by furious on Tue Apr 24, 2007 at 08:00:59 PM EST

I find this so disturbing that because someone is part of law enforcement they are being labeled as thinking they are "above the law". Isn't it possible this trooper doesn't think that? It seems this trooper is getting a public bashing just because of his status and someone needs to take the fall! If I'm driving in my lane down the parkway, regardless of whether I'm doing 65 mph or 75 mph, why am I responsible if someone comes into my lane, hits my vehicle and causes me to go off the road??? Where is the responsibility of these other drivers who lost control of their vehicles?

As to the trooper and the governor (none / 0) (#6)
by scribe on Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 07:45:05 PM EST

word I've seen is that the gov is finally off the ventilator. Flailed chest will do that to you.

dream revenge. (none / 0) (#14)
by jpete on Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 11:13:08 PM EST

"O dear, I guess my spouse's infidelity sort of caused a national story and now I have to tell everyone what her role was."

As a woman (despite the user name), I suggest the wife leave immediately. Whatever else your husband has done, the tactlessness of this latest should tell you that the time to leave is now.