Father charged with shooting drunk driver

The father CHOSE to put his kids in a dangerous situation on a dark road. The driver did not hit those kids in there yard. There were bad choices made by more than one person in this sad case.

http://www.khou.com/news/Parents-of-...183237862.html

http://www.khou.com/home/Accident-le...182671661.html

One article says the shooting occurred within three minutes of the crash.

The other one says the boys and father were pinned between the vehicles and had to be life-flighted out. Seems odd that the father could have shot someone in those circumstances...

Something is not adding up here. Supposedly witnesses saw the dad walk back home, get the gun, and shoot the driver. All in 3 minutes? I guess that could happen, if they lived nearby. Yet, 3 other reports of the accident say he was pinned with the boys. Also, a gun has yet to be found. Did he get out from between the vehicles, walk home, shoot the guy, get rid of the gun, and then get back between the vehicles? That just doesn't seem likely at all. Something is missing in these reports, or some witnesses are flat out lying.

witnesses being confused is normal.
I think one report said they were within yards of their driveway.

So What about we try the guy that hit the kids if he is guilty we turn Dad lose since he simply saved the state a few bucks in execution fees?

Seem fair?

Who was driving the pickup?

From what I read they ran out of gas fairly close to home- measured in yards. They would have either had to walk home without the truck, sit in the truck and wait for the Dad to get gas and come back after them, or push the truck the short distance home. A drunk driver would have been a big danger in any circumstance. The boys were 11-12 I think, so I can see that they would have helped push the truck home...

And we know this man was drunk how? Was he given a blood alcohol test, a sobriety test? Was he given a trial to establish guilt or innocence? How do we know that the accident was caused by alcohol rather than just not paying attention?

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"Nothing so needs reforming as other peoples habits." Mark Twain

Fair? Dont you think you are getting things in the wrong order here? I would prefer to have the trial BEFORE we carry out death sentences.

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"Nothing so needs reforming as other peoples habits." Mark Twain

It's vaguely disturbing when YH and I are in total agreement on something.

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"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why they are poor, they call me a communist"- Archbishop Camara

The Mad Luddite

I would dare say that someone suddenly viewing his children as corpses probably isn't thinking much at all. He is reacting, not thinking. Conscious thought? He is in shock. Even if the driver weren't drunk, anyone hit with that kind of trauma deserves some consideration of "insanity" during the following 5 minutes. What he did might not be right - after all, for all we know, the brakes simply failed and the driver was innocent - but I would hardly call it premeditated. Automatic fight or flight reaction. I bet those 5 minutes are a blur in his mind.

Just a sad situation all around. Wouldn't want to be him, OR the driver, had he survived.

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Wise enough to know I'll never be wise enough to know it all

I'd strongly suggest not having a quote war on this one... first, it's "Thou shalt not murder"... and there's a few bits in there about "an eye for an eye" and all that.

R

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When faced with issues in life, where do you look for the problem; out the window, or in the mirror?

Having clear rational thoughts really shouldnt disturb you. Its actually kinda neat once you get used to them.

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"Nothing so needs reforming as other peoples habits." Mark Twain

Yes that would be the preferred order but the Father just might have been privy to information at that time that the justice system wont hear for a long time.

One of the reports I read said his BAC was around .175 I believe. Of course with all of the holes in the reports, I don't know whether to trust it or not. I could see how they would have tested it if they did a blood test on him while they were treating him. According to the reports, the gunshot to the head didn't cause him to die until later.

Thanks, I feel much better now

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"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why they are poor, they call me a communist"- Archbishop Camara

The Mad Luddite

You know, watching your children murdered in front of you has to affect your brain as much if not ore than being drunk.

So if the drunk driver should get a pass because he was drunk, the father should get a pass because 1) the drunk driver does not have to live with what he did and 2) the father has to live with out his sons for the rest of his life. Plus living with the knowledge that he took a human life even though he was seemingly justified in doing so.

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2Ti 1:7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Luceo non uro

Are you saying the driver hit the boys intentionally (murder)?

He may have been privy to that knowledge, but he should have obeyed our laws, not taken things into his own hands. I found this little tidbit in my copy of the Constitution... and think it would apply to situations of this nature.
"No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law", That due process thing also includes the right to have a trial before a jury of our peers, and the right to have proper legal counsel. Seems that who ever bypasses those little details are stepping way way out of bounds.

It would appear that the father in this case should be thankful that the drivers kin are not of the same mindset he was (if he indeed was the shooter)... at least the father will have a chance to present his side of the situation in front of a jury.

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"Nothing so needs reforming as other peoples habits." Mark Twain

There are those that believe anyone who gets behind the wheel of an auto after consuming any amount of alcohol is automatically guilty of murder if for any reason they are involved in a traffic accident resulting in someones death. It makes little difference to them that some other party may have actually caused the accident, only that one of the drivers had been drinking, therefor its all his/her fault... and yes even to the point of calling it premeditated murder. There are also people who believe in the easter bunny, santa clause, and the world is fair.

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"Nothing so needs reforming as other peoples habits." Mark Twain