Cops Says Firefighter Could Have Avoided Crash That Killed Deputy

Truckie1794 · 02-08-2008, 01:47 PM

This is from www.FireFighterCloseCa11s.com:

COPS SAYS FIREFIGHTER COULD HAVE AVOIDED CRASH THAT KILLED DEPUTY
Thursday, February 7, 2008 The Missouri State Highway Patrol has released its Accident Reconstruction Report (attached below) on a deadly crash in early October involving two emergency vehicles. The accident killed a Greene County sheriff's deputy and seriously injured an Ebenezer volunteer firefighter.

The two emergency responders were responding to the same crash when they collided at the intersection of Highway WW at Farm Road 145 in northern Greene County near Ebenezer. The accident reconstruction report provides some answers as to how exactly the deadly crash happened.

Nearly four months later, a cross and some flowers stand as a reminder of the tragic accident. For those looking for answers, the Missouri State Highway Patrol's accident reconstruction report may provide some.

Deputy Gary McCormack, 33, was killed when his patrol car collided with a pickup driven by firefighter Joshua Douglas, 25. Both men had emergency lights and sirens going as they approached the intersection, responding to the same call.

The report finds McCormack was travelling about 93 miles per hour prior to the crash and about 75 mph at the time of impact. Investigators believe Douglas' vehicle was going about 27 mph at the time of impact.

McCormack was headed westbound on WW, as Douglas came north on FR 145. Investigators believe the trees and brush near the intersection obstructed their view of each other.

Trees weren't the only problem.

"This collision occurred as a direct result of driver #2 (Douglas) not stopping or slowing for the stop sign as 'necessary for safe operation,'" the report says.

The report says, if Douglas had stopped at the stop sign, it would have been visible on the patrol car's camera.

Missouri Highway Patrol Lt. Terry Moore says Missouri law for emergency responders doesn't require a stop, but does require caution.

"In the case of a stop sign, we may not run through a stop sign or red light unless we have slowed down and exercised due regard for the safety of others and made sure we're not creating some kind of hazard," said Moore.

McCormack died of blunt force trauma at the scene. Douglas was thrown from his vehicle and seriously injured. The report can't change anything, but it may help answer how this tragedy happened.

"You take what you can from circumstances like this and try to do better," said Moore.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol sent the repot to Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Darrell Moore for a decision on whether to file charges.

Here is a LINK to the entire report:

http://images.bimedia.net/documents/...ck+Douglas.pdf

Granted the FF shouldn't have gone thought the stop sign without being able to see the intersection clearly (he was going 27 mph in a 45 mph zone), but don't you think that the Sheriff (may he rest in peace) going 93 mph in a 55 mph zone played a big part with the cause? The same vegetation obstructing the view of the FF also obstructed the view of the Sheriff. In my opinion, this report is an example of covering your own and hanging the other guy out to dry. Hopefully the DA will see through it.

NozzleNose · 02-08-2008, 03:33 PM

hopefully the DA doesnt charge the kid, but in the end one of the good guys is dead and thats the bottom line tragic and not good

ride-n-fly · 02-08-2008, 04:23 PM

93 mph wow thats quite an impact

Goin2work · 02-10-2008, 09:48 AM

n the case of a stop sign, we may not run through a stop sign or red light unless we have slowed down and exercised due regard for the safety of others and made sure we're not creating some kind of hazard," said Moore.

So 93 miles per hour is using due regard !?!?!? I'm sorry, but I smell a COVER UP!!!

DaSweeper · 02-10-2008, 11:57 AM

give me a break........93 mph is due regard???? What a bunch of bull $hit. Sound s like the good ole boys doing the investigation were drinking the moon shine.

IRONHIDE43 · 02-10-2008, 12:24 PM

93 MPH sounds insane. And I think that report is pretty one-sided. But before we jump on the 'cover-up' band wagon, just consider a few thing. Where were these brothers in relation to the accident scene and the volly's station? Where were both of these brothers coming from? Mizzou ain't like Nassau where there's 8-10 cars in each command. What if this was the only trooper in the area? And by area I mean a zone the size of Nassau County. What if the additional info was reporting overturn, pin, MOS involved, etc.? Could the MVA be in an accident-prone location that's notorious for serious MOI's/traumas? What was the traffic like between the original MVA and this tragic event?

Just some food for thought...
Thoughts go to each brother's family.

NassauRanter · 02-10-2008, 01:27 PM

I agree that something smells fishy, but if they were trying to cover something up don't you think they would have pegged the cop at a lower speed to make him look less at fault?

underthedome · 02-10-2008, 03:34 PM

It's crazy for either of them, or anyone, to just blindly take an intersection just because they have lights and sirens. There are plenty of intersections in my town that I will slow down for even when I have the green light because I know there is a change of people coming out of a side street.

STRAIGHTBORE · 02-10-2008, 11:51 PM

Just a EVOC fact: At 93 MPH you would be traveling approx. 139.5' per second.

NozzleNose · 02-11-2008, 04:23 AM

also dont forget the roads are alot less populated and alot straighter in the mid west....

90mph in an RMP w/ lights and sirens on a straight away w/ no curves in an open area i can easily picture....how many times have any us hit 90 on the LIE or ocean parkway ...i know i have

granted im not coming up to intersections w/ a stop sign....but the cop could have been on a main road and the FF on a small side street...i dont slow down for many small side streets.....who knows NONE Of us were there its tragic and i Seriously doubt that its a cover up seeing that the PD has no one to "protect" Either way it sucks for all involved and like the other poster said if they were trying to cover somethign up they wouldnt have admitted that the PO was going 90some mph

CoolMedic · 02-12-2008, 06:35 AM

Was the PD approaching a stop sign also? If yes, how was he going to proceed with caution at the stop sign?

Slim · 02-12-2008, 11:01 AM

Typical COP COVERUP and blame the fire service. 93 miles an hour come on! I feel bad for the family of the cop and all but what about the firefighter that now has to live with this.

Slim

Truckie1794 · 02-12-2008, 11:44 AM

For the record, the Sheriff did not have the stop sign. The FF had the stop sign and ran it.

IMHO, the "cover-up" is that the investigation places the blame squarely on the FF without putting partial blame on the Sheriff for the speed he was driving at. Sure the information is all in the report, but the comments and summaries and how they are presented are worded to protect the deceased officer.

When someone dies, it's common to let the bad parts (we all have them) fade away and remember the good. Maybe that's the case here. I just don't think the FF involved should be punished because of that.

itfd04 · 09-20-2008, 01:06 AM

If it had been a cover-up. I would think the Deputies speed would have been 52 MPH. It is a tragedy and I agree that it should not fall 100% on the Firefighter. At 93 MPH you really come up on someone FAST. Especially when you expecting the traffic to be at 50 or 60 MPH and you're turning onto that road. Your timing is thrown way off because of the higher speed.

halfandhalf · 09-20-2008, 06:13 AM

It's a tragedy any way you look at it. We should all use this as a learning experience. I know that I am guilty of having a couple of close calls with other FFs on the way to the firehouse because I, or they, were driving like an idiot. Sometimes you hear that call and get tunnel vision. Moral of the story: Be careful when responding to an alarm, be it the scene, or the firehouse.

Brakesoff · 09-20-2008, 06:59 AM

In this case a cover up it will be hard to do. The accident reconstruction investigation will be accomplished again by the defense if it was to go to litigation. The reconstruction would be accomplished by a expert witness hired by the defense using the facts from the scene. Now with other people invloved attention can be called to a bad initial reconstruction investigation. I'm also assuming that the defense can afford this. Expert witnesses like this are not cheap. 90 mph is asking for trouble. Like you, I also agree the blame is lopsided. Typically the police will protect their own and the prosecutor may be in on it. Unfortunatlly, jurors tend to believe state witnesses and take their word as gospel, no matter how inaccurate their testimony maybe. After all why would the goverment lie to them but the defense will say anything to get off the hook. I pray for this kid. I hope he or his family is politcally connected.

red helmet · 09-21-2008, 06:05 PM

93 mph is just not reasonable, thats why he could not stop and pick up the oncomming hazzard. At that speed you are covering to much ground to spot potential hazzards. The officer was not on a hwy like the ocean pkwy were traffic dont cross the road, bad judgement was a factor here. This is a nightmare situation and sounds like once again the police are taking care of themselves. Both of these guys share blame here lets not pin it on the guy who was doing 27 mph and lived.

BigSmoke · 09-21-2008, 08:13 PM

think this one should be locked! either way a cop is dead and a brother in the hospital and everyone wants to know why this guy was doing 93 mph.......bottom line its a sad turn of events. and on a side note not in favor of anyone but the cop who recently died in new haven as a result of an rmp on rmp MVA. how come no one wants to talk about that another sad turn of events? this is not an uncommon occerance with emergency personal

Blue Mule Trucking · 09-21-2008, 09:27 PM

I am sorry for the tragedy happening. Personally I think a quick response is good, but a rushed response just ends up in tragedy. Like they say rushing only causes trouble.

NozzleNose · 09-22-2008, 03:42 AM

A cover up???? youve got to be kidding me. There is virtually no way to cover much of anything up ....this is the day and age of digital video and audio....odds are the car probably had a dash camera, which recorded the whole thing happen, as well as the speed and other info....who knows what the intersection looked like, store w/ security cameras....not to mention other by standers and witnesses.....I dont know any cops that are willing to put thier career and pension and benefits on the line to cover up a car accident by shifting blame.

And once again 90 isnt THAT fast....maybe some of you need to take a vacation away from metropolis and see what the rest of the country is like

1stdueindaView · 09-22-2008, 12:00 PM

It's not a cover up.. it is the blame shift..

at 93 and coming up to an intersection regardless if you have a "traffic device" (stop sign, yield, etc.) you should know within your own experiences.. people are stupid when it comes to red lights and sirens.. they are like moths.. come right towards you.. "due regard" in this case, when compared to case law, was completely thrown out the window..