Riveting

His parents did. That's why they should be held responsible for the crime.

My mother wouldn't sign for me to drive at 16, because I was an absolute idiot at 16 (and 17 thru 22, at which point I smartened up, a little), and she knew she could be held accountable for my stupid actions while I was under-aged, and could get sued civilly sued and lose her house. She made the right choice.

I also didn't sign for my son when he was 16, because he was an idiot too.

These parents should be forced to pay for every last cent of the damages as if they were in the driver's seat themselves.

CliffordK

I have a niece that is struggling with something similar.

My brother refused to let her learn how to drive at 15˝, nor get her license at 16. Then COVID hit, and she got herself emancipated at age 17.

Now she is struggling to learn to drive without her parent's tutelage.

The state wants her to get driver's ed + practice... but practice is so much harder without someone to practice with.

CliffordK

Minor or not, the kid could still get get cited and fined for reckless driving and other low level offenses.

It is really just imprisonment where juvenile and adult punishments diverge, and especially long-term incarceration.

It is hard to say whether there will be civil charges.

If damages stay below say $250K, or whatever his insurance covers, then the insurance company may pick up the tab.

But, given apparent intent to cause harm, and multiple victims he and his family could be hit with a significant lawsuit.

The 15 year old kid that caused the Columbia Gorge fire was sentenced to 1,920 hours of community service and five years of probation, as well as being ordered to pay $36,631,687.10 in restitution.

Kat12

Maybe not, but when the dumb **** you do has very real and serious consequences for others, then I'm not inclined to go easy on a person just because they're "young and dumb." "I was young and dumb" is what you say when you try to climb a tree and fall out, or you get caught shoplifting a lip gloss, or you drink too much and have an unpleasant hangover, or somesuch. When your "dumb" actions lead to serious bodily injury to someone, though, then nope-- I don't think "oops sorry how silly of me" can or should cut it.


Might be nice if he has to also go to some kind of counseling on why it's not "cute" or "funny" to intentionally be a jerk to other people, a remedial class on making poor decisions, and other such behavioral rehabilitations. Because that's what this stemmed from: 1. kid decided to be an arsehole to complete strangers for giggles and funsies, and 2. he did it in a way that was unsafe.

Daniel4

Is it lost on everyone that the young and dumb*** kid did take driving lessons and holds a valid drivers licence because he had accepted the responsibilities of operating a motor vehicle?

A light penalty would do nothing but invalidate those responsibilities.

CliffordK

This isn't just cute or funny... choking on some black smoke.

The kid hit 6 cyclists. Sent 4 to the hospital, with two serious enough to warrant air lifting. There isn't a lot of info about the injured cyclists, but it is possible injuries could be very severe including permanent disability or death.

Damages could well be on the order of a quarter million dollars (assuming no deaths or permanent disabilities).

This apparently wasn't a SMIDSY (Sorry Mate I Didn't See You) type of accident. Rather, the kid very much saw the cyclists and allegedly took actions to deliberately cause them harm.

Now, he may have lost control of his vehicle while trying to play games on the road. However, since he intended to cause harm, it doesn't excuse the harm being more serious than he anticipated.

I don't think this warrants simple counseling.

I consider this to be as serious as a drunk driving accident, and more serious than an underage DUI not related to an accident.

I don't know the appropriate punishment. I would send him to Juvi for a period of time. If injuries are serious enough, potentially till he is 18.

I would also suspend his driver's license for a period of time, and frankly don't care if he ever drives again. When he turns 50 and still has a suspended license, he can look back at his "Young and Dumb" actions as a teenager.

The kid should also have to personally reimburse for all injuries and damages, whether this is through civil action or through criminal action.

grizzly59

Juveniles aound here, home incarceration (ankle monitor), leave the house for school only, is pretty common. Mandatory don’t do that again classes, probation officer visits for x years, and community service add to that for most of the juvenile sentences. Jail is for armed robbery, attempted murder, etc. Most cases involve a plea to a lesser charge once they go before a judge.

CliffordK

This comes mighty close to attempted murder.

Criminal assault? Class A misdemeanor? One hopes none of the victims die.

TX_master

Story update w/comments from local DA:
https://www.fox26houston.com/news/16...-area-cyclists

Bald Paul

UNBELIEVABLE! Interesting that his parents showed up right after the crash, meaning he probably called Mommy and Daddy before calling for help for his victims (if he did at all.) Judging by the damage to the truck, he didn't clip the riders with a mirror or a dually fender as he passed too closely in an attempt to "roll coal" as he went by. His excuse will probably be that, at that moment, he flashed back to being in his room in the basement, playing "Death Race 2021" on his video game console, and confused "rolling coal on bicycles" with "rolling over bicycles" (you get bonus points for that in the game, I think.) It's also fairly clear where his main concern was. Not "Is anyone hurt?" but rather "Am I going to jail?"

Kat12

Um, yes. My entire post was saying that this kid shouldn't get a slap on the wrist, and the part you quoted was pointing out that in addition to the various penalties others had suggested, they should add one no one else came up with: learning to not be a ******bag (which, again, as I said, was the whole reason this happened in the first place).

curbtender

And the sub story points to another intentional killing of two cyclist. Waller is dropping down the list of bike friendly cities.

TX_master

Update 9/30
Updated article with comments from the DA's office: https://www.khou.com/article/news/cr...5-903486be6edd
Link to the Waller County DA's FB page where he comments at length on the case in a couple of posts: https://www.facebook.com/WallerCountyDAEltonMathis

Bald Paul

It just seems to be getting worse. It sounds like the DA can do very little, since it's a 'local jurisdiction' thing.
I can imagine the conversation at the crash scene:
(Sheriff) "Hey, Daddy Warbucks, looks like your boy did something stupid."
(Daddy WB) "Hey, Sheriff Bubba, yup, but you know, boys will be boys. Remember when we used to roll coal on these bicycle weenies?"
(Sheriff) - chuckling - "Heck yeah, those were good times! But, this is really bad."
(Daddy WB) "Well, tell you what, I'll get him right home and make him stay in his room with the 65" TV and his video games for a couple days. That outta set him straight, don't ya think? Hey, why don't you and the family come on out to the house this weekend? We're having a big ole BBQ by the pool, love for you to drop by!"
(Sheriff) "Sounds good, Daddy Warbucks! What time? Now, you get that boy home and teach him a lesson, okay?"

(My apologies in advance to anyone from Texas - or where ever - who may be offended by the above semi-sarcastic stereotype of what many believe to be the 'typical' local TX authorities. But....)

JW Fas

One positive result is the DA acknowledged that rolling coal is at minimum assault and an arrestable offense if bodily injury occurs. My guess is they can't apply that retroactively and cart this kid away until he faces trial or his parents make bail.

I-Like-To-Bike

Yes, that is exactly what you have done, imagine a scenario that fits your own prejudice.
Not to worry though, that seems to be the stereotypical response from stereotypical A&S would-be legal sleuths.

Bald Paul

I guess you missed this part, huh?

" My apologies in advance to anyone from Texas - or where ever - who may be offended by the above semi-sarcastic stereotype of what many believe to be the 'typical' local TX authorities."

The picture of Buford T. Justice didn't give you a clue?

I-Like-To-Bike

Adding a just kidding proviso or "apologies" when posting imaginary prejudicial scenarios is not a "clue". It is rather a weaselly way to cast aspersions on your target and earn likes from similarly minded members of the mob.

Ghazmh

I can only assume that according to his kin he was doing a culturally acceptable act in “their real America” against those bike weirdos. Sadly I fear that will play a part in the application of justice.

Daniel4

I can think of another "culturally acceptable act" from the deep south that I don't think anybody now would be proud of.

Rick

Special prosecutor appointed in Texas coal roll crash

SalsaShark

It bothers me that America views driving as a 'right' of sorts, and not an earned privilege. The fact that this driver's license was not revoked on the spot speaks volumes as to the indifference society has with regards to safety on our roads. Even the intentional use of a vehicle as a weapon on the road against others in the community is not enough to warrant a citation by law enforcement.
In this particular case, the offender has proven that he should be deemed unfit to operate a motor vehicle by his choice to play deadly games with it on the road. As such, it should not seem unfair that the punishment includes a lifetime termination of his driving privileges. Not only would this keep one unfit driver off the roadway, but would also set a precedence to other drivers who think public roadways are a playground without consequences.
I would give the driver one pathway to regain his driving privileges, however. If he can best a cyclist selected by the cycling community in a 100 mile road race, he would be eligible for reinstatement. While this seems a bit silly, it would ensure he understands the driving culture that he was supporting, and that it has no place on our roads. He may never get to the point where he can win a race against a strong rider, which would take years of dedication and road riding, but if he does it would mean he has spent many, many hours in the saddles of the riders that he felt so superior to a just few days ago in his truck.

TX_master

Link to story with details: https://www.click2houston.com/news/l...waller-county/

livedarklions

Interesting. Looks like they may charge him with aggravated assault, a second degree felony. He may be tried as an adult for that in Texas.

If he actually did multiple passes as claimed in the story, his goose may be cooked.

Looks like he's probably a rich kid, though, so all bets are off.

CliffordK

Reasonably nice pickup. Although I haven't seen details on it.

Probably a F250 if it is a diesel.

And, I believe it is dating to the mid teens, so not brand new. It doesn't have to belong to the kid either.

It is possible that the kid (or family) is paying payments on it like half the USA.

Being reasonably stable, doesn't mean wealthy. So, collecting damages of a quarter million, or more could still hurt.

They do already have a lawyer on retainer.