There is a bizarre story out of Montana this week where Randy Lee Tenley, 44, reportedly wanted to make people think he was the Sasquatch by dressing in a military “Ghillie suit” (used by snipers) like the one shown right and walked along a highway at night. The drivers apparently had trouble seeing Tenley, let alone a Sasquatch, in the camouflage and ran over Tenley twice, killing him. (The photo on left is one of the best known Sasquatch shots).
Police say that Tenley wanted to trigger some calls about seeing the Sasquatch but when he stepped into the right lane of the highway a 15-year-old girl hit him. He was then run over by a 17-year-old girl driving a car behind her.
It is a truly tragic set of facts not just for Tenley but these young drivers.
There is no viable tort claim for the family given Tenley’s negligence and the difficulty in seeing him at night. This is not a case of Big foot meets lead foot. The drivers were not cited for excessive speed or reckless driving. There is however the question of an emotional distress claim by these young girls who were no doubt traumatized by the incident and causing the death of a person. They could sue for negligent (and perhaps intentional) infliction of emotional distress. While that is highly unlikely, it would make for a viable claim as would a straight negligence action.
Source: Daily Interlake
At some point, one has to ask if this guy was goofy? I guess Sasquatch is dead after all. Sad and stupid.
This is classic Tweeter and the Monkey Man:
A wedding dress, a Halloween outfit, and celebratory dancing all lead to death.
I’m going back to bed.
Several bizaare points here:
—-they let 15 year olds drive at night (even with adult co-driver)???
—-where had he hidden his car?
—-that is my cousin, he got tired of being teased for
his being so hairy that he hit the woods.
Ghillie suits were first invented by Scottish gamekeepers as a portable hunting blind. The suit is usually homemade, with the outline broken up by hundreds of strands of burlap dangling to break up the outline of the person. The colors also blend in with nature. Someone can be standing next to you in the woods, and if they are wearing a ghillie suit, there is a good chance you will not see them as long as they stand still.
Tenley should have known he would be extremely hard to see, especially at night. I hate to say anything negative about the dead, but it was the height of irresponsibility on his part to step into the road at night while wearing a ghillie suit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghillie_suit
Squashed is one way to look at it….
I think he is a strong contender for winning this years Darwin Award.
Sounds like Harry and the Hendersons only the “double tap” killed the star.
I feel bad for the girls. His stupidity will cost them a lifelong remorse and trauma for killing a man, albeit unintentionally. He doesn’t even get to be ashamed of himself.
I feel sorry for the dead guy and his family. I feel sorry for the girls. As to a suit, first, there is no claim for negligent infliction of emotional distress in my state. I do not know whether one exists in Montana or not, but I’m skeptical. Second, I suspect a claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress fails because there was not intent to get himself killed, and intending to make someone believe that they saw bigfoot isn’t outrageous enough to qualify IMO. Third, I can’t believe there’s any insurance coverage for any possible claim and I kinda suspect that a guy who dresses up as bigfoot doesn’t have lots of assets that would be easily collectible. Fourth, while the girls are sympathetic figures currently, I wouldn’t feel much sympathy if they dragged the dead guy’s family into a lawsuit as that would seem likely to cause a lot of anguish to them.
In deference to the deceased, I will not say this is a “Squash-squatch” case.
mespo,
To tempt me to start the maudlin puns!
That should be Don’t tempt me to start the maudlin puns!! I need some lunch!
Sasquashed.
I gave in to temptation.
Negligent infliction might fly in some states.This was a FORESEEABLE consequence of his actions and these girls were certainly traumatized. That said, there will only be a means to recover damages if he had homeowners insurance, and even then it will be a stretch.
Apparently he did not see this episode of Trailer Park Boys. Might have given him a heads-up on the consequences.
“Bigfoot Is Real”
http://bigfootsightings.org/friends-sasquatch-different/#comment-25296