Milford, Connecticut police officer Jason Anderson has been charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter and one count of reckless driving in an accident that killed 19-year-old David Servin and 19-year-old Ashlie Krakowski. Anderson was driving at 94 miles per hour at the time and the crash was caught on the dashcam of another cruiser by Police Officer Richard Pisani.
Anderson was not responding to any call when he raced down the street after 2 a.m. Pisani and Anderson were returning to Milford in separate cruisers from a call.
The video was just released in the case.
A recent review of traffic tapes found repeated officers running red lights, here.
The investigation and charges are commendable, particularly given the response of some other departments to such cases, here and here and here. See also this story.
In Chicago recently officers were criticized for throwing a fundraiser for an accused drunk driving officer, here.
Some officers in driving accidents do not stick around to answer questions, here and here and here.
For the original story, click here.
Here in Virginia, this case would be fairly easy to assess. The vehicle proceeding through the intersection with a flashing yellow light at or below the posted speed limit has the right of way. The law changes when the vehicle is speeding. In that case, the speeding driver loses the right of way, and the issue is one of lookout with both drivers having the duty to avoid. The speed of a vehicle traveling at night directly towards you cannot be accurately estimated since you have no distance over which to judge the time interval it takes to travel it. In essence, if you follow the law, the cop should lose,… but we know that sometimes doesn’t happen.
Waiting to turn you judge the amount of time you have by how far away the other vehicle looks. The fact that it’s closing so quickly can be hard to judge, harder at night.
If this guy had been travelling at regulation speed that turn would have been completed without incident.
You think you have time to turn and then a cop arrives.
Now two young people are dead. I feel for the families.
For years, in Chattanooga, I have observed police cars going high rates of speed with no emergency lights or sirens on. If they are not going to alert the driving public of their speeding presence, this is the price that will be paid. As with all the incidents of unnecessary use of tasers,
I think policemen are prone to god-complexes and power trips in a way that far surpasses any behavior I have ever witnessed from doctors. “To protect and serve” is a useless, meaningless motto in far too many cases these days.
Paully, Re; FFLEO’s quote, The article says manslaughter so I’m wondering if there was a tox report on the officer that hasn’t been made public yet. The cite by FFLEO indicates that (illegal) drugs or alcohol needs to be present for the manslaughter charge.
As to arresting others and tying it to the case; duh, isn’t that always the first thing that’s done when a leo gets in trouble for use of force? Why should this be any different. It clouds the waters and can be used to transfer blame to others including the victims.
FFLEO, I think you quoted the wrong portion of the statute.
Sec. 53a-57. Misconduct with a motor vehicle: Class D felony. (a) A person is guilty of misconduct with a motor vehicle when, with criminal negligence in the operation of a motor vehicle, he causes the death of another person.
(b) Misconduct with a motor vehicle is a class D felony.
JRB, do you think you are funny?
Queen of all Hearts, Miss Lilly Langtree. Say something unkind about her and you will hang til you are deader than a West Texas Rattlesnake. Ya hear.
The cop has hired a big gun.
http://www.ltke.com/Bio/HughKeefe.asp
Attorney Keefe was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers 4 as a Fellow in 1984. Mr. Keefe was named by Connecticut Magazine as one of the five “Best Lawyers in Connecticut.” Following a poll of lawyers by Super Lawyers Magazine, Mr. Keefe was listed by Connecticut Magazine as the “Super Lawyer” with the highest number of votes in the State of Connecticut. He was also listed in New York Magazine in its July, 2006 and 2007 editions as one of the best lawyers in the New York area. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America every year since its initial publication in 1983.
“Anderson’s attorney, Hugh F. Keefe of New Haven,”
I know Hugh Keefe by reputation and he is considered one of the best criminal defense attorneys in Connecticut.
JRB’s legal mentor is the Queen of Hearts…
I suppose this was the highest Class felony charged since *intent* was not an element.
Under Connecticut Code:
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Quote:
Sec. 53a-56b. Manslaughter in the second degree with a motor vehicle: Class C felony. (a) A person is guilty of manslaughter in the second degree with a motor vehicle when, while operating a motor vehicle under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug or both, he causes the death of another person as a consequence of the effect of such liquor or drug.
Source: http://law.justia.com/connecticut/codes/title53a/sec53a-56.html
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I worked with an LEO who consistently broke speed limits and yet had no problem citing ohters for any vehicle violations.
Justice not done is an injustice. Now why did them damn fool kids get in the way of these on duty lawmen. The parents should be hung and then tried to see if they was guilty of something too.
JRB
Why do we have speed limits enforced by police? Oh yeah, that’s right….driving to fast is dangerous. I don’t care if the teenage driver was stoned on acid, 94 mph on a non-emergency should make Officer Anderson, at least an ex-officer.
At the beginning of the video, the second police car was travelling at 55 mph. When Officer Anderson’s cruiser passed him on the right, he increased his speed to 72 mph.
True! The car carrying the teenagers did turn in front of the police officer’s vehicle. However, had the police vehicle been driven within the speed limit, the teenagers vehicle would have been well clear of the police vehicle that hit them.
Nothing, including alcohol, should be considered contributory on the part of the teenagers.
Just look at the time it takes for the second police vehicle to enter the intersection.
My prediction:
The other car turned into the path of the police vehicle. Period. End of story. As much as I feel for the victims, I don’t see this ending any other way.
All justice is local.
The Cop Cruiser Crasher says that:
From the Article.
“Anderson, who is suspended with pay, was arrested Tuesday on manslaughter and reckless endangerment charges. Anderson’s attorney, Hugh F. Keefe of New Haven, said Thursday he plans to file a motion to examine the same evidence state police reviewed, so he can perform his own review.
“It’s obviously something that is going to have to be addressed by our own experts,” Keefe said of the 94 mph finding.
Keefe said the public should keep an open mind and not rush to condemn Anderson.
“It’s very early to take isolated pieces of evidence and to make a judgment on them,” Keefe said. “You need to hear the full story on both sides before making a judgment on that account.”
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Man, I have been saying that for years. But cops never do that, now do they?
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In the article it also states that a kid that was hosting a party that night and it may or may not be related was arrested:
State police made a second arrest in connection with the Anderson case as Jaycen Munro, 21, of 117 Heenan Drive, was arrested late Wednesday. Munro is alleged to have held a party at his residence on the night of the accident where alcohol was served and consumed by minors.
State police have not said whether Krakowski and Servin were at the party, but a state police spokesman said Munro’s arrest was made as a result of the investigation into the Anderson case.
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Lets pull out all of the plugs and use em here. Next you’ll hear Officer Down.
the party has
I think over very own Buddha offered this piece of information to the professor 2 days ago.
I think that the correct charges were filed against this POS LEO. But when you are an LEO who do you have to answer to?
Milford.
You did the right thing.