A Cycling & bikes forum. CycleBanter.com

Go Back   Home » CycleBanter.com forum » rec.bicycles » Techniques
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Cabbie hits 11 bicyclists in Miami



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old August 24th 08, 10:36 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Twitchell
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 71
Default Cabbie hits 11 bicyclists in Miami


http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miam...ry/655951.html

A cab driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel early Sunday morning before
plowing into a group of bicyclists out for a leisurely morning ride on the
MacArthur Causeway, police said.

The 8 a.m. accident left many of the riders sprawled on the pavement in the
eastbound lane and sent six to the hospital.

The most seriously injured was a 48-year-old man who was taken into surgery and
listed in critical condition; the five others were in stable condition.

The other five suffered severe road burn when thrown to the pavement and were
treated at the scene.

After the accident, two bicycles were still attached to the cab, one crushed
underneath it, the other by its front passenger door. The cab's windshield was
shattered.

Police identified the driver as Herbert Morais, 52, with the Checker Cab
company.

''He's openly admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel of the car,'' said
Detective Juan Sanchez, a Miami Beach police department spokesman. ``At this
point he hasn't been charged with anything. The investigation is still on
going.''

Michael S. Kaufman, an attorney for the cab company, said the company was still
trying to reach the driver, and he could not comment on what the driver told
police.

He did not know if Morais had been working or possibly running errands on a
Sunday morning.

''Our thoughts are obviously with those who are injured,'' Kaufman said. ``We
all wish them a fast recovery. We're still looking into the events. . . . We
need to reach him to get a definitive answer of what's going on.''

The company ensures all drivers are properly licensed with Miami-Dade County, he
added. The accident occured in the eastbound lands of the causeway in the
southern most lane, at the entrance to Palm Island.

Morais, who did not have any passengers, struck the riders from behind.

The group of cyclists are not part of an official club, but friends who get
together on the weekends to ride.

Some of the injured who were taken to Ryder Trauma Center were identified as:

Julio Fuentes, 47,

Gustavo Martinez, 43

Ramon Garcia, 45,

Roberto Canovaca, 44

Julio Suares, 33

Ads
  #2  
Old August 25th 08, 03:33 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Tim McNamara
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6,945
Default Cabbie hits 11 bicyclists in Miami

Yikes! I hope everybody recovers.
  #3  
Old August 25th 08, 05:58 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Cycling bee
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 16
Default Cabbie hits 11 bicyclists in Miami



Police identified the driver as Herbert Morais, 52, with the Checker Cab
company.

''He's openly admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel of the car,'' said
Detective Juan Sanchez, a Miami Beach police department spokesman. ``At this
point he hasn't been charged with anything. The investigation is still on
going.''


Okay, just one question.
Why is the investigation still on-going?
If the schmuck has admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel what
more do they need?



  #5  
Old August 25th 08, 06:45 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Woland99
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 434
Default Cabbie hits 11 bicyclists in Miami

On Aug 24, 11:58 pm, Cycling bee wrote:
Police identified the driver as Herbert Morais, 52, with the Checker Cab
company.


''He's openly admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel of the car,'' said
Detective Juan Sanchez, a Miami Beach police department spokesman. ``At this
point he hasn't been charged with anything. The investigation is still on
going.''


Okay, just one question.
Why is the investigation still on-going?
If the schmuck has admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel what
more do they need?


Here in Austin there were several cases of people on bikes hit by
a car that resulted in no charges filed. One famous case was with
some redneck in a pickup truck that tried to run lance Armstrong
of the road. He picked the worng guy to mess with and was charged
with assault with vehicle or sth like that and went to prison.
As for the cabie falling asleep I can relate to it - I drove a
cab many years ago. Usually you split the cab 12hrs between day
and night driver but there are cases when your day driver would
take the day off and you may get the cab for several extra hours
for free. There is always a temptation to drive and make money
until you fall on your face. Technically you can even lease the
cab on 24hrs basis and cab company is suppoise to enforce that
you do not drive certain number of hours non-stop (I do not
remember if it was 8 or 10). Either way - cab company will get
sued and will pay thru the nose. I was hit couple times by drunk
drivers (despite developing almost 6th sense to avoid it) and
passengers in my cab found it much easier to sue the company -
often for imaginary injuries.
  #6  
Old August 25th 08, 10:01 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Penny
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 142
Default Cabbie hits 11 bicyclists in Miami

Cycling bee writes:


Police identified the driver as Herbert Morais, 52, with the Checker Cab
company.

''He's openly admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel of the car,'' said
Detective Juan Sanchez, a Miami Beach police department spokesman. ``At this
point he hasn't been charged with anything. The investigation is still on
going.''


Okay, just one question.
Why is the investigation still on-going?
If the schmuck has admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel what
more do they need?



Need for what?

You think he had criminal intent?
  #7  
Old August 25th 08, 06:51 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 114
Default Cabbie hits 11 bicyclists in Miami

On Aug 25, 4:01*am, wrote:
Cycling bee writes:

Police identified the driver as Herbert Morais, 52, with the Checker Cab
company.


''He's openly admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel of the car,'' said
Detective Juan Sanchez, a Miami Beach police department spokesman. ``At this
point he hasn't been charged with anything. The investigation is still on
going.''


Okay, just one question.
Why is the investigation still on-going?
If the schmuck has admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel what
more do they need?


Need for what?

You think he had criminal intent?


Negligence resulting in death or injury (or financial
loss) is certainly prosecutable.

Every state has a driving test. Every state has a
corresponding driver's manual. Every state that
I am even remotely familiar with has a warning in
that manual about driving while sleepy.
  #8  
Old August 25th 08, 10:04 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Cycling bee
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 16
Default Cabbie hits 11 bicyclists in Miami

On Aug 25, 2:01 am, wrote:
Cycling bee writes:

Police identified the driver as Herbert Morais, 52, with the Checker Cab
company.


''He's openly admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel of the car,'' said
Detective Juan Sanchez, a Miami Beach police department spokesman. ``At this
point he hasn't been charged with anything. The investigation is still on
going.''


Okay, just one question.
Why is the investigation still on-going?
If the schmuck has admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel what
more do they need?


Need for what?

You think he had criminal intent?


Evem if he didn't have criminal intent, driving while sleepy is a
condition that everyone is forewarned against. Criminl Negligence
would be the least that I would expect him to be charged with.
But as we all know, driving is nolonger a privilage, it's a right.
We as a society need to start changing our attitudes towards
'accidents' .
We also need to re-evaluate our loosey-goosey licensing requirements.
  #9  
Old August 25th 08, 11:26 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
A Muzi
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,551
Default Cabbie hits 11 bicyclists in Miami

Police identified the driver as Herbert Morais, 52, with the Checker Cab
company.
''He's openly admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel of the car,'' said
Detective Juan Sanchez, a Miami Beach police department spokesman. ``At this
point he hasn't been charged with anything. The investigation is still on
going.''


Cycling bee wrote:
Okay, just one question.
Why is the investigation still on-going?
If the schmuck has admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel what
more do they need?


a pee test? Toxicology reports a few days later?
Delay while accident reconstruction guys file their report on speeds,
lane location, skid marks etc?
Witness reports?
General normal paperwork?
If the 'serious' guy changes to 'fatal', charges change too.
This is never quick nor simple.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Cabbie strike Oct. 22 - HOPE IT LASTS FOREVER! Prisoner at War General 0 October 24th 07 03:01 PM
Cabbie strike Oct. 22 - HOPE IT LASTS FOREVER! Prisoner at War Social Issues 0 October 24th 07 03:01 PM
Funds OK for Little Miami bicycle bridge? Garrison Hilliard General 0 September 27th 07 03:15 PM
Frank exchange of words with black cabbie New Topic Reply to Topic spindrift UK 50 August 7th 06 06:25 AM
LBS in Miami -Ft Lauderdale area Per Elmsäter General 2 April 27th 05 07:22 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 01:13 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 CycleBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.