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One racing buddy dead, another going to jail


Casper

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Some of you might remember last year when a racing buddy of mine died. George was racing on 70. He was drunk. He lost control of his GTO, went across the median, and hit a young girl head on. The whole situation sucked from the get go. Well time has passed, the girl he hit recovered. Now, the kid George was racing, Brandon, has been charged for involuntary manslaughter, aggravated vehicular homicide, and aggravated vehicular assault. Such a shame.

An 18-year-old was charged on Wednesday in connection with a freeway drag race that killed a man and critically injured a woman.

Brandon Smith, 18, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, aggravated vehicular homicide and aggravated vehicular assault, 10TV's Kevin Landers reported.

While Smith's car never hit another vehicle, prosecutors said that his act of street racing contributed to the crash, leading to the charges.

ccording to Franklin County prosecutor Ron O'Brien, Smith was behind the wheel of a Camaro that was drag racing along Interstate 70.

The driver of the other car, George Staton lost control of his car and cross the median and crashed into another vehicle.

Staton, 30, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

The driver of the car that was struck, Monica Durban, was critically hurt in the crash. Durban, 20, was in a coma and on life support and is recovering from her injuries, 10TV News reported.

According to police, not only was Staton drag racing moments before the crash, but he was also legally drunk. Police records obtained by 10TV News show there were four witnesses to the crash: Staton's wife, his neighbor, his cousin and the driver Staton was racing.

Staton's wife and neighbor told investigators that the other man called Staton and challenged him to a race. When asked about the race the driver told police that his car "started breaking loose, so (he) let off the gas," allowing Staton to speed past him.

Staton's neighbor, who was following behind with Staton's wife, said that "after the race was over they both hit their brakes to slow down." The neighbor said it was "5 or 10 seconds later" that Staton lost control and crossed the median, 10TV's Glenn McEntyre reported.

Stay with 10TV News and 10TV.com for continuing coverage.

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ok didnt george's accident happen way way before the bust?? why are they dragging this up now? why put his family though the ringer more? i mean really let a sleeping dog lie. it is over! :mad:

that was kind of what i was thinking when i saw the story on the news last night.

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really? are you defending him???

it's not over

Am I understanding from the article correctly that the girl involved is still in a coma & on life support? By CPD's logic of pursuing the other racer......Are they then also going after the wife & neighbor who were in the "chase vehicle"?

The driver of the car that was struck, Monica Durban, was critically hurt in the crash. Durban, 20, was in a coma and on life support and is recovering from her injuries, 10TV News reported.
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Am I understanding from the article correctly that the girl involved is still in a coma & on life support? By CPD's logic of pursuing the other racer......Are they then also going after the wife & neighbor who were in the "chase vehicle"?

that girl was really messed up, but she's out of a coma now:

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2008/07/14/durban_crash.html

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If my wife or kids were injured in the same circumstances, I would want all involved to have the book thrown at them.

Yes and no. They were done racing when George lost control and wrecked. Brandon didn't hit him, or anything. In no way did Brandon cause the accident. How is it okay to blame him? George was drunk. It was a stupid decision. The accident, in my mind, was solely his fault. You can't throw the book at a dead guy, so it just seems they're looking for a scapegoat. Just my two cents.

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Well time has passed, the girl he hit recovered.

that girl was really messed up, but she's out of a coma now:

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2008/07/14/durban_crash.html

Sounds like she's still really messed up....even if out of the coma now. Hopefully she's continued to improve since the article was written 5 months ago

Edited by Fonzie
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Yes and no. They were done racing when George lost control and wrecked. Brandon didn't hit him, or anything. In no way did Brandon cause the accident. How is it okay to blame him? George was drunk. It was a stupid decision. The accident, in my mind, was solely his fault. You can't throw the book at a dead guy, so it just seems they're looking for a scapegoat. Just my two cents.

Well, whether you want to agree with it or not but that girl would not have been hit by him if they had not been out there racing in the first place. Its a fact and the same point the lawyers are going to argue. No race between them means that they wouldnt have been there means that one of them would not have hit the girl. Plain and simple in a lawyers eyes.

Its a shitty situation but it is an undeniable fact.

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Are they then also going after the wife & neighbor who were in the "chase vehicle"?
Wilson pointed to information officers received that Stanton's wife was allegedly videotaping the race -- something that could have cleared up questions about the crash and the role racing played, McEntyre reported.

"We don't know for sure that there was one, but we have a suspicion there was a videotape," Wilson said. "That's probably destroyed at this time."

Aren't bars/bartenders liable.......homeowners too, now that I think about it, if they allow someone to leave their place inebriated, who then go on to cause accident/injury? Isn't that why they can refuse to serve you, and take your keys?
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Aren't bars/bartenders liable.......homeowners too, now that I think about it, if they allow someone to leave their place inebriated, who then go on to cause accident/injury?

Actually bartenders and bars can be sued and yes they are liable to watch out for the drinking of their customers. Im sure homeowners could be charged as well from a legality standpoint. A good lawyer can make allot happen.

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Actually bartenders and bars can be sued and yes they are liable to watch out for the drinking of their customers. Im sure homeowners could be charged as well from a legality standpoint. A good lawyer can make allot happen.

agreed.

but i got the thinking about it and this prob could have taken so long because its just a grand jury indictment correct?? it sometimes takes awhile for them to actually get to the case, especially if there are other cases being pushed infront of it.

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