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$20 fine for crossing yellow line and killing biker...


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Fatal crash brings $20 ticket

Faith Mitzel, 92, had crossed the centerline on a North Dakota highway when her car hit two motorcycles.

By PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune

Authorities have issued a $20 traffic ticket to a 92-year-old woman who drove across the centerline in northeastern North Dakota and hit two of four motorcycles heading the other way, killing a newlywed and injuring her husband and another motorcyclist.

"It was the charge that was fitting," said Highway Patrol Capt. Kyle Ternes of the May 19 crash. "We took our time ... and did a thorough investigation."

The ticket, for driving over the centerline near Fort Totten, was hand-delivered Monday by the Highway Patrol to Faith Mitzel, of Oberon, N.D., Ternes said.

He said there was no evidence that Mitzel was speeding or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. So, "absent negligence ... there was nothing of that nature that would make it appropriate for charges that are more serious," he said, adding that the Benson County attorney's office was involved and agreed with the decision.

Mitzel, who was unhurt, was returning home by herself after a visit to Spirit Lake Casino in Devils Lake, the Highway Patrol said.

Killed in the crash was Sheri Leidholt, 30, of Devils Lake, N.D. Her husband, James Leidholt, 37, who was driving the motorcycle they were on, was hospitalized and has since been discharged. They were married four days before the crash.

The other motorcyclist, Jason Hunter, 33, of Devils Lake, is now recovering at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, Minn. According to his CaringBridge Web page, Hunter has had 10 surgeries, including a foot amputation.

Definition of Manslaughter - The unlawful killing of a human being without malice or premeditation, either express or implied.

I don't care how old the woman was, why is she exempt from a manslaughter/involuntary manslaughter charge?????

Am I missing something here? She crossed the centerline, killed one biker and cost another an amputated foot!

And her penalty is a $20 ticket for crossing the centerline - as if hitting/killling/maiming the bikers never even happened??

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That's really sad.

Rightfully she should be charged with manslaughter, but can you really put someone that old in prison? She could pay everything she has left in her retirement, then what?

On the other hand, the family of those killed has to live knowing the person who killed them walked away free for $20...

Tough, sad.

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I agree you cant put her in prison, but you can make her pay and take her license for the rest of her life

The family will sue, so her money is going somewhere. She can't win that case.

Her license is all she has left, and at that age I would expect the emotional trauma will probably kill her in short time anyways...It should still be taken, I can agree with that.

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i would kill that fuckin bitch if she had done that to me and killed my fiance and then walked for $20....i would physically fucking mangle her when i was out of the hospital...fuck that, this world is fucked up when it comes to how bikers are treated.... this is even worse than the woman who killed the guy while txting and got a few years of probation and still got to have driving privileges... thats some bs right there

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EVERYONE after 60yrs old should be required to retake the driving test every 5 yrs or so. that woman probably couldnt pass the test and shouldnt be allowed to drive.

:plus1: Senior citizens should have to stay sharp and be tested.

Flip side...I can't even imagine watching my wife die just four days after our marriage.

I can't imagine and don't want to.

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She was returning from the casino... and no alcohol was involved?? Granny should be charged, the cop should be charged for negligence, miscarriage of justice, if there's a judged involved I find him guilty of all the above and then some for refusing justice to the family of the deceased.

We have seriously got to start running these clowns out of office, they aren't making me laugh

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It's a shame to read about these kind of incidents. I saw an old bag in a Buick yesterday doing a cool 40mph on 71S (65mph), she looked to be only hours away from kicking the can and def. should not have been behind the wheel of a car.

i was at the gas station once and the woman clerk was helping osme old man get into his car, she was struggling so i went over and helped her out....it took both of us just to get him in his car, and he was shaking horribly like he was having a mild seizure, and he couldnt even talk or write or anything...after 30 seconds of trying to say something, we found out that he meant he forgot to buy a 2 liter of pop, so she took his card and ran inside and got it for him and brought it back out.....this dude was in a 2010 civic with temp tags on it...then he proceeded to drive off onto public streets when he was so feeble he couldnt even get in the car by himself

that is the kinda shit that scares me about society....if that clerk wouldnt have been helping him into his car, i wouldnt have either...ida let him struggle till he gave up and called a relative for help, stupid old bastard

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