Guest Anglesault Report post Posted July 17, 2003 SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 17) - An 86-year-old man whose car plowed through a crowded farmers market, killing nine and injuring up to 45 others, had recently damaged his own garage with his car, police said Thursday. Police said Russell Weller told them he may have hit the gas pedal instead of the brake Wednesday, hurling victims into the air as his car careened down a street closed to traffic. ``Mr. Weller and his family want to express their deepest sympathies to the victims and their families of the tragic accident earlier today,'' Weller family attorney Jim Bianco said in a statement Wednesday. ``This was an unintentional and unfortunate accident.'' At the scene of the accident Thursday, dozens of people lined up to donate blood for the injured, and crews shoveled smashed peaches and scooped up flowers that had been strewn across the street in the crash. A few collapsed stands remained in place, their frames twisted. Marc Palazzo, who works nearby, left a vase of flowers on the ground, ``just in memory of the victims,'' he said. Eight people were pronounced dead at the scene and a ninth, a 50-year-old man, died later at a St. John's Hospital, spokeswoman Barbara Bishop said. Fourteen others were critically injured. Weller was not arrested, but authorities were considering whether the case was ``manslaughter of some type'' and investigating whether he was qualified to drive, said Police Chief James T. Butts Jr. ``There may be some negligence as to his capacity to drive safely,'' Butts said, although he added that Weller, of Santa Monica, has a valid driver's license. Police searching Weller's home for medications and evidence of his fitness to drive found that Weller recently ``struck the back of his garage at least twice'' with his car, Butts said Thursday on ABC's ``Good Morning America.'' He didn't elaborate on how investigators knew Weller was to blame for the mishaps. ``Unless there's intent later proven, I think what we're going to find is we have an 86-year-old driver that may not have been as competent as he needed to be to drive,'' Butts said. ``So we're pursuing this as if it were a criminal act. But we're going to let the facts speak for themselves and we'll sort this out at the end.'' Weller told police he was leaving a nearby post office and didn't realize until too late that the street was closed for the market, Butts said. Weller was taken to a hospital for a blood test, and initial results found no traces of alcohol or psychoactive drugs such as antidepressants and hallucinogens. Mary Roney, who has lived two doors down from Weller and his wife for 30 years, said he has never had any trouble driving and she did not know of any health problems. ``A more careful, gentle, loving person you'll never find,'' said Roney, who described him as active in the community, including serving on a library board and tutoring students at Santa Monica High School. Butts said he did not have an estimate of the car's speed. Witnesses said Weller's 1992 Buick was moving very fast down the three downtown blocks of Arizona Avenue that were closed for the street market. ``Sixty miles per hour and it wasn't slowing down. It was flying. And then people down, dead and everything,'' said David Lang, manager of a shoe store along the market route. ``I heard a car just hit, bang, bang, bang,'' said Mojgan Pour, 38. ``I heard people screaming. By the time I looked, I never even saw the car. I tried to help a man and he died while I was helping him.'' Weller left police headquarters by late afternoon. Walking unsteadily with a cane, he hugged and smiled at people who picked him up from the police station. He declined to comment to a reporter. The market, which takes place Wednesdays and Saturdays, bisects oceanside Santa Monica's popular Third Street pedestrian promenade and is near the famous Santa Monica Pier. It draws thousands of shoppers and was slated to close just as the incident occurred at 2 p.m. The nine dead - five women, three men and a 3-year-old girl - were not identified. Police said 20 to 30 people had moderate or light injuries. They were taken to four hospitals by a fleet of ambulances and rescue helicopters. A witness, Bahram Manahedgi, 50, said one person was on the hood of the car when it finally came to rest after the incident. A woman's body was crushed beneath the vehicle. Manahedgi said that when he went to pull the driver out, ``His eyes were open and he was alive. I said, 'Do you know what the hell you did?' He said, 'No.' I just opened the door, I pulled him out.'' A crowd gathered around the car and ``wanted to beat him up,'' Manahedgi said. ``I said, 'He's an old man, leave him alone.''' Among the critically injured was Shamsi Khani, an 85-year-old woman who buys vegetables for her family at the market. Her son-in-law, Dan Khani, said she underwent surgery for seven hours for a broken neck, and faced a second operation Thursday for a broken hip and bone fractures. Both of her legs were broken in the crash. ``We don't know if she is going to be paralyzed,'' Khani said. That's really unfortunate for all involved. I really do feel bad for the old guy, who will have to live with this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Cancer Marney Report post Posted July 17, 2003 I feel bad for the people who won't. The "old guy" can go to hell. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anglesault Report post Posted July 17, 2003 It's not like the old dude was malicious with it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Cancer Marney Report post Posted July 17, 2003 He was criminally careless, and his carelessness cost lives. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly Report post Posted July 18, 2003 So what do you think should happen to this old man Marney? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Kingpk Report post Posted July 18, 2003 Well, when you think you are pressing the brakes and your car suddenly speeds up and people are bouncing off it for a BLOCK, then you should realize you made a teensy mistake. It's a REALLY unfortunate accident and I really don't know what thjey should do with the guy. Revoke his license, sure, but I don't know if he'll go to jail for it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest kkktookmybabyaway Report post Posted July 18, 2003 That's really unfortunate for all involved. I really do feel bad for the old guy, who will have to live with this. Too bad it won't be for much longer. Now this incident drudges back up the debate of should old people be allowed to drive. Oh goodie... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Kingpk Report post Posted July 18, 2003 I think another test at retirement age (65 or so) should be required if the person wants to continue driving. It'll should be a issue brought up by the states, not the federal gov't. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest kkktookmybabyaway Report post Posted July 18, 2003 I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Despite this recent event where someone should not have been driving under any circumstances, I'd still take my chances with an Eighty-something going 20 mph in front of me than with a Twenty-something *coughKotzcough* going 120 mph behind me. Now an Eighty-something going 60 mph at me on the sidewalk is another story... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vern Gagne Report post Posted July 18, 2003 5 bucks says the old guy is behind the wheel in 6 months. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rendclaw 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2003 86 years old or not, he should go to jail for the rest of his natural life. If he was 36, 46, 56, there wouldn't be any issue with charging him with negligent homicide. But once you cross over 65, you get off with a light sentence? Throw the damned book at him. I am not a fascist, but I know if I did the same thing under the same circumstances, I would be going to jail, no doubt. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Stunt Granny Report post Posted July 18, 2003 He needs to spend the rest of his life in a nursing home, without a doubt. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Nevermortal Report post Posted July 18, 2003 I think that once you hit sixty five, you should have to submit to a driver's test every five years to find out if you are competent enough to drive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Retro Rob Report post Posted July 18, 2003 I work in a produce store. The other day a 90 year old guy came in. He looked like he was in his 70s. For some reason he brought up his age. I didn't believe him, so he pulled out his driver's license to prove it to me. That was quite a shocker. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Ripper Report post Posted July 18, 2003 I ride the bus with a 95 year old white lady that looks about 70 and listens to hip-hop. The first day she said something to me was after I bought 50 cent and she saw it and said "I would've given that to you. Its not as good as his older stuff." At that point I decided that Sarah was the coolest old person I have ever met. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Lil Naitch Report post Posted July 18, 2003 Hey Stunt Granny, I think Vader's still alive. The death thing was a hoax. And the old guy needs to go to jail. Sorry, but murder is murder, no matter how old you are. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest kkktookmybabyaway Report post Posted July 18, 2003 I ride the bus with a 95 year old white lady that looks about 70 and listens to hip-hop. The first day she said something to me was after I bought 50 cent and she saw it and said "I would've given that to you. Its not as good as his older stuff." At that point I decided that Sarah was the coolest old person I have ever met. Wow, that puts my coolest old person I ever met to shame. I was working at a theater and this old couple came up. The man went first and said "One for Boogie Nights." He then said "My wife is getting something else. She doesn't like these dirty movies." He then gave an evil grin, laughed and bolted in the lobby. I don't know if he took any napkins or not... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Just Looking Report post Posted July 18, 2003 This has been all over the local news here (I live in Studio City, not too far away). According to reports, the man had no idea what was going on. He went full speed for three blocks, and he was finally stopped by people yelling at him to stop. There was a person on the hood of his car for a good amount of the time, and he still didn't stop. When he did stop, they found someone under the car, so he didn't stop because he realized what he did- in fact, when the woman who stopped him asked if he knew what he did, he said no- EVEN WITH A DEAD GUY ON THE HOOD OF HIS CAR. Also, they have upped the death count to 10- a nine month old baby died recently. This is going to cause a lot of changes, in California and possibly federally. Legislation is going to be passed requiring testing for those old enough to collect Social Security, or something like that. At least I hope it does. As for the old man, I don't know what I would want to have happpen to him. He deserves to be punished, but I don't know if jailtime would be cruel and unusual punishment, given the fact that he clearly doesn't have all of his faculties about him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Flyboy Report post Posted July 19, 2003 I ride the bus with a 95 year old white lady that looks about 70 and listens to hip-hop. The first day she said something to me was after I bought 50 cent and she saw it and said "I would've given that to you. Its not as good as his older stuff." At that point I decided that Sarah was the coolest old person I have ever met. ... ... That's fucking insane, right there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest DrTom Report post Posted July 19, 2003 I think that once you hit sixty five, you should have to submit to a driver's test every five years to find out if you are competent enough to drive. That's completely wrong. It should be every goddamn year. When you turn 65, you should have 60 days to come in and take a driving test or have your license revoked. Then, every year within 60 days of your birthday, you have to do it again. If you fail, your license is revoked on the spot, and you have to wait 90 days to test for it again. It's proven that reflexes slow as a person ages, vision deteriorates, mental capacity wanes, etc. There's no reason NOT to test old people every year to make sure they can still drive. Well, except one: old people are the largest voting bloc in the country, and you know they'll never vote for someone who wants to test their competency behind the wheel every year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest godthedog Report post Posted July 19, 2003 Hey Stunt Granny, I think Vader's still alive. The death thing was a hoax. And the old guy needs to go to jail. Sorry, but murder is murder, no matter how old you are. murder IS murder, but only if there's intent. at least that's what 'law & order' tells me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Ripper Report post Posted July 21, 2003 I ride the bus with a 95 year old white lady that looks about 70 and listens to hip-hop. The first day she said something to me was after I bought 50 cent and she saw it and said "I would've given that to you. Its not as good as his older stuff." At that point I decided that Sarah was the coolest old person I have ever met. ... ... That's fucking insane, right there. You should hear her singing B.O.B by OutKast. the funniest thing you would ever hear. Everyone on the bus loves her. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
