Accident involving police officer

[Chattanooga Police]

Monday, January 12, 2009

An accident this morning at 1600 Wilcox Blvd injured a Chattanooga Police Officer and one other.

The incident happened this morning around 7:30 as Officer Terry Barnes was responding to a call for service. Officer Barnes' car hit an ice patch on the railroad bridge and spun out of control. The cruiser jumped the median and hit a vehicle driving westbound. Both drivers were taken to Erlanger with non-life threatening injuries.

The City of Chattanooga Public Works division was called out to salt and sand the bridge which was iced-over. Crews are still working to eliminate black ice patches across the bridge. Traffic on Amnicola Highway is backed up due to the road closure. Crews hope to have the roads re-opened by 11 AM.

Sergeant Jerri S. Weary
Public Information Officer
Chattanooga Police Department

[vanstheman]

Suprisingly,no demeaning reation from local firefighters.

[LimitedRecourse]

They can't figure out the computers.

[vanstheman]

No Mr.8300 posts,actually they have lives.You're just a complete loser.

[Tsavodiner]

Actually, you're the one commenting on matters you have absolutely no knowledge of concerning people twice your worth.

BTW, rotten call on Atlanta.

[frayne]

Sounds like the officer should be cited for driving too fast for the conditions.

[Tsavodiner]

We're glad nobody's badly hurt, too.

Same as above for you, friend, unless you've calculated the distances, resistance of the road surface, adjusted for glare ice, and read the car's black box.

Otherwise, "STFU", from Me to You, Sincerely.

[frayne]

Reckless cop, no big deal these days I guess.

Thank God no one got killed but I did hear some were taken to Erlanger, a lawsuit in the wings for the city, you can bet on it.

As far as multi-tasking while driving on the ice, maybe he shouldn't have been, and he should be cited for reckless op.

And KMA Diner !

[vanstheman]

Wow...almost 12,000 mindless posts between you and the other Einstein.I love it went you post dirty--STFU for me please too...please.U a Wal Mart shopper also?

[duke]

Another example and proof that the laws of physics and Murphy do not contain exemptions based on employment status.

It would be better recognized before a tragedy rather than after.

[bhmc449]

Jan 12, 2009 18:23:31 GMT -5 frayne said:

Sounds like the officer should be cited for driving too fast for the conditions.

Sounds like you dont know what the fuck you are talking about.

What a DICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A man fractures his C3 vertebrae responding to a citizens call for service and all you can say is "the officer should be cited" You are an ASSHOLE!!! That is my personal and my professional opinion and I would be glad to tell you face to face in either capacity. The world cries out that the police are the heartless ones, but it is low life dicks like this dude that make us that way.


UNREAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DISGUSTED!!

[frayne]

Cause and effect, when an accident happens, someone is at fault, sounds like the officer was driving too fast for conditions, endangered his life and the life of others. Unfortunate yes, preventable you bet.

How are these incidents investigated ? By a third party of objective experts ? Bet their conclusion would be the same.

Be disgusted all you want, the facts are self evident.

[Tsavodiner]

Be disgusted all you want, the facts are self evident.

I haven't heard a single verifiable FACT discussed in all this acrimony besides the fact you're an asshole.

As for the KMA part, I'm betting I could lip any part of you and get ass.

I only dread when blind idiots such as you get on juries and start making decisions on "sounds like".

[Justin Thyme]

What a DICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A man fractures his C3 vertebrae responding to a citizens call for service and all you can say is "the officer should be cited" You are an ASSHOLE!!!

I would hope, then, that the same amount of sympathy is given to me should I spin out of control and hit another car, injuring the occupant and sustaining an injury myself. I think I would be given a ticket, though.

Count me as another asshole. Unless getting injured during an accident in Chattanooga gives one immunity from being given a ticket, the officer should have gotten a ticket.

[Tsavodiner]

Owing, of course, that you would desire, nee DEMAND, your crash be investigated FIRST, no?

[Justin Thyme]

That goes without saying but all I've got to help me jump to my conclusions is what is reported in the paper. Based solely on what was reported a ticket would be written if it was me that hit the icy patch.

[Tsavodiner]

Without belaboring, consider the bridge is maintained by NSRR, not Chattanooga, although they will sand it if conditions warrant.

Questions:
How long had it been since last rainfall?
Were the drainage ducts clogged?
How long had the ambient air temp been below freezing?
What was the age and condition of the driving surface?
Was the condition visible to any driver? consider the steep approach to the bridge deck, and how much visual warning to the distance any driver would have had.
What was the speed of the vehicle when traction was broken?
What would have been the MINIMUM speed at which traction was broken?

These are just a few of the one hundred questions I, defending Terry, would ask if he were charged with any kind of Reckless Operation/"Too Fast 4" offense. If those here willing to pillory the lad can answer them without investigating the scene, circumstances, condition of the vehicle, condition of the road/ambient conditions, etc. then you're better at it than me, and should report to Florida to defend Casey/Caylee immediately.

Just sayin'. It's possible, just POSSIBLE, that this Officer saved some other unlucky sod from discovering a dangerous condition with far worse consequences.

[Justin Thyme]

That's all well and good, Tsavo, all I ask is that you would give me or any other bubba the same benefit of the doubt if this had been me involved in the accident.

[Tsavodiner]

I would have to purposely avert my eyes to the trunk full of white rabbits and the antebellum gown, but yes, that is possible....

[bhmc449]

Be disgusted all you want, the facts are self evident.


WOW. I just love this TnCoaster logic. Let me get this straight, you did not investigate the accident, did not see the accident, or have even seen the investigators finding, but the facts are EVIDENT....

What kind of stupid shit is that??

Yes, in an accident there is someone always at fault. As a police officer I have said many times "nature was at fault on this one" There are some things you just cannot help and some common sense and experience goes a long way when dealing with these things, none of which you seem to possess...

I love all this jumping to conclusion. I just love it, because WE (police) get accused of it so often, and yet I see it right before my eyes from the eyes of the average citizen. Its just amazing.

[frayne]

Facts are; people hospitalized, cars crashed, moisture on bridges freeze before the roadway and laws of physics prevail, every time.

Don't think that is jumping to any conclusions.

[bhmc449]

Thats doesnt make the first bit of damn sense....not one bit....

Just stupid....plain stupid....

[Tsavodiner]

Let's just chalk it up to "tncoaster-related-casualty" and call it a day.....

[fftspam]

Bullshit. Sorry.

At the time of the incident, winds had been calm all night, it had been 30 hours since last measurable rainfall, the temp at a recording station (within a mile at 911) was NEVER below freezing in preceding 3 days... 38 being the lowest. Pretty hard to make any kind of ice when there is no water or freezing temps.

My theory is that LEO got on the throttle a little too heavy while taking the turn on the way to a non emergency call and because his car came to a stop on the wrong side of the raised median he could not blame the civilian for driving in his lane. Thus... It just had to be Black Ice. They sure did close this accident investigation awful quick.

I do thank the CPD for quickly coming up with such a "story".. even "proving it" by getting the CHA-PWD out there so quick to spread sand on the "evidence". Especially because it was noted in other media the bridge was closed during the investigation... and nearby temps were well above 40 at that time. A $250,000 settlement is a lot better than a $10,000,000 lawsuit.

[Tsavodiner]

What 'turn'? Have you ever even been ON the Wilcox overpass? And since when are roads NOT closed during an investigation? Do you prefer we herd SHEEP such as yourself through scenes for your amusement?

Thanks for the input, but your "theory" is just that. Yeah, Nelson's gone because he got tired of certain elements at City Hall not allowing him to fight as only he knows how, but a quarter-mil 'settlement' for such an event is DREAMING, even for the most craven barrister in these parts.

I dislike trite colloquialisms, but an appropriate one comes immediately to mind for your whole post: "Hey-KEEP IT REAL".

[el Gusano]

I was hit by a cop once, and there was a thorough investigation, with the cop cited by a cop.

(However, I had to sue the city to get them to pay the hospital bills and for the damage to my vehicle.)

[Police Moderator]

Since most LE agencies hand out 3 day dings for at-fault crashes (At about $360 per 3 day ding), I'd rather pay a ticket.

Simple mathematics, really.

[RuneDeer]

It was fun wending my way along Sholar, looking for a shortcut back to Amnicola. Got a tour of a neighborhood I'd never been through. [taps heels together, chanting "There's no place like home..."]. Too far over for a right turn from Holtzclaw onto Wilcox, then Dodson, then East Third, which is where I ended up eventually. Checked the map after (finally) arriving at work. There IS no shortcut from Sholar. Wish someone would devise one. And while they're at it, wish they'd improve the sidewalk situation on Wilcox, because then I could walk to work. Being less than 2 miles from my job and having to drive it is frustrating.

[duke]

Compare two traffic recent accidents.
Two major differences stand out.
1. The employment status of the two drivers. One a cop the other not.

2. The seriousness of the accident based on one death and the number of occupants of both vehicles.

Cop Officer Terry Barnes looses control of vehicle
Cody Headrick looses control of vehicle

Terry leaves proper lane of travel and strikes vehicle in the on-coming lane.
Cody leaves proper lane of travel and strikes vehicle turning from the on-coming lane of travel into drive on the same side of the road.

Terry’s accident sends victim of other car to hospital.
Cody’s accident sends victims to hospital where one dies.

Terry is apparently not charged with any wrong doing. Length of investigation still unknown.
Cody was immediately charged with vehicular homicide, reckless endangerment and three counts of reckless aggravated assault. What the investigation did not take 3 months?

Terry accident: the maintenance department is blamed for the condition of the road.
Cody accident the road condition was mentioned as a factor.

Compare the responses by the cops on this board to the announcement under the following thread “Judge Grants Diversion In Fatal Wreck (UPDATE)” on this same Police Blotter. Last post Oct 20, 2008

[LimitedRecourse]

"No Mr.8300 posts,actually they have lives.You're just a complete loser."

I've got you, babe.