Man Indicted In Death of Charity Bicyclist

[Police Moderator]

DeKalb, Ala., man indicted in death of charity bicyclist Christina Genco

FORT PAYNE, Ala. — A DeKalb County grand jury has indicted a man on charges of negligent homicide in the death of a cyclist last year.

WAAY-TV reports that 44-year-old Craig Chandler was driving an SUV when he struck and killed 22-year-old Christina Brooke Genco as she rode along a highway near Rainsville in June 2011. Genco was part of a group of cyclists participating in an 81-day bike ride to raise money for Habitat for Humanity.

Marshall County prosecutors are handling the case because Chandler formerly worked for the DeKalb County sheriff's office and the county 911 center. He was indicted late last week.

If convicted, he could face up to a year in jail and a $6,000 fine.

Read more: times free press

[Alex Teach]

BICYCLIST!!!

[Warkitty]

I hope more road rage drivers are indicted and if guilty, convicted, for their crimes against cyclists.

[osrb]

I am happy that this person has been indited on some charges. Far to many times these people are just given a ticket for "Failure to yield". The possible jail and fine should be a lot more though. On the flip side I am sorry for the family and friends of Christina Brooke Genco. They are the ones really paying the price.

[TNBear]

Huh? He killed someone and is looking at a whole f'ing year? Why bother?

[professorx]

Mar 21, 2012 6:28:19 GMT -5 Warkitty said:

I hope more road rage drivers are indicted and if guilty, convicted, for their crimes against cyclists.

Was it a road rage incident?

[Justin Thyme]

It sounds more like gross negligence.

[Tsavodiner]

It's a good thing this story was prominently reported.

[professorx]

Mar 21, 2012 21:29:40 GMT -5 Tsavodiner said:

It's a good thing this story was prominently reported.

Cyclists (and pedestrians) are killed on roads happen daily.

I visited a big city a while back who set their city up to be bike friendly. About every other day a cyclist was hit. You could threaten to cut the motorist's balls off and it still want make an impact. As a cyclist I say, if you are going to be on the road have a steel safety cage around you.

At a certain point, and after studying the actuary tables, you have to come to the conclusion that a horrific wreck is inevitable if you cycle on the roads regulary.

Should cyclists have to pay more for insurance?

The problem with cyclists is the clip in pedals.
This poor lady was going up hill and very likely slowed and toppled over. I see it happen all the time. Cyclists are pushing the limits of their capibilities and using equimpment they are not
"qualified" to use. Soon as they have to come to a stop, or go up hill and lose foreward momentum, they topple over.

What's next hate crimes charges against people who injure cyclists?

Laws no matter how punitative will bring a cyclist back to life. Study the odds, stay safe.

[Justin Thyme]

The problem with cyclists is the clip in pedals.This poor lady was going up hill and very likely slowed and toppled over. I see it happen all the time. Cyclists are pushing the limits of their capibilities and using equimpment they are not "qualified" to use. Soon as they have to come to a stop, or go up hill and lose foreward momentum, they topple over.

She was an experienced rider. I doubt that she ran out of steam and toppled over. The clipless pedals have dropped me in the road more than once and I have no doubt they will do the same again but I don't see them being the problem you do.

[osrb]

There is an organization that is trying to get better laws for these type of incidents. It was started by the American Motorcycle Association but is for all.

And Justice for All

[professorx]

Mar 21, 2012 22:09:55 GMT -5 Justin Thyme said:

The problem with cyclists is the clip in pedals.This poor lady was going up hill and very likely slowed and toppled over. I see it happen all the time. Cyclists are pushing the limits of their capabilities and using equipment they are not "qualified" to use. Soon as they have to come to a stop, or go up hill and lose foreward momentum, they topple over.

She was an experienced rider. I doubt that she ran out of steam and toppled over. The clipless pedals have dropped me in the road more than once and I have no doubt they will do the same again but I don't see them being the problem you do.

I know I love to make humor of these cycle type topics, but I am serious during this thread.

You can find all sorts of car hits cyclists, cyclist dies news stories.
You can find all sorts of cyclist his pedestrian, pedestrian killed stories.

At a certain point you have to ask yourself "Is it worth it?"

I would try to avoid biking where motorized vehicles were. AND if I am a pedestrian I try to avoid places that are heavily used by bikes.

Equipment failures/misuse are not rare.

Last year there were many exercise related deaths. Some people died in marathons, some people died in "mud runs", some people died swimming in marathons, etc. And of course some people died biking.

At a certain point a person has to recognize they are engaging in a risky behavior and they bear the sole responsibility for their safety.

[Police Moderator]

At a certain point a person has to recognize they are engaging in a risky behavior and they bear the sole responsibility for their safety.

Or they all quit, en masse. The danger is not worth the money they get paid for doing it. ;D

[professorx]

Mar 22, 2012 20:55:56 GMT -5 Police Moderator said:

At a certain point a person has to recognize they are engaging in a risky behavior and they bear the sole responsibility for their safety.

Or they all quit, en masse. The danger is not worth the money they get paid for doing it. ;D

How much money makes the danger tolerable?

That questions doesn't sound right. It does not sound correct to quantify a person's risk in employment. Its sounds like "blood money".

"Well, Family of Officer X, sorry about your loss but the money we paid made it worth doing the job. We are squared away."

Look at it this way. If they reduced the law enforcement pay by $5,000 no one would quit.

If you raised the pay by $10,000 you'd attract riff-raff that are not interested in law enforcement, but only the cash incentives.

If I were the King of Chattanooga, I would raise a million and a half with some sort of fees (parking fees downtown, etc) and either use it to hire new officers at the same pay, or not hire new officers and pay the existing ones an evenly distributed percentage in a salary wage.

I don't know the numbers, but something like an additional .50 cents to pay for "after business hours" parking meters would collect how much money per year? If parking is now $1, it would be $1.50. $2, would be $2.50.

The money would be used to patrol the tax generating parts of Chattanooga. People could go to the touristy areas without fear of violence.

This would have the synergistic effect of:

1. 50 cents per parker for tourist area policing.
2. The would lead to more tourists spending more money generating more taxes that pay the police.

If there were some similar type per use tax to fund security policing in the high crime touristy areas, I would be all for it.

[Warkitty]

I always find it fascinating when the argument is "it's unsafe and hence no one should do it" is given when the "unsafe" problem is the behavior of others that makes it so, rather than look for ways to discourage the people that are causing the problem. I guess though, since pedestrians get killed by cars that no one should ever walk outside, lest they get run down by some twit texting and driving. Also, everyone driving should expect to get run over by a semi, since those drivers often face long hours and might fall asleep at the wheel, or text and drive, so actually maybe no one should leave the house at all.

[LimitedRecourse]

"Huh? He killed someone and is looking at a whole f'ing year? Why bother?"

If he had beaten or molested a child, he would have served ZERO time, and benn able to plead down to misdemeanors. Thank you, defense attorneys.

[professorx]

Mar 24, 2012 21:26:25 GMT -5 Warkitty said:

I always find it fascinating when the argument is "it's unsafe and hence no one should do it" is given when the "unsafe" problem is the behavior of others that makes it so, rather than look for ways to discourage the people that are causing the problem. I guess though, since pedestrians get killed by cars that no one should ever walk outside, lest they get run down by some twiit texting and driving. Also, everyone driving should expect to get run over by a semi, since those drivers often face long hours and might fall asleep at the wheel, or text and drive, so actually maybe no one should leave the house at all.

Calculating risks is something we all do every day. The comparison between walking and cycling is a good one. If I would not walk down a road, why should I feel safer biking down the same road?

I've seen people cycling in some of the craziest places in Chattanooga.

1. The S curves in Riverview? Why?
2. The windy section of Gadd between Hixson and Red Bank? Again, Why?
3. 153. Really?
4. Dayton Blvd.
5. Ashland Terrace
6. Amnicola Hwy.

Again, most people would not walk though any of these roads for exercise, then why is is safer to bike the same routes?

It should not be illegal to do so, but how many people would recommend biking any of these roads?

The only moderately safe places for bikes (in my opinion) are around Moccasin Bend and the VW greenway.

Cars and non-cars do not mix. Laws will not change the behavior of motorists. People inadvertently drive in the direction of their focus. This is why so many state troopers, bikers, etc. die. "Oh look at the officer on the shoulder..." Bam...

Throw in the unexpected while driving a country road and it screws drivers up. "Oh crap a pedestrian...." Driving is basically an subconscious activity. The majority of drivers cannot adapt to the unexpected.

People should be able to climb Everest, walk a tight wire, go over Niagra in a barrel, but they should accept the inherent danger in their hobby. Driving defensively is the best bet and the best defense for the road is to have a steel cage and air bags around you.

8 pounds of titanium and a helmet made of the same stuff as a styrofoam cooler isn't much protection.

[Warkitty]

I've seen people walking many of the same locations you've listed. Including 153 in Hixson.

I agree accidents will happen. However, I must protest that it is the responsibility of the person with the machine likely to KILL that must be aware of what they are doing to avoid causing death. That people do not only proves that they are not held accountable nor take seriously the responsibility they have.

That you constantly harp on against anyone ever riding or walking anywhere that cars might possibly be only proves your own willingness to allow fear to rule your ever move. I pity you for that. It cannot imagine living my life in such a fashion. I would, were I to do so, never be able to leave my house for fear of the danger outside my door.