Drivers With Suspended Licenses Still Drive, Kill, And Speed

What's the point of a suspended license again? Because some drivers who shouldn't be driving still are—with some tragic results. In Suffolk County over the weekend, a woman with a suspended license driving a minivan fatally struck a young man on his bicycle. Newsday reports, "With his father going blind, Daniel Mauricio Cornejo Carranza, 16, took a weekend job at a fast-food restaurant to help his family make ends meet"—the 16-year-old was biking to his early Sunday morning shift. Driver Karen Omara-Swett inititally thought she hit a deer but saw the clothing on the side of the road and called 911. She faces "third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle" charges and a fine; the police say the glare from the sun at the time might have been a factor. And on the LIE, Bronx resident David Nieves was arrested for allegedly riding his motorcycle at 120 mph; he was "charged with reckless driving, aggravated unlicensed driving and unlawful fleeing" (because he didn't immediately pull over).

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By Jen Chung in News on July 20, 2009 11:42 AM

Comments [rss]

Todd

Dear Jen Chung;

With the greatest respect for your good intentions, I would ask that you please check the facts on these stories before posting them. The police accounts confirm that the woman driving the car was involved in a terrible accident where a young man died. There is a world of difference between this and "killing" somebody.

If you take the time to check the facts, you may learn that her license was suspended erroneously—over a traffic ticket which had already been paid. Each and every one of us has been the victim of a clerical error at one time or another. This doesn't make someone a criminal. I think this woman has probably suffered enough, without being judged by strangers, and having her name and her reputation dragged through the mud of the internet.

DALETY57

Newsday isn't always the best source of accurate info. I personally like to get more info before I slander someone. Sometimes a tragic accident is just that. We've all been distracted when driving - whether we're on the phone, yelling at a child in the backseat, eatting, or changing a CD. All it takes is a second and any of us could be in an accident. There's an old saying - Let he who is without sin throw the first stone. I don't want to go all biblical here, but really can any of you say with full certainty - this could never happen to me?

darealest1

Yeah well you have the 16 year old Spanish boy and the white woman so it has to be the Spanish boy's fault..

darealest1

CALL Seventh Squad at 631-852-8752 to protest!!!

"Detectives are looking into whether the sun's glare may have been a factor, Best said."

REALLY?

GOSH I HATE THE COUNTRY...

jt10000

To follow up on UpperEastSighed, it seems that in this area it's even better for the driver if the person hit is killed, because then the driver can say "He jumped out in front of me", "She came out of nowhere", "He was crossing against the light" or whatever excuse.

UpperEastSighed

The NYPD does not care about car-on-pedestrian/bike crime. You can have a suspended license, hit a pedestrian, and drive away without the NYPD doing anything but writing up a police report.

You would think that NYC has no pedestrians with the rate at which the NYPD turns a blind eye. We have to do something about this, people.

Whammo

Driving with a suspended license should result in jail time for the remainder of the suspension.

NannyState

Not bad, but better yet, you lose your car and your right to drive for the next three years. Also, killing someone while driving on a suspended license should roll the offense into a straight manslaaughter charge with all the good things that come with it.

Spirit of 76

If they're already driving regardless of license suspensions, what makes you think a 3-year suspension will have any effect on them? I doubt even a lifetime revokation would stop them.

what_a_dick

what a dick

matty

Would it be unamerican to make a device that makes you put your license in your car which would scan and make sure it is valid as a sort of "key" for your car?

jaycjay

What's then to keep them from driving one of the millions of other cars that they're not locked out of?

ANGRYGOD11

Yes.

It wouldn't work with another country's license.

Snoopy

GREAT IDEA. A bit expensive, but still a great idea. Never mind Manitoba, karma will take its own position on him later.

Manitoba

I didn't realize I needed to tag every joke response with sarcasm.

Given that there are already devices to do a breathalyzer test before allowing a driver to start the car, I think it would be easier to implement fingerprint or eye scanners that use satellites to confirm the operator's valid license from a federal database. That said, nobody would be in favor of this level of big brother scanning. ACLU and Republicans would oppose it.

matty

Well it wouldn't be federal, it would be state.

In Illinois some of the really stupid pretentious douchebag clubs have 'license readers' that actually scan the bar-code off your drivers license to make sure it's valid. It doesn't go to a central DB but it does read the card.