Trooper dies chasing busa

Chain · 10-07-2004, 5:27 PM

This is very sad. It's sure to provoke some debate on the value of police pursuits (I for one will not revist that subject

).

A quarter century of service to his nation, leaving behind a wife, two children, and grandchildren.

RIP, brother Haywood.

News link

Deceased trooper

sheepofblue · 10-07-2004, 5:34 PM

Sorry to hear that a good man passed.

Mavic · 10-07-2004, 5:35 PM

First off....Sorry to hear of a death while chasing a complete idiot.

2nd That must have been one fast Porsche for it to elude the Camaro and the Busa to be left behind as the chase fodder.

3rd I sure hope that they got the right guy....I assume that someone got a plate and this led to the arrest.

God Speed to the trooper and prayers go out to the family.

luvtolean · 10-07-2004, 5:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheepofblue

Sorry to hear that a good man passed.

How do we know he was a good man? Because he was a cop?

Sorry I have a really harsh attitude about all the hero worship around cops lately (since 9-11).

My brother is a professional fisherman. He just got back from 6 weeks in Alaska away from his wife and kids to try and earn a living. He's a lot more likely to end up dead or divorced than a cop, and he certainly provides something at least as necessary as a cop does. And for lots less money/benefits.

I feel bad for the cop, and his family and it's too bad it happened. (And it certainly wasn't the fault of the Busa rider or the Porsche driver.) But it's no more tragic than my brother drowning, or some regular joe getting killed on the way to work.

stegen · 10-07-2004, 6:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvtolean

How do we know he was a good man? Because he was a cop?

Sorry I have a really harsh attitude about all the hero worship around cops lately (since 9-11).

My brother is a professional fisherman. He just got back from 6 weeks in Alaska away from his wife and kids to try and earn a living. He's a lot more likely to end up dead or divorced than a cop, and he certainly provides something at least as necessary as a cop does. And for lots less money/benefits.

I feel bad for the cop, and his family and it's too bad it happened. (And it certainly wasn't the fault of the Busa rider or the Porsche driver.) But it's no more tragic than my brother drowing, or some regular joe getting killed on the way to work.

I was going to say that but was scared too, glad someone did.

rocket · 10-07-2004, 6:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvtolean

How do we know he was a good man? Because he was a cop?

Sorry I have a really harsh attitude about all the hero worship around cops lately (since 9-11).

My brother is a professional fisherman. He just got back from 6 weeks in Alaska away from his wife and kids to try and earn a living. He's a lot more likely to end up dead or divorced than a cop, and he certainly provides something at least as necessary as a cop does. And for lots less money/benefits.

I feel bad for the cop, and his family and it's too bad it happened. (And it certainly wasn't the fault of the Busa rider or the Porsche driver.) But it's no more tragic than my brother drowing, or some regular joe getting killed on the way to work.

Hooah

ConqSoft · 10-07-2004, 6:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvtolean

(And it certainly wasn't the fault of the Busa rider or the Porsche driver.)

Now that part I disagree with.

deez · 10-07-2004, 6:13 PM

luvtolean · 10-07-2004, 6:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ConqSoft

Now that part I disagree with.

I bet you if either person thought someone was going to get hurt, they wouldn't have done it. And that's my point. They made a mistake. I bet lots of us here have rolled it on with another car or bike on the road. These guys got caught. As the cop pursued he had a mechanical failure and it killed him. We don't even know from this article the cyclist was running.

ConqSoft · 10-07-2004, 6:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvtolean

I bet you if either person thought someone was going to get hurt, they wouldn't have done it.

It doesn't matter. Their actions caused his death.

Chain · 10-07-2004, 6:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvtolean

How do we know he was a good man? Because he was a cop?

Sorry I have a really harsh attitude about all the hero worship around cops lately (since 9-11).

My brother is a professional fisherman. He just got back from 6 weeks in Alaska away from his wife and kids to try and earn a living. He's a lot more likely to end up dead or divorced than a cop, and he certainly provides something at least as necessary as a cop does. And for lots less money/benefits.

I feel bad for the cop, and his family and it's too bad it happened. (And it certainly wasn't the fault of the Busa rider or the Porsche driver.) But it's no more tragic than my brother drowing, or some regular joe getting killed on the way to work.

Just when I thought LTL couldn't surprise me anymore....

No disrespect to my brothers in the fire service, but if anything there has been alot of fire department worship since 9-11, not tender cop love all around. (Have you seen Ladder 49 yet?)

The difference between a police officer and a fisherman is that the officer (for over 24 years in this trooper's case) was willing to put his life on the line not just for his wife and kids, but for society, each and every day he went out there to patrol his beat.

A quater century of service in New York and the State of Florida LTL. A quarter century.

He was willing to risk laying his life down for people he didn't know, good people like you. Like your brother.

Would you be willing to do that LTL?

Would your brother?

Perhaps so. And if so, more power to you!

An assault on a police officer (or in the case when a cop dies in the line of duty whilst trying to take dangerous people off the road and away from innocent third parties) is an "assault" on all of us. At least that's the way I see it.

The notion that a police officer and a fisherman should share the same stature among his peers in his community is beyond me, at least as it relates to how said community should remember him when he is killed protecting them.

This thread wasn't intended to spell out the case that police officers have the most dangerous jobs in America. Certainly your brother faces much hazard in bringing home his paycheck and, yes, foodstuff providers are an intergal part of what makes the world go round. Having said that, there is a reason that is (or should be) apparent to most folks as to why bagpipes play at the graveside services for a slain police officer, but not for a drowned fisherman.

And yes, it most certainly was the fault of the guy on the bike, not the police officer who was duty-bound to try to apprehend him.

Chain · 10-07-2004, 6:42 PM

One more thing, a little reminder that Trp. Haywood was something special, at least in my humble opinion.

http://www.fhp.state.fl.us/TOM/TOM091304.htm

colryn · 10-07-2004, 6:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chain

One more thing, a little reminder that Trp. Haywood was something special, at least in my humble opinion.

http://www.fhp.state.fl.us/TOM/TOM091304.htm

Thanks Chain.

Wow, luvtolean where did this come from. Did a popo do something so upset you?

sheepofblue · 10-07-2004, 7:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvtolean

How do we know he was a good man? Because he was a cop?

Sorry I have a really harsh attitude about all the hero worship around cops lately (since 9-11).

My brother is a professional fisherman. He just got back from 6 weeks in Alaska away from his wife and kids to try and earn a living. He's a lot more likely to end up dead or divorced than a cop, and he certainly provides something at least as necessary as a cop does. And for lots less money/benefits.

I feel bad for the cop, and his family and it's too bad it happened. (And it certainly wasn't the fault of the Busa rider or the Porsche driver.) But it's no more tragic than my brother drowning, or some regular joe getting killed on the way to work.

Simple he was someone out doing a honest days work that cost him his life. I would say the same for a lineman, fireman, etc. It is called respect for the dead. Now I might have been wrong and he was an SOB but I have found most people are not and saw no reason to assume he was an exception.

Edit: I have read further down the thread and my innate belief in the goodness was confirmed by Chains post. Further my comment was not hero worship rather respect for a human being who tragically died.

Fig · 10-07-2004, 7:07 PM

So if a police officer is chasing a suspect, and his firearm malfunctions and discharges, the bullet riccochets, and strikes said officer, do you blame the person he is chasing? I feel bad for the guy, but all we have to go on here is he started to catch up to a busa on the freeway, and a tire went south on him. Hours later they catch a guy changing a tire on a similar colored busa. Not much to connect the pieces with, but I do find it a little hard to blame the motorcycle rider with the cops death. If the motorcycle was doing 80 down the freeway, then the cop would have to exceed that to catch up with him, basic physics, not the fault of the motorcycle rider. Same goes for the tire. How about blaming the mechanic for not spotting a faulty tire. It's sad, but sometimes things just happen. Knee jerk reactions like blaming the guy he was chasing is out of line in my book.
Fig

Edit: add to that last sentence "in this particular case" There are plenty of times when the person being chased deserves the blame..

ConqSoft · 10-07-2004, 7:10 PM

It's simple. Take away the two racing asshats from the equation, and the cop would still be alive. Therefore, they caused his death. See how easy that is?

ConqSoft · 10-07-2004, 7:12 PM

On a slightly related note... I'm all for deadly force being used on anyone who runs from the police. There is never, ever, a reason to run from the police. I say take 'em out by any means necessary to keep them from hurting someone.

Fig · 10-07-2004, 7:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ConqSoft

It's simple. Take away the two racing asshats from the equation, and the cop would still be alive. Therefore, they caused his death. See how easy that is?

You can't say that with 100% certainty. How do you know that he wasn't one acceleration from death anyway. That tire could have gone just as easily with him heading back to the office to fill out paperwork. Say he didn't accelerate, and the tire blew a few seconds later, just enough travel to get him close enough to the same tree where he didn't have to slide 600+ feet to hit it, then he slide off the road, hits the tree and dies. If you can make the case that it's the motorcyclists fault, given the info we have, then you can make it that it's the person who writes the schedules down at the police station as well, since he put that particular cop in that particular car at that particular moment.

**** happens, and it's not always rosey..
Fig

RRWANTR · 10-07-2004, 7:18 PM

Was he running from the police? Based on the report it's not clear. Maybe the rider didn't even know the cop was trying to catch up with him.....I'm against running from police, but do not believe the rider caused the cops death.

My prayers go out to his family and friends.

ND4SPD · 10-07-2004, 7:20 PM

6 one way, half dozen the other. One cop's dead, period. Give the man his respect and move on.

ConqSoft · 10-07-2004, 7:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fig

You can't say that with 100% certainty. How do you know that he wasn't one acceleration from death anyway. That tire could have gone just as easily with him heading back to the office to fill out paperwork. Say he didn't accelerate, and the tire blew a few seconds later, just enough travel to get him close enough to the same tree where he didn't have to slide 600+ feet to hit it, then he slide off the road, hits the tree and dies. If you can make the case that it's the motorcyclists fault, given the info we have, then you can make it that it's the person who writes the schedules down at the police station as well, since he put that particular cop in that particular car at that particular moment.

**** happens, and it's not always rosey..
Fig

He was in pursuit because he had a call about street racing. Whether he was one acceleration away or not, THESE guys are the ones who made him accelerate THIS time. So, they were the cause of his accident. Which was the cause of his death.

I'm not saying that the guy they caught is the one who was racing. I have no idea. I'm saying the the ones who WERE racing are the ones that caused his death.

GhostRider · 10-07-2004, 7:52 PM

I'd say, chalk it up to '**** happens'. Mechanical failure. I'd have the tire tested and if it was faulty, then a case can be made.

RIP Trp Haywood and condolences to his family/friends.