Melanie Lomax, dies at 56

[KingFlorez]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/09/12/state/n000203D46.DTL

Melanie Lomax, sharp critic of police chief during Rodney King beating, dies at 56
By CHRISTINA ALMEIDA, Associated Press Writer

Tuesday, September 12, 2006


(09-12) 00:02 PDT Los Angeles (AP) --


Melanie Lomax, a former Police Commission president and civil rights lawyer who demanded the resignation of the city's police chief after the Rodney King beating, died after her car plunged off a steep slope near her home, police said.


Lomax, 56, was backing out of her Hollywood Hills home driveway Sunday when her vehicle overshot the roadway and somersaulted down a slope, Officer Michael Lopez said.


A neighbor heard the crash and ran to the car, where he found Lomax suspended upside down in her seat belt and unconscious, Lopez said.

[Bluebear]

1. ...

[whistle]

2. Ah-aaa, this sounds bazaar and very suspicious

[scarletwoman]

3. There's something REALLY weird about this.

My first thought: was her car sabotaged in some way? How do you "overshoot" backing out of your own driveway unless your car's transmission has gotten stuck in reverse and/or your brakes don't work?

Just... weird...

sw

[Kutjara]

4. Hmmm. How many times must she have backed out...

...of her driveway? That is one freak 'accident.'

[AX10]

5. This was one odd "accident".

[devilgrrl]

6. I drive her road everyday...shit can happen.

It's very steep, curvy and windy, if you don't be careful, something bad can happen. :shrug: Just saying.

[Raine]

7. Very sad

she was a well know figure here in Los Angeles and deserving of more attention that the local 'news' has given her. :-(

Edit: changed word cause it didn't make sense the way it was.

[Speck Tater]

8. I did the same thing in the same general area back in 1962

It totaled my car, but I was unhurt, as the hill was less a cliff and more a steep bank at that particular location. It happens easier than you might imagine.