Charges filed against driver in Rohnert Park crosswalk death

[CountAllVotes]

The 18-year-old driver who killed a 2-year-old child and seriously injured her mother when she struck the pair as they walked in a crosswalk will be charged with vehicular manslaughter, Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch said Monday.

Kaitlyn Dunaway, a graduate of Petaluma High School and a freshman at Sonoma State University, was sending a text message on her cell phone when she struck Calli Murray and her mother, Ling Murray, who were crossing Snyder Lane, Ravitch said.

Dunaway will appear in Sonoma County Superior Court at 8:30 a.m. May 19, officials said.

Dunaway was driving at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 1 when she struck the mother and child, according to police.

more here: http://www.petaluma360.com/article/20110516/community/110519558

Texting while driving should be a felony IMO. Maybe then people will take the laws seriously! That goes for cell phone use while driving as well (holding a phone in your hand I am talking about).

How many more will die because of this stupidity?

:dem:

[truedelphi]

1. Thank you for the update on this case. So sad.

Maureen Dowd had a column about the texting, phoning (and now we are able to be scrolling too!) activity, and how it is not appropriate for drivers.

I think that cars should be impregnated with a device that makes it impossible to be able to talk or text on a phone once the ignition is engaged.

Two summers ago, I was struck by a woman who was using some device. Luckily her car only got my arm - this happened while I was walking home from the store. I was using a very pretty, almost always deserted country road. And I was very far off the road on the shoulder.

She was so oblivious even though her car, as it hit me, bowled my shoulder purse off my arm and sent everything in the purse flying.

When I got to the bottom of the hill where it happened, she was at the stop sign. She rolled down her window, told me her GPS and PDA weren't working right and asked me for help with directions!

[CountAllVotes]

2. oh my god!

That is horrible! I hope you are ok! Did you get any useful info. re: her at all?

This woman belongs in prison! :grr:

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. omg. Did you tell her that she hit you???

[RebelOne]

4. Texting while driving is now illegal in my state of Georgia

as it should be in all the states.

[CountAllVotes]

5. It is illegal to do so in California

http://law.onecle.com/2009/01/13/california-no-texting-law/

On January 1, California prohibited persons from texting while driving. This new law, found in California Vehicle Code Section 23123.5, covers activities beyond text messaging. Specifically, the section states: person shall not drive a motor vehicle while using an electronic wireless communications device to write, send or read a text-based communication.

The code further states that this prohibition applies to text messages, instant messages and electronic mails. Now, for the strange part. The code specifically excludes “read, select or enter a telephone number or name … for the purpose of making or receiving a telephone call.” So, some form of text input is apparently safe, but not others.

The real quirk is the focus on text-based communication. Video conferencing? Gaming? Entering text into an electronic diary? Maintaining a to-do list? Not prohibited by this law.

*********

So she broke the law and a someone is dead now. She belongs in prison at best.