negative motorcycle publicity

werewulf · 10-03-2004, 07:01 PM

like we needed more! this is an email i got from a fellow trooper: It is with deep regret that we announce the untimely death of Trooper Daryll Louis Haywood. Trooper Haywood died in the line of duty on Saturday, October 2, 2004, while attempting to overtake a speeding motorcycle on Interstate 4 in Volusia County.

At 1:38 p.m. on Saturday, FHP duty officers radioed Volusia County troopers to be on the lookout for a motorcycle and a Porsche that were racing eastbound on Interstate 4. At 1:42 p.m., Trooper Haywood advised FHP dispatch that he had spotted the two vehicles near the 120 mile marker on Interstate 4 and was attempting to overtake them, but the vehicles were pulling away from him at a high rate of speed.

At 1:46 p.m., the Orlando Regional Communications Center was notified of a crash involving a Florida Highway Patrol vehicle near the 123 mile marker on Interstate 4. Once troopers arrived on the scene of the patrol car crash, FHP duty officers in Orlando issued a second BOLO for the motorcycle with more specific information, including a description of the driver.

Approximately 30-35 minutes later, Trooper Philip Delgado spotted the motorcycle in St. Johns County on Interstate 95 and attempted to stop it. The motorcycle once again fled from our trooper northbound on Interstate 95 at a high rate of speed, estimated by Trooper Delgado to be over 150 miles per hour.

An alert St. Johns County deputy subsequently spotted the motorcycle and its driver at a truck stop at Interstate 95 and County Road 210 in St. Johns County. The driver of the motorcycle was arrested by FHP troopers and taken to the St. Johns County jail. He was charged with Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding by Trooper Delgado, which is a felony. He is also under investigation for causing the death of Trooper Haywood.

Trooper Haywood was a 4-year veteran of the Florida Highway Patrol. He joined the Patrol in March of 2000, after retiring from the New York City Police Department after 20 years of service. He graduated from the Florida Highway Patrol Training Academy in September of 2000, and has been assigned to Troop D, Volusia County, his entire career.

Trooper Haywood has received numerous commendations from the public for his outstanding performance and professionalism. He was also recently selected as the statewide Florida Highway Patrol Trooper of the Month for July for his life-saving actions in pulling a motorist from a burning vehicle.

Trooper Haywood is survived by his wife, Linda, two children, Daryll Haywood, Jr., and Erica, and one grandchild. His son Daryll is enrolled at Daytona Beach Community College law enforcement academy. This past Friday, he mailed his application to Tallahassee to become a Florida Highway Patrol trooper.

Trooper Haywood becomes the 39th Florida Highway Patrol trooper killed in the line of duty, in addition to one FHP Auxiliary trooper killed.

The Florida Highway Patrol family extends our deepest sympathies and condolences to Trooper Haywood's family. Please keep Daryll and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Additional information concerning funeral arrangements will be provided once they are confirmed.

for what its worth!

bingo · 10-03-2004, 07:48 PM

Sad news Werewulf...My thoughts are with Trooper Haywood and his family. Tell the rest of the Troopers to hang in there, my thoughts are with them also.

rob_wijhenke · 10-04-2004, 02:05 AM

Sorry for the trooper but what's the negative motorcycle part?

island_dude · 10-04-2004, 04:47 AM

Well, it seems implied that he was the lone cause of the crash of the Trooper ( but not the driver of the porsche). While I feel very sad for the the trooper and his family (its not clear exactly what the accident was), it seems unfair to focus on the motorcycle rider.

werewulf · 10-04-2004, 06:01 AM

the negative "motorcycle" thing, is that the public will remember the motorcyle being involved much more than the porsche or any car. several people have already come up to me and ask if i knew the trooper killed while chasing a motorcycle.
the last i heard, it looks like the goodyear on the troopers camaro separated. a tire which we never had problems with. this is the second trooper killed this year in a camaro, while in pursuit.

Doogie Howser · 10-04-2004, 06:01 AM

I live in Daytona beach, and regularly take this route (I-95 - I-4 - I-75) from Daytona Beach to Sarasota. This area is known as the I-4 corridor, or more commonly "hell". I have many more colorful euphemishms I yell as I'm traveling in bumper to bumper traffic through Orlando.

On Saturday, my wife and I were traveling westbound on I-4, and obsereved the immediate aftermath of this accident. Yesterday, we made the return trip, and saw at least one other fatal accidnet in the same general location.

My point is this: I-4 is NO place for a high-speed chase. I have a different (albiet longer) route that I take when on my 'S', due to the fact that I-4 is DANGEROUS. And I don't mean everyday, stupid driver, rushhour type traffic. I've driven in Atlanta, Chicago, Boston, LA, Houston, etc. I'm CONVINCED that the absolute WORST drivers in the world are concentrated in the I-4 corridor.

Yesterday on our return trip, my wife and I were passed by a Suzuki GSXR-1000, and a new R1 splitting lanes through congested traffic. They were probobly traveling at 100+mph, while traffic was moving in the 60-80mph range. Nothing too unusual there, except for the fact that the guy on the R1 was LAYING DOWN on his STOMACH and his legs streched strait out behind the seat like he was superman. IDIOT.

My point is: Darwin will take care of those two idiots. There WOULD have been a REAL problem had there been an emeregency vehicle trying to keep up with them.

I'm sorry for the officer and his family. Hopefully this will lead to some policy changes for the FHP, high-speed pursuits, and the I-4 corridor.

Joe · Joe's Garage

My condolences to the troopers family............It's a hard job you guys do.....but I have a question is it worth his life or putting others in jeopardy for a traffic violation citation.

ckcarr · ckcarr's Garage

Thats what I was wondering. In Colorado and in particular Denver they have really scaled back on high speed pursuits in the wake of several innocent bystanders getting killed in recent years. This turned tragic for the officer unfortunately, but there are questions that I have: 1. How fast was he going when this occured? 2. What is Florida policy regarding high speed pursuits? 3. Was anyone else at immediate risk when he crashed?

bmwkid · 10-04-2004, 09:56 AM

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/10/04/BIKES.TMP

Francius · 10-04-2004, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Doogie Howser
I've driven in Atlanta, Chicago, Boston, LA, Houston, etc. I'm CONVINCED that the absolute WORST drivers in the world are concentrated in the I-4 corridor.

I have a brother in Lake Mary and I visit Orlando every year. I believe that the worst drivers I've ever seen in my life are those I've seen in Orlando. They are worse than the drivers in California! At least in California the speeds are not as fast as Florida.

WORST - I-4 Orlando area
WORSE - I-101 between Golden Gate and Marin County
BAD - I-290 inbound/outbound Chicago

werewulf · 10-04-2004, 06:43 PM

im retired now, so i dont know what the current pursuit policy is. it has fluctuated over the years from catch em or crash, to no pursuit at all and somewhere in between again. florida is known for having a tight pursuit policy. i am surprised he had permission to chase a motorcycle, but i am not going to second guess what might have happened. from what im hearing, the motorcycle would have continued to drive reckless wether or not he was being chased.
in the old days, i chased a motorcycle for 23 miles one time, in tampa traffic and ended up crashing myself. the motorcycle crashed shortly there after. it seems like crazyness now, but thats just the way it used to be!

Moybin · 10-05-2004, 06:35 AM

Psychologists have studied the problem and attribute a great portion of this to adrenaline. Same with the much viewed LA beatings that follow capture of a pursuit offender. It goes way down deep into the cerebellum to the fight/flight responses, and old hunting instincts developed when humans were not at the top of the food chain.

Technology has developed rapidly, but humans still have the instincts that they had when they first started to settle and farm. This is a problem that is fundament to the beast in all humans and won't go away quickly, if ever. No amount of rules and laws, no amount of social pressure will ever COMPLETELY eradicate this behavior, just subdue it.

dee jones · 10-06-2004, 01:33 PM

If you want to see some insane driving come down to stock car land, here in Charlotte N.C. I've traveled all over this country and I've never seen anything like it. Every time I leave the Charlotte area theres a big sigh of relieve. I'am convinced they all think there stock car drivers. There not as many cars as some of the other areas but the manorism that these people drive far makes up for the numbers.

dee jones · 10-06-2004, 02:23 PM

If you want to see some insane driving come down to stock car land, here in Charlotte N.C. I've traveled all over this country and I've never seen anything like it. Every time I leave the Charlotte area theres a big sigh of relieve. I'am convinced they all think there stock car drivers. There not as many cars as some of the other areas but the manorism that these people drive far makes up for the numbers.