Colorado: Driver in hit-and-run that killed Boulder cyclist pleads guilty, will be sentenced to prison and "dooring" accident in England

[TomSea]

A bit of a twofer cycling post.  I'm not sure if this is the correct format.

Driver in hit-and-run that killed Boulder cyclist pleads guilty, will be sentenced to prison
Callie Kuhasz admits to vehicular homicide, faces 4 to 12 years in prison
By Mitchell Byars  Staff Writer

Callie Kuhasz, seen in court last October, pleaded guilty this week to vehicular homicide and faces four to 12 year in prison for the death of a Boulder cyclist last year. (Matthew Jonas / Staff Photographer)

The 25-year-old woman accused of hitting and killing a Boulder cyclist while driving drunk, then fleeing the scene, is headed to prison after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors on Thursday.

Callie Kuhasz, of Boulder, pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide, the most serious of the charges she faced in the hit-and-run crash that killed William Davis, 35, of Boulder, on Jay Road last June.

It was stipulated in the plea agreement that Kuhasz would be sentenced by a judge to between four and 12 years in prison, the same presumptive sentencing range she would have faced had she been convicted at trial of the vehicular homicide charge, a Class 3 felony.

Continued: http://www.dailycamera.com/news/boulder/ci_30848229/driver-hit-and-run-that-killed-boulder-cyclist

She had a record of alcohol related driving offenses; so she had problems in this area.

Sad, from South Africa to Australia to the UK to the USA and Canada, just in the English language, one often comes across these stories.

This just happened in Leicester England, this was the sentencing. The cyclist died after being "doored"; that's important to point out, this can be a problem in some areas, people opening up their car doors when parked.

The below is an example of a very lenient sentence being handed out.

Leicester Cycling Campaign Group want tougher penalties for 'dooring' offences after cyclist's death
By atroughton  |  Posted: March 04, 2017

A Leicester cycling group has backed a call to introduce new offences after a woman was fined £80 when a cyclist died after she knocked him into the path of a van.

The Leicester Cycling Campaign Group is supporting Cycling UK in a bid to get tougher penalties introduced for 'dooring'.

The call comes after Mandy Chapple was fined after she opened a door into the path of cyclist Sam Boulton outside Leicester railway station on July 27 last year.

He died in the incident on that day - his 26th birthday.

Read more at http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/leicester-cycling-group/story-30179610-detail/story.html#yqrZZKb8zRpo696z.99

[Smokin Joe]

How fast was the guy going when he ran into the door?

[Smokin Joe]

How fast was the guy going when he ran into the door?

Never mind, he went into the other lane and was hit by a van.
I wish more people would look before they open their door, mainly because I don't want their door/arm for a hood ornament. I developed the habit riding motorcycles of staying to the left side of the lane and looking for someone in the driver's seat of vehicles that were parked, but with tinted windows and hi back seats, it is tough to tell if anyone is there.

[Wingnut]

TTT

[truth_seeker]

California will charge for some form of homicide for deaths due to drunk driving.

[Wingnut]

California will charge for some form of homicide for deaths due to drunk driving.

She got 12 Years.

Gasps at homicide sentencing: Was cyclist irresponsible to ride on road?

The father of a drunken driver who killed a Colorado bicyclist drew gasps at his daughter’s sentencing Tuesday by implying the victim took an irresponsible risk by riding on a street.

Callie Kuhasz, 25, received the maximum sentence, 12 years, for the hit-and-run crash that killed Bill Davis last June near Boulder, Colo. She veered into the bicycle lane before hitting him, according to the highway patrol. Her blood alcohol level when she was arrested three hours later was 0.148 percent.

In a police video made shortly after her arrest, Kuhasz blamed Davis for the crash.  Chief District Judge Maria Berkenkotter said the video — “deeply, deeply disturbing” — was a factor in her imposition of the sentence. The maximum of 12 years was set in a deal under which Kuhasz pleaded guilty in March to one count of vehicular homicide.

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/05/31/drunken-driver-who-killed-boulder-cyclist-in-hit-and-run-sentenced-to-12-years/

[truth_seeker]

She got 12 Years.

Gasps at homicide sentencing: Was cyclist irresponsible to ride on road?

The father of a drunken driver who killed a Colorado bicyclist drew gasps at his daughter’s sentencing Tuesday by implying the victim took an irresponsible risk by riding on a street.

Callie Kuhasz, 25, received the maximum sentence, 12 years, for the hit-and-run crash that killed Bill Davis last June near Boulder, Colo. She veered into the bicycle lane before hitting him, according to the highway patrol. Her blood alcohol level when she was arrested three hours later was 0.148 percent.

In a police video made shortly after her arrest, Kuhasz blamed Davis for the crash.  Chief District Judge Maria Berkenkotter said the video — “deeply, deeply disturbing” — was a factor in her imposition of the sentence. The maximum of 12 years was set in a deal under which Kuhasz pleaded guilty in March to one count of vehicular homicide.

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/05/31/drunken-driver-who-killed-boulder-cyclist-in-hit-and-run-sentenced-to-12-years/

She had a history with previous alcohol offenses. She knew full well, that when she drove, she was dangerous to others.

A former neighbor of mine, hit and killed somebody while under the influence. His wife had left him, over his drinking.

Fortunately he wised up got sober, and to date has remained so. Back when he lived on the street, the neighbor women wondered "what is with that guy?"

[Smokin Joe]

She got 12 Years.

Gasps at homicide sentencing: Was cyclist irresponsible to ride on road?

The father of a drunken driver who killed a Colorado bicyclist drew gasps at his daughter’s sentencing Tuesday by implying the victim took an irresponsible risk by riding on a street.

Callie Kuhasz, 25, received the maximum sentence, 12 years, for the hit-and-run crash that killed Bill Davis last June near Boulder, Colo. She veered into the bicycle lane before hitting him, according to the highway patrol. Her blood alcohol level when she was arrested three hours later was 0.148 percent.

In a police video made shortly after her arrest, Kuhasz blamed Davis for the crash.  Chief District Judge Maria Berkenkotter said the video — “deeply, deeply disturbing” — was a factor in her imposition of the sentence. The maximum of 12 years was set in a deal under which Kuhasz pleaded guilty in March to one count of vehicular homicide.

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/05/31/drunken-driver-who-killed-boulder-cyclist-in-hit-and-run-sentenced-to-12-years/

Past offenses, driving under the influence, veered into his lane, hit and run, bad attitude, blamed the victim, got the max. I'm good with that.

[Millee]

Planet Boulder is a very bike-friendly town with lots of wide bike lanes.  Sad, but she got the right punishment.