Officer struck by Bush's cousin dies

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — A police officer died Saturday, four days after being struck by a sport-utility vehicle driven by a federal judge, the mayor said.

Officer Dan Picagli, a 17-year veteran of the force, was hit while directing traffic in the rain Tuesday night. He had been wearing a black raincoat and a reflective vest.

The SUV was driven by John M. Walker Jr., a senior judge on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York, who maintains court chambers in New Haven. He was leaving work when the accident happened, police said.

No charges have been filed.

Police Chief Francisco Ortiz said the accident remained under investigation, but officers did not feel it was necessary to test Walker for drugs or alcohol.

Walker, 65, voluntarily stepped down this month as chief judge of the court.

He was appointed to the court in 1989 by President George H.W. Bush, who is a cousin of the judge.

"Officer Picagli was more than a cop," Mayor John DeStefano said in a statement Saturday. "He was someone who brought people together, who created a sense of community. He was a life enhancer to all with whom he came in contact. More than any memorial, his basic decency will keep his memory vibrant in our city."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-10-22-judge-officer_x.htm

Wonder how all the ditto monkeys who regard Chappaquiddick as some sort of get out of jail free card with no expiration date for the GOP will spin this?

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

http://www.bartcop.com/osama_GOP_spokesman.jpg

[Crushaholic]

Wonder how all the ditto monkeys who regard Chappaquiddick as some sort of get out of jail free card with no expiration date for the GOP will spin this?

This judge stepped down from his position, as he should. Kennedy is still in Congress.

[SteveTensi13]

You only test for drug or alcohol impairment if you have a reasonable suspicion that the driver was impaired, the fact he accidentally nailed a police officer in a driving rain does not meet the standard of reasonable suspicion.

A far cry from driving your car off a bridge, climbing out and waiting several hours while you sober up before reporting it.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

This judge stepped down from his position, as he should. Kennedy is still in Congress.

Why wasn't he charged?

Why wasn't he tested for drugs/alcohol?

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

You only test for drug or alcohol impairment if you have a reasonable suspicion that the driver was impaired, the fact he accidentally nailed a police officer in a driving rain does not meet the standard of reasonable suspicion.

He hit a cop who was directing traffic and wearing a reflective vest.

How much more "reasonable suspicion" could you need?

Yet, he wasn't charged and wasn't tested.

According to your "logic" anyone who kills a cop with his car should get a free pass if it's raining.

You would have us believe the fact that this particular driver is Poppy's cousin and a federal judge has nothing to with his treatment in this case.

[Play2win]

or how him getting appointed in the first place not being a conflict of interest?

[Spider]

You only test for drug or alcohol impairment if you have a reasonable suspicion that the driver was impaired, the fact he accidentally nailed a police officer in a driving rain does not meet the standard of reasonable suspicion.

A far cry from driving your car off a bridge, climbing out and waiting several hours while you sober up before reporting it.

Horse shít and you should know it ......... anytime there is a pedestrian death involvin a motor Vehichle a drug and piss test is done ........ Nyquill would have been enough to effect judgment ......... Me and you need to work on your cop skills

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Horse shít and you should know it ......... anytime there is a pedestrian death involvin a motor Vehichle a drug and piss test is done


Yep.

How does a guy who lies as often as SteveCoulter13 get to be a cop?

Scary.



......... Me and you need to work on your cop skills

Ha!

[TheDave]

It's not what you know....It's who you know.

[SteveTensi13]

Ok, I've been a police officer for 18 years now and I don't know anything about DUI enforcement. Sometimes all you have is a simple crash, thats it, no conspiracies, no hiding the facts, its just a tragic occurance which does not lessen the pain the families are going through.

Let me run you through the ABC's of DUI detection. Upon arrival of ANY crash you immediately EXPECT it to be DUI related(especially in New mexico). As you interview the driver(s) involved you then try to detect any indicators of being under the influence, i.e, blood shot watery yes, slurred speech, smell of alcoholic beverage, pants unzipped, rumpled clothing, etc. Look at his/hers eyes. Are they dilated? Pinpoint? Is he/she displaying nervousness beyond the situation? You also have to look for indicators that he/she may be under the influence of narcotics which have different indicators then alcohol.

Now, you take all these indicators and combine two or more of them and you establish reasonable suspicion. Upon establishing reasonable suspicion you then begin your DUI standardized field sobriety tests to FURTHER enhance your findings. Then once your assumptions are confirmed through your observations you then affect an arrest and obtain either a breath or blood test. Now, here in New Mexico if someone kills someone in a car while under the influence you must have a blood test done. If they refuse then a search warrant is obtained for a blood analysis.

I've been to several crashes in volving fatalities and no impairment was detected, you get several cars weighing several thousand pounds crashing into eachother or into a pedestrian and someone is going to get hurt or killed.

[Antilles]

He hit a cop who was directing traffic and wearing a reflective vest.

How much more "reasonable suspicion" could you need?

Yet, he wasn't charged and wasn't tested.

According to your "logic" anyone who kills a cop with his car should get a free pass if it's raining.

You would have us believe the fact that this particular driver is Poppy's cousin and a federal judge has nothing to with his treatment in this case.

Well, was there alcohol on his breath? Was he behaving erratically? Sweating? Did people report seeing his swerving all over the road? Obviously the officer’s death is tragic, but that doesn’t necessarily make it criminal. I mean, accidents happen all the time without the influence of drugs or alcohol. Maybe he was talking on his cell phone or changing the radio station. I’ll defer to the judgment of the officer on the scene until I see a reason to doubt his good faith - notwithstanding the Judge’s relationship to the father of the worst President in American history.

Also, FWIW, sounds from the article that the Judge stepped down before the accident, not stepped down as a result of the accident.

[defenseman]

Ok, I've been a police officer for 18 years now and I don't know anything about DUI enforcement. Sometimes all you have is a simple crash, thats it, no conspiracies, no hiding the facts, its just a tragic occurance which does not lessen the pain the families are going through.

Let me run you through the ABC's of DUI detection. Upon arrival of ANY crash you immediately EXPECT it to be DUI related(especially in New mexico). As you interview the driver(s) involved you then try to detect any indicators of being under the influence, i.e, blood shot watery yes, slurred speech, smell of alcoholic beverage, pants unzipped, rumpled clothing, etc. Look at his/hers eyes. Are they dilated? Pinpoint? Is he/she displaying nervousness beyond the situation? You also have to look for indicators that he/she may be under the influence of narcotics which have different indicators then alcohol.

Now, you take all these indicators and combine two or more of them and you establish reasonable suspicion. Upon establishing reasonable suspicion you then begin your DUI standardized field sobriety tests to FURTHER enhance your findings. Then once your assumptions are confirmed through your observations you then affect an arrest and obtain either a breath or blood test. Now, here in New Mexico if someone kills someone in a car while under the influence you must have a blood test done. If they refuse then a search warrant is obtained for a blood analysis.

I've been to several crashes in volving fatalities and no impairment was detected, you get several cars weighing several thousand pounds crashing into eachother or into a pedestrian and someone is going to get hurt or killed.

Sounds pretty reasonable to me. In any case, because he's "related" in some way shape or form to Pres. Bush, he must be guilty. I'm sure the media will have him committing capitol murder by the end of it all....dman

*I do feel bad for the policeman for sure. I'm sure though, a full investigation will occur and if there is any issues, they will come out.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Sounds pretty reasonable to me. In any case, because he's "related" in some way shape or form to Pres. Bush, he must be guilty. I'm sure the media will have him committing capitol murder by the end of it all....dman

*I do feel bad for the policeman for sure. I'm sure though, a full investigation will occur and if there is any issues, they will come out.
Why are you sure of that? I'm betting there won't be one, in fact, it's probably closed already.

[Spider]

Ok, I've been a police officer for 18 years now and I don't know anything about DUI enforcement. Sometimes all you have is a simple crash, thats it, no conspiracies, no hiding the facts, its just a tragic occurance which does not lessen the pain the families are going through.

Let me run you through the ABC's of DUI detection. Upon arrival of ANY crash you immediately EXPECT it to be DUI related(especially in New mexico). As you interview the driver(s) involved you then try to detect any indicators of being under the influence, i.e, blood shot watery yes, slurred speech, smell of alcoholic beverage, pants unzipped, rumpled clothing, etc. Look at his/hers eyes. Are they dilated? Pinpoint? Is he/she displaying nervousness beyond the situation? You also have to look for indicators that he/she may be under the influence of narcotics which have different indicators then alcohol.

Now, you take all these indicators and combine two or more of them and you establish reasonable suspicion. Upon establishing reasonable suspicion you then begin your DUI standardized field sobriety tests to FURTHER enhance your findings. Then once your assumptions are confirmed through your observations you then affect an arrest and obtain either a breath or blood test. Now, here in New Mexico if someone kills someone in a car while under the influence you must have a blood test done. If they refuse then a search warrant is obtained for a blood analysis.

I've been to several crashes in volving fatalities and no impairment was detected, you get several cars weighing several thousand pounds crashing into eachother or into a pedestrian and someone is going to get hurt or killed.

are you sure about that ?

[alkemical]

Ok, I've been a police officer for 18 years now and I don't know anything about DUI enforcement. Sometimes all you have is a simple crash, thats it, no conspiracies, no hiding the facts, its just a tragic occurance which does not lessen the pain the families are going through.

Let me run you through the ABC's of DUI detection. Upon arrival of ANY crash you immediately EXPECT it to be DUI related(especially in New mexico). As you interview the driver(s) involved you then try to detect any indicators of being under the influence, i.e, blood shot watery yes, slurred speech, smell of alcoholic beverage, pants unzipped, rumpled clothing, etc. Look at his/hers eyes. Are they dilated? Pinpoint? Is he/she displaying nervousness beyond the situation? You also have to look for indicators that he/she may be under the influence of narcotics which have different indicators then alcohol.

Now, you take all these indicators and combine two or more of them and you establish reasonable suspicion. Upon establishing reasonable suspicion you then begin your DUI standardized field sobriety tests to FURTHER enhance your findings. Then once your assumptions are confirmed through your observations you then affect an arrest and obtain either a breath or blood test. Now, here in New Mexico if someone kills someone in a car while under the influence you must have a blood test done. If they refuse then a search warrant is obtained for a blood analysis.

I've been to several crashes in volving fatalities and no impairment was detected, you get several cars weighing several thousand pounds crashing into eachother or into a pedestrian and someone is going to get hurt or killed.



;)

[defenseman]

Why are you sure of that? I'm betting there won't be one, in fact, it's probably closed already.

Maybe it is? Who knows? I'm sure the media pundits will tell us the "whole" story, now won't they? Relax, they'll get around to it , I'm sure...dman

[alkemical]

Maybe it is? Who knows? I'm sure the media pundits will tell us the "whole" story, now won't they? Relax, they'll get around to it , I'm sure...dman

Read my "who owns your news" thread.

[defenseman]

Read my "who owns your news" thread.

Your point is???...dman

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Maybe it is? Who knows? I'm sure the media pundits will tell us the "whole" story, now won't they? Relax, they'll get around to it , I'm sure...dmanYou do, right? That's why you said it would be investigated?

[defenseman]

You do, right? That's why you said it would be investigated?

I'm sure it will. Next question...dman

[alkemical]

Your point is???...dman



just trying to show the information on media ownership - draw your own conclusions.