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Home > Opinion > Mike Luckovich > Archives > 2006 > March > 07 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USREMEMBER DANIELLE?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
a while back, i did a cartoon in which i wrote all two thousand names of the u.s. soldiers who had been killed in iraq at that point, spelling out the letters “WHY.” a few weeks later, a young women named danielle responded using the names and spelling out “FREEDOM.” she has sent me a story about problems she’s been having with the georgia justice system following a traffic accident. . i’ll post danielle’s account of how everything turns out for her later. this, in her own words, is what has happened so far-
On an afternoon in September 2005 I was driving home from school. As I came upon a curve I had just checked my speed and I was running 45 mph in a 45 zone. As I come a round the curve a MACK Truck turns left and enters my lane. I slammed on the horn and onto the brakes, but my brakes locked, and there was no way to turn from hitting head on, luckily though no one was hurt. The police were called to the scene, and once an officer arrived he walked off the skid marks, and I watched, he took gigantic steps and walked up each skid mark. The officer said he wasn’t going to wait around all day for the people he called the distances in to call back and tell how fast I had been going. The officer handed me a sheet of paper and on it said I had a court date for October 28, and he also took down my home number so that he could call and let us know how fast I was running that weekend. He called and said I was running 63 mph, he talked to my father, he said that there was 167 feet of skid marks that he walked off. My father said “No way. I want to see it measured and figured” the officer replied “I don’t have too”. Dad said “No but it wont look good when I get up in court and tell about your attitude.” Later that morning the officer called and spoke with my dad saying that they would be at the scene of the wreck in 15 minutes to measure and figure the skid marks. We don’t live five minutes from the scene. My dad left right then and when he got there they said they had already measured and figured, but they didn’t have anything in their hands to measure it with. They said that it was 132’ and 139’ of marks, and that I was running approximately 53 mph in a 45 mph zone. We had measured them off also with a measuring tape, and came up with 106’ and 112’ of skid marks on the day of the wreck and also took pictures of the scene. The court date on the slip of paper that said October 26 and court case number 2005 029944, came up and Dad missed a day of work and I missed a day of school. Once we were there we were told that I didn’t have an actual court date yet, and that I wouldn’t even be tried there because that was not juvenile court. Then next court date given to us by the officer was December 28 and it was to be down town Atlanta. Once again Dad and I went, once we were there, we found out that where we were sent was the criminal court room, and that I once again did not have a court date, and that also I would not be tried there. Then February 7th we had a court date with juvenile traffic court, once we were there, we were told we had a continuance because the officer had called in on vacation. We waited three and a half hours to be told that we had to come back next month. We did learn one thing at the February trial though the man that hit me is a cop in another county, we found out because he complained about having to miss _ a day of work, when that was our third time and he had not shown up at any of the others. Tomorrow (March 7, 2006) is the next court date, and it shall be interesting to see it’s out come.
Danielle
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Frank T.
March 7, 2006 12:56 PM | Link to this
It would same that may be true for the Republicans who don’t live on the AJC blogs! LOL
By David
March 7, 2006 12:59 PM | Link to this
Hope everything turns out okay, Danielle. Thanks for posting this, Mike.
By Andy
March 7, 2006 01:11 PM | Link to this
Hey Danielle, I hope I don’t cause the hate to descend down upon this thread. If you know you are right, don’t give up. Take your pictures and your dad’s speed calculations with you to court, calmly and respectfully explain yourself to the judge. Good luck!
By The World
March 7, 2006 02:36 PM | Link to this
We are laughing at you, at your sorry President, but we are crying for our soldiers and what you’ve done to our credibility as Americans.
By Over Half of America
March 7, 2006 03:00 PM | Link to this
Hey World - we don’t really care what you think. Take your socialist welfare systems and multiculturalism (yeah, that’s worked out great for you, hasn’t it?) and put them where the sun doesn’t shine. Laugh away. You’ll never laugh at us as much as we laugh at you.
By Polly
March 7, 2006 03:11 PM | Link to this
Its good to see a teen and parent work together for what they think is right. The justice system isn’t always right. Cops sure aren’t always right and boy do they have attitudes sometimes. Good luck.
By Scooter's Answer
March 7, 2006 03:17 PM | Link to this
I’m not going to waste my time trying to convince you of anything. It is futile. Progressives and Conservatives think differently about many issues, but especially on defence.
One point we will argue on is was it just? I will say, “No, we illegally initially a war based on the idea that we were pre-empting an attack.” You will say, “He would have attacked us anyway, and people in Iraq will be better off.” We may even agree on finer points of the aftermath that has ensued, but we will never agree on the intent of our government or its use of force.
By Bush Voters
March 7, 2006 03:18 PM | Link to this
Over Half of America — that voted for Bush. That is not half of America, arrogant idiot.
By Jenn
March 7, 2006 04:28 PM | Link to this
Uh, Y’all…. this isn’t the place to complain about Bush or the war. Good luck Danielle! Hope it all works out for you!
By Danielle
March 7, 2006 05:39 PM | Link to this
Thanks Jenn and Andy and everyone that wished me well. And those people that still decide that they chose to judge me baised on the fact I did something that didnt agree with their politics (aka meaning drawing FREEDOM) seriously if you hadnt known that about me would you have hated me? This blog wasn’t about that and yet you decided to try and attack me for it, seriously whos acting their age here? But that’s beside the point, I did go to court today, and it went some what alright. Im in the process of writing it all down and emailing it to Mike. Thanks everyone for wishing me well, they ended up dismissing it (yes theres a long story with it so Ill wait and let Mike put the entire story up here) and we will each have to pay our own damages, his was maybe a little over $50 while mine is about a thousand dollars. Thanks every one and GOD Bless
By Danielle
March 7, 2006 05:40 PM | Link to this
Thanks Jenn and Andy and everyone that wished me well. And those people that still decide that they chose to judge me baised on the fact I did something that didnt agree with their politics (aka meaning drawing FREEDOM) seriously if you hadnt known that about me would you have hated me? This blog wasn’t about that and yet you decided to try and attack me for it, seriously whos acting their age here? But that’s beside the point, I did go to court today, and it went some what alright. Im in the process of writing it all down and emailing it to Mike. Thanks everyone for wishing me well, they ended up dismissing it (yes theres a long story with it so Ill wait and let Mike put the entire story up here) and we will each have to pay our own damages, his was maybe a little over $50 while mine is about a thousand dollars. Thanks every one and GOD Bless
By AntiRadical
March 7, 2006 05:49 PM | Link to this
Danielle, welcome to the real world where authority occasionally does NOT do the right thing. I predict that you will lose your case and pay the fine you are told to pay; subservience to authority is more important to civil order in our society than is your wish for justice or fair treatment. Let us know how you do, and remember that life is not always fair and you are “entitled” to nothing.
By Danielle
March 7, 2006 05:56 PM | Link to this
AntiRadical, I know that life isn’t fair and that we are never entitled to anything, I know that things aren’t always right, and that our justice system has flaws, and it will always have flaws because it is run by people, and no one is perfect, so how could something run by us be perfect? It cannot. I found out today when I was waiting to be called there were at least two other people in the room awaiting to be called for court that something very similar to what was going on with me had happened to them. This is simply a case that happens a lot. Im afraid I must go, home work calls. GOD Bless!
By getalife
March 7, 2006 06:07 PM | Link to this
So thats what happenned.
I am glad they dismissed the charges but sorry you got stuck with your bill.
At least it is over. Have fun.
By getalife
March 7, 2006 06:08 PM | Link to this
So thats what happenned.
I am glad they dismissed the charges but sorry you got stuck with your bill.
At least it is over. Have fun.
By Objective Observer
March 7, 2006 06:26 PM | Link to this
Danielle:
If you can avoid getting your insurance company to pay for your damages, and pay out of pocket, your insurance premiums should remain the same. That is a save in itself. I’m glad you were exonerated of blame, that’s a win! Good luck kiddo.
By AntiRadical
March 7, 2006 06:28 PM | Link to this
Danielle, you’re a fine young lady and you will do quite well in life. I’m glad to hear that at least you came away with SOME justice. Continue to fight for what you believe (even if it does contradict me or anyone else), do the right thing when the moment of truth comes, and keep your positive outlook when things don’t go entirely your way. If only half of the adults had only a half of your maturity, what a wonderful world it could be.
“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”- Voltaire
By Buy Danish
March 7, 2006 06:51 PM | Link to this
Danielle,
I would like to see your FREEDOM response to ML. Is it on a website anywhere?
God bless you, and to steal an oft-repeated closing line from Dan Rather of all people, “Courage”.
By Danielle
March 7, 2006 07:52 PM | Link to this
Thanks everyone, and yes Buy Danish you can find the old blog here And I just finished sending Mike the complete story with how it ended today, not as long as before I promise may be three paragraphs. And I am very much glad that even though I will have to pay for the repairs I wont have the wreck on my record. So the damage is done and there is nothing I can do to change that so honestly I don’t see a point in feeling bad that he doesn’t have to pay for it. GOD Bless!
By jenn
March 8, 2006 11:54 AM | Link to this
Danielle, I’m glad everything worked out for you and it was dismissed! Hopefully your insurance company will go after the guy and make him pay for damages.
By Robin
March 8, 2006 08:10 PM | Link to this
Danielle,
It have observed that most, if not all, young drivers have ONE fender bender in their first few years of driving - regardless of whose fault it is. (My advise to parents has always been to give your teen an old solid car for a first car.)
So now you’ve had your token teen accident. Drive in peace, without worry, but a little wiser.
Also wanted to commend your Dad in supporting you in your experience. I bet he’s a peach of a Dad!
Robin
By tread
March 9, 2006 11:41 AM | Link to this
Glad things worked out for you…finally some kind of resolve…live and learn
By Dianna
March 17, 2006 03:26 PM | Link to this
Sounds like the Justice System at its best! NOT!!