Berkeley man dies after slamming into parked cars at 80 mph

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 4/18/8 | Henry K. Lee

[SmithL]

Berkeley man died early today when he drove his car at speeds topping 80 mph into several parked vehicles in North Berkeley, moments after being thwarted in a possible attempt to kill himself by inhaling carbon monoxide, police said.

The man, whose name was not immediately released, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which happened at Yolo and The Alameda shortly before 2 a.m., police Sgt. Mary Kusmiss said.

The incident began at 1:50 a.m. when a homeless man flagged down police Sgt. Patty Delaluna near Bancroft Way and Fulton Street in downtown Berkeley, Kusmiss said.

The homeless man told the sergeant that he saw a Subaru parked at the corner with a man sitting inside. There was a tube coming out of the car's exhaust pipe, which the homeless man removed, Kusmiss said.

When Delaluna approached the Subaru, it was "cloudy inside," Kusmiss said. The sergeant tried to talk to the man, but he refused to communicate. Delaluna tried to smash the window to let air inside, but the man took off in his car, Kusmiss said.

Delaluna and Officer Amber Phillips went after the Subaru as it traveled west on Bancroft and then north on Martin Luther King Jr. Way. The man drove circuitously, ran stop signs and red lights and drove in the opposite lanes of traffic,

...Officers arrived at Yolo and The Alameda - Martin Luther King becomes The Alameda in North Berkeley - and found a "dramatic collision scene," with the Subaru upside down on the hood of a Ford pickup truck, Kusmiss said.

A preliminary investigation showed that the man had crossed from the northbound lanes into the southbound lanes of The Alameda at speeds of at least 80 mph and hit a parked BMW before plowing into a parked Honda.

[SmithL]

Don't worry, the Code Pinko parking space is still safe.

[BullDog108]

One less Beserklian in the gene pool...

[highnoon]

I thought that perhaps he had fallen out of a tree. I’m sure they are going to blame his death on the evil Surburban or Expedition that he ran into.

[Nailbiter]

Guy plowed into BMW, then hit a Honda, and landed on a Ford.
At least he did not discriminate, he got German, Japanese and American vehicles.

I shouldn’t laugh but I am.

Karma will probably come get my vehicle now.

[Nailbiter]

you need to read the comments at end of article

[Retired Greyhound]

can you just post them instead?

[Nailbiter]

I would except site is defeating my ability to deal with BS today.
Took me 5 tries to get first 10 comments to display.
I work on IT help desk, after 12 hrs I just do not have it me to deal with BS website that requires 5 tries to read comments.

[quadrant]

You miss the point: the blame lies with those who parked their cars, even if legally. They should have known that a deranged man might decide to ram their vehicles and parked elsewhere. Therefore, they are liable for his death and for the damage to his vehicle.

[NonValueAdded]

Distracted by a recruiter?

[No Truce With Kings]

“You miss the point: the blame lies with those who parked their cars, even if legally.”

Preach it, brother. Things like this is why we need a three-day waiting period between the time you purchase a car and the time you take posession of it. That and a two car-per-month limit on the number of cars you can buy each month without a car dealer’s licence.

If it saves even one young life, it’s worth the inconvenience — it’s for the CHILDREN.

[Mugwump]

“You miss the point: the blame lies with those who parked their cars, even if legally. They should have known that a deranged man might decide to ram their vehicles and parked elsewhere. Therefore, they are liable for his death and for the damage to his vehicle.”

_________________________________________________________________________

I’m aware of a few auto insurance companies that think exactly like this.

[SmithL]

casual_observer 4/18/2008 8:27:53 AM " The officers stopped following him at 1:55 a.m. out of concern that continuing to do so would prompt him to continue driving unsafely" Sounds like the Berkeley police to me. Quick! Are there tickets that we're supposed to write? This guy not only didn't slow down, but plowed into parked cars at 80mph. Recommend:    (10)(88)[Report Abuse]

Jgor 4/18/2008 8:28:53 AM Thank god he didn't take any innocent people with him, though he did leave a mess for several folk to take to their insurance companies. Recommend:    (101)(3)[Report Abuse]

bobothehitman 4/18/2008 8:29:35 AM Kusmiss said. "We may never know whether this part of the story was an intentional act. HUH? The guy had an exhaust tube going into his car. What a stupid thing to say. Recommend:    (47)(12)[Report Abuse]

JRG 4/18/2008 8:32:15 AM Note to suicide wanna-be's: Stick to the GG bridge; much less chance of hurting others. Recommend:    (82)(20)[Report Abuse]

sf_sf 4/18/2008 8:34:57 AM selfish bastar^ --- For one, to cause grief to those that knew and loved you, and two, driving like a complete a$$h()l3, putting innocent people at risk. Glad this moron didn't kill some innocent bystander. Recommend:    (71)(7)[Report Abuse]

hoecakes 4/18/2008 8:35:46 AM Henry K. Lee.....BMW.....coincidence? Recommend:    (16)(17)[Report Abuse]

portolapark 4/18/2008 8:37:33 AM If you want to check out...please....no reason to make problems for others. Recommend:    (66)(2)[Report Abuse]

robinsf 4/18/2008 8:38:26 AM Not a parked BMW!!! AYEEEE!!! I hope the leather seats are ok. Recommend:    (28)(22)[Report Abuse]

viking116 4/18/2008 8:39:03 AM I just saw the crash scene. Spectacular mess! Jeeze he must have been going fast. But typical post here: criticize the police. If they chase and there's a crash it's their fault if they don't and there's a crash it's their fault. Who the hell would want to be a cop around here? Put your life on the line and get no appreciation. He could have rounded a corner and hit a cop--after all, he wasn't afraid of dying. Recommend:    (127)(65)[Report Abuse]

jeepgypsy 4/18/2008 8:39:53 AM Another reason to hate the homeless. How dare their tattered personages attempt to save lives. Throw that bum out of town. Recommend:    (44)(32)[Report Abuse]

jonvn 4/18/2008 8:41:00 AM I wonder if he was wearing his seat belt. Recommend:    (17)(6)[Report Abuse]

LittleLiz 4/18/2008 8:43:27 AM It's a tragedy when people trying to commit suicide endanger others (remember the man who parked on the tracks of a commuter train?). It's so selfish and egocentric, much as the act of suicide itself. I commend the homeless person for getting involved, even though the result was worse than if this man had just been left alone. Thankfully no one else was hurt. Recommend:    (35)(6)[Report Abuse]

nlochrie 4/18/2008 8:47:53 AM What an idiot. Driving through red lights and stop signs could have killed any number of other people, aside from his intended victim, himself. I'm all for people being able to commit suicide, especially if they're that stupid and selfish. Recommend:    (19)(4)[Report Abuse]

random1 4/18/2008 8:47:57 AM "But what we do know is that he was driving at a fairly high rate of speed.".......Fairly high rate of speed? When a car is airborne and landing upside down on another, I doubt he was going under the 25 MPH speed limit. Recommend:    (6)(5)[Report Abuse]

hadjiforce 4/18/2008 8:52:45 AM question: what action does the police take to "thwart" suicide attempts? i've heard of a cop shooting a guy to death because he wouldn't come down from a bridge. i'm sure that must have been an accident of some sort, but there is some sort of a penalty, right? the man would have been detained, put on suicide watch, right? knowing berkeley, he would have been fined as well. Recommend:    (9)(29)[Report Abuse]

rebren 4/18/2008 8:59:28 AM I'm sure the autopsy will reveal that he was under the influence of some substance of some sort. How sad and selfish. Anyone could have been walking on the street or in one of those parked cars. But I guess when you get so far gone, you simply can't see beyond yourself. Well, I suppose he got what he wanted, ultimately. I'm glad no one was hurt in the process. But yeah, if you're gonna off yourself, jump off the bridge. At least the last thing you'll see will be beautiful. (Rent the movie 'The Bridge' by the way. Haunting but beautiful in a weird way.) And kudos to the homeless man. It's nice to see people still care about strangers. Too bad the guy who died didn't get that. Recommend:    (23)(4)[Report Abuse]

cringer 4/18/2008 9:02:43 AM one more reason to NEVER put a barrier on the GG Recommend:    (29)(7)[Report Abuse]

chewchewtrain 4/18/2008 9:02:53 AM BIG PICTURE: It's ironic. By removing the exhaust hose, a homeless man is saying life can't be so bad that you need to kill yourself. Recommend:    (69)(3)[Report Abuse]

citrusmatters 4/18/2008 9:05:24 AM After seeing how he was driving during the initial chase, why didn't they put down the tire strips? They could have saved the man and prevented large scale accidents. Instead, they let him drive like crazy and kill himself. Recommend:    (5)(34)[Report Abuse]

teekay13 4/18/2008 9:08:55 AM the BMW's driver is at fault. no further investigation needed. Recommend:    (13)(5)

[Responsibility2nd]

Berkeley man dies after slamming into parked cars at 80 mph

____________________

Yep. That’ll do it.

[Nailbiter]

thx

[Chickensoup]

This man wanted to die.

[quadrant]

As a rule, insurance companies don’t think as I opined, but trial lawyers certainly do.

[IncPen]

Wow. Sad, but it’s hard to pry your eyes away from that story.