Driver Sentenced to Probation for Crash That Killed New Jersey Father and 4 Daughters

NBC New York ^ | 1 Nov 2019 | Staff

[faucetman]

“Investigators took more than three months to conclude the investigation leading to charges against Hubbard. They determined that Hubbard operated his truck in a criminally negligent manner.”

You see that as determinative???? SO DO I!

It took them THREE MONTHS to come up with these charges!!!

If his blood alcohol level was .08% or above it would have taken 5 minutes or any other legitimate negligence. They couldn’t find any, even after 3 months.

It was an accident.

LEOs will tell you that they have never had to unbuckle a DEAD person.

Not their “fault”, but just sayin’.

Seat belts and air bags SAVE LIVES! Be proactive, buckle up and INSIST that EVERYONE in your car does so. Your family’s lives may depend on it. You can’t control or prevent what some other driver could do, but you can do THIS.

[faucetman]

You have time to just STOP. I will say, that when I had the conditions (a persistent cough) that might cause an “attack” I would have my wife drive.

It doesn’t happen any more thank God!

[hal ogen]

...as certain as you are that he wasn’t irresponsible???

[9YearLurker]

On a major highway at rush hour, in the left lane? (Which seems to be this dude’s situation.)

[9YearLurker]

Oh, and good for you!

[mmichaels1970]

But I don’t think we Freepers have enough to judge here, at least to the point of sending someone to prison for years.

By making sure the state doesn’t have to actually PROVE anything through one of those inconvenient, pesky things called “trials”, the media and we on the internet get to call for the hangin rope.

Great way to “win”. Tell the guy he risks 20 years and offer him probation or no more that 6 months if he just admits his guilt. We, the outraged public will take care of the rest.

[glennaro]

My point is that the penalty for killing five people should be more than probation and money. You must acknowledge the difference between a "simple driving mistake" that results in property damage or minor injuries from a "simple driving mistake" that results in the deaths of five innocent people. I would expect the investigators (i.e., the "finders of fact") would have discovered and considered this in deriving their conclusion of "criminal negligence".)

My point is that I don't think for a hot second that justice is served when a traffic accident that causes the deaths of five people results in probation for the person that caused the deaths, even if unintentional. Such a decision reeks of a thought process that goes something like: "Well, because the defendant didn't kill the five people on purpose and because the five people are all dead and we cannot do anything more for them (or, even worse, 'we can't bring them back'), why should we ruin the life of a person for making a 'simple driving mistake' even if the independent review of the facts detemined the 'simple driving mistake' was due to criminal negligence?"

Do I think the "mother who took a quick glance at her baby in the back seat to see why it (sic) was crying and in doing so crossed the center line" should be sent to jail for decades for killing five people? Of course not; but I also think the investigators would not have concluded "criminal negligence" for such a cause even if it resulted in multiple deaths. But I do think some jail time is warranted, along with a lifetime suspension of driving privileges, for killing -- killing -- a family, particularly in view of the conclusion of "criminal negligence" by the investigators. Justice for the victims, I think, requires more than simply a monetary penalty. (Then again, the victims are dead so I suppose the law and justice no longer applies to them.)

[Drew68]

Without intoxication or truly reckless actions such as racing or rage, this wreck is like thousands of others in our transportation sydtem. There are 30,000 deaths a year in the system we created. These cases are tragic for all.

Yep. Driving is an inherently dangerous activity. Sometimes accidents happen. I believe the sentence was just.

[polymuser]

Did a quick search. Fatality resulting from falling asleep behind the wheel, even if diagnosed sleep apnea, appears to usually get 2-3 years in jail. FYI.

[9YearLurker]

But I would think previously undiagnosed would not be the same?

If you know you’re a hazard, that’s something else.

[9YearLurker]

I certainly presume he’s not on Twitter by now...

[polymuser]

2-3 years typical for falling asleep and killling someone, regardless.
He was low on sleep. Must assume he knew that.
Passenger guy not staring at him while driving...typical guy action.

[Bonemaker]

“...cough syncope...”

I know it well. The cough usually comes out of nowhere and emanates from deep in the chest. I’ve never passed out but have gotten light headed enough to consider laying down right there. Tightening your butt, thigh and abdominal muscles tends to counteract the bloody thing. Not funny if driving.

[9YearLurker]

I have no certainty about that at all.

[justa-hairyape]

10 people die every day on Texas roads, yet we all think cars give us freedom. The biggest problem now is the very dangerous roads we are given. Opposing traffic deaths can mostly be eliminated with one way roads.