Posted on 07/29/2007 3:43:38 AM PDT by Erik Latranyi
PHOENIX — Federal investigators on Saturday began gathering debris from two news helicopters that collided while covering a police chase on live television and crashed, killing all four people aboard.
The investigators plan to lay out the wreckage elsewhere to try to determine the point where the two aircraft collided Friday, National Transportation Safety Board investigator Howard Plagens said.
"We're just mapping out the locations ... how things are scattered, that's our main focus," he said.
Investigators said they'll need at least another day to finish going through the debris, which was sprayed across the ground and landed atop nearby buildings.
On Saturday, investigators allowed reporters into the crash site.
The helicopters' hulls were flipped over and squashed in two twisted heaps. The explosion blackened grass and trees. Curved metal sheets from the choppers floated upside down in a nearby pond.
Meanwhile, the man suspected of starting the chase was booked into jail on three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of theft and one count of resisting arrest.
Christopher Jermaine Jones, 23, also may be held responsible for the helicopter crash, police said.
Formal charges are expected to come later. At an initial court appearance, bail was set at $1 million.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Regardless of what this suspect did, or that he was leading police on a chase, he is IN NO WAY RESPONSIBLE for these ratings hungry reporters crashing their choppers. This is absurd, and it will never hold up (I pray, but in this bizzaro world we live in....)
Yeah. This is ridiculous.
In this particular case I think it could be strongly argued that the media actually INTERFERED with the proper administration of the police duties.
Four counts of murder.
Hang the person in the public square within 30 days. Within one year the carjackings will drop way down.
Talk about a slippery slope. The news crews didn’t have to be there. I could see the point if police crashed/died while in pursuit, or innocents were mowed down by this perp. There would even be some relevence if these were police helicopters aiding in the pursuit, but news crews salivating for ratings? Egads.
This was a tragic accident but the fault lies with the terminally negligent pilot(s).
CC
Christopher Jermaine Jones, 23, also may be held responsible for the helicopter crash, police said.
Sure, what the hell.
Might as well charge him for the sinking of the Lusitania and Sacking of Rome in 410 AD by Alaric and his Visigoths too.
“I’m sure it’s an awfully nice feather in his cap on the road to becoming a judge or any political future.’
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Not to mention the future favorable press coverage he will have “earned.”
“If cops or someone else on the ground had been killed during the pursuit, that would be warranted. But media hounds killed in competion over coverage DUE TO PILOTS’ ERROR.... ABSURD”
I respectfully disagree. If someone on the ground had been killed - then the TV stations that owned the helicopters and sent them in the air should be sued.
Ok, now that’s going a bit far. He didn’t ask the news helicopters to rush in for ratings. The pilots were at fault, period.
Ping.
I worked in Brentwood, about 200 yards from the condo where Orenthal butchered Nicole and Goldman. One wall of the office was solid window, so we had a great view of the entire 'hood.
On what turned out to be the morning of the "Bronco Chase", OJ had gone missing and it was speculation for several hours that he had gone to - or was enroute to - the murder scene to off himself.
I can't recall now how many choppers were circling overhead, but I do remember being halfway scared to walk out and look at 'em, because a midair sure appeared imminent.
It was pilot error or mechanical problems.
Agreed..., but the POS perp is not responsible for deaths due to media competition...
The cops have it wrong here. They obviously have no idea of the meaning of CAUSE. The fleeing suspect didn’t cause the helicopter accident. If the cops had crashed into a pole while chasing the creep, they would have a case.
Ridiculous!
The prosecutor is getting ready for the next election, got to have that TV time !
sorry, read your post wrong...needed more coffee; shouldn’t post before the second cup!
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