Posted on 04/22/2008 7:01:07 PM PDT by buccaneer81
Fight at scene of crash tragic, Circleville official says Dad charged with misconduct for wrestling with deputy as crews worked to extricate son Tuesday, April 22, 2008 7:52 PM By Randy Ludlow The Columbus Dispatch Adam Carter Adam Carter It unfolded March 25 along London Road in Pickaway County.
Sixteen-year-old Adam Carter was driving to school when his car crossed the centerline and collided head-on with a dump truck.
Paul Carter soon arrived. As he ran toward his son's crushed car, he was intercepted by Sgt. Cory Bachnicki.
Bachnicki said he told the man to stay back, to let the emergency crew go about its job of freeing Adam.
Carter shoved Bachnicki several times, yelling that he would have to be shot to be kept from his son, the sergeant said.
Carter continued trying to push past, Bachnicki said, and they started wrestling on the ground.
Carter, 46, ended up in handcuffs in a cruiser and later was charged with misconduct at an emergency scene, a misdemeanor.
Bachnicki suffered an injury to his left rotator cuff and cuts to a knee and hand. His shirt lapel was ripped and his radio microphone was broken.
Adam, a popular kid whose bright red hair made him stand out at Westfall High School, was flown to a Columbus hospital. He died about five hours later.
After burying his son, Paul Carter pleaded not guilty to the charge in Circleville Municipal Court.
Today, Circleville Law Director Gary Kenworthy talked with Carter's attorney about what is to become of the charge. It carries a sentence of up to six months in jail.
“It's tragic all the way around,” Kenworthy said. “I can understand both sides of the circumstances.
“I'll discuss the case with the officer and see what his thoughts are now on whether the case should go forward.”
Carter's attorney, John Farthing of Circleville, did not return telephone calls yesterday. Carter could not be reached for comment.
Sheriff Dwight Radcliff is not without sympathy for the family. However, he still believes Carter crossed the line.
“It was the last thing in the world we wanted to do, but we had a situation there with someone's life at stake. We feel bad about it, but we have a job to do.”
rludlow@dispatch.org
That charge was probably the lightest they could come up with, I would think if the officer and he were to sit down
face to face, talk this out, this would all be over.
The Carter’s will end up owning Pickaway County, and the taxpayers will be thanking the good Sgt for years to come.
No, you moron, not SOMEONE. The minor SON of the Man you were restraining.
I have to agree (now that I'm 44 and have an 11 year old son.) I got my license a month after my 16th birthday. I was beyond dangerous for the first couple of years.
The scene control people should be moved to other responsibilities. They mishandled this.
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I agree.
Except maybe for this incident.
I have a 13-going on 14-yr old boy.
God forbid I would be faced with a similiar situation.
Dad's completely understandable emotions were getting in the way of the people trained to do this stuff.
Sad all the way around.
I just hope the Deputy let's it go.....
Two officers should have been allowed to take the man to his son.
You are assuming bad intentions by the officer. Or, maybe the officer made a mistake. Do you think the officer planned this? Maybe he did not want the man to see his son in this condition our of compassion.
so the last moments of his son’s life,maybe a last goodbye, turns into a tragic,humiliating arrest. No one should be denied that moment,I hope the guy sues and the deputy is fired,because he should have as much right to be there as anyone else.
“No jury will convict him.”
They don’t WANT it to get that far. Just shake him down for a fine and some involuntary servitude (”community service”) in exchange for clearing his record.
That’s modern American “justice”!/s
Good words, I agree.
“I pray I never have to be on either side of such a tragic scene.”
Me either but the cop was doing his job. The father would have been in the way. Had he restrained himself he would have been with his son instead of sitting in jail.
I see both sides of this, the father wants to be with his son. However, the emergency crews are trying to get the son extricated from his car and keep him alive.
You are probably right the cop made a mistake and typically charged the grieving father to cover it up. Yeah I feel much better about him in that case. Maybe the cop went over and shot the dog and cat?
This should be nol prossed or dismissed. Especially in a small town, the DA doesn't want this in the memory banks when he runs for re-election.
There's a reason family members are kept back from such scenes, and this man's reaction is the perfect illustration. He was far too emotional to be beneficial to the situation.
I agree. That said, it's too bad the dad couldn't have been escorted by two officers over to be closer to his son.
This would be my ultimate nightmare as a father.
The officer was probably thinking: danger to bystanders in extrication, hysterical father in the way, mangled boy - don’t want father’s last memory of him to be like that.
And what he should have done is walked the father over and stayed with him there...
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