Posted on 03/21/2014 2:51:41 PM PDT by ClaytonP
The driver of an unmarked Maricopa County Sheriff's Office SUV was traveling 41 mph faster than the speed limit seconds before it T-boned a Nissan Cube and killed the driver in December.
A crash reconstruction by the Glendale Police Department showed Deputy Sean Pearce was going 81 mph in a 40 mph zone just prior to slamming on his brakes and colliding with the Cube driven by John Edward Harding, 63, of Glendale, according to a Glendale police report obtained by CBS 5 News on Monday.
Pearce, a 20-year veteran of the MCSO and the son of former state Sen. Russell Pearce, and Deputy David Parra were in separate unmarked vehicles and responding to a report that a murder suspect was on the move.
Sean Pearce told investigators he thought he was going about 55 mph in the center northbound lane of 59th Avenue and had no traffic in front of him, and then he saw Harding's vehicle enter the intersection of Hayward Avenue.
Sean Pearce said he locked up the brakes on the SUV but was unable to avoid the collision, according to the report.
Harding's widow, Nohemi Harding, learned from CBS 5 News the results of the report and said she wants justice for her husband.
"I don't know what he was thinking," she said. "I mean, he's the king of the road or what? He can do anything he wants because he's a policeman?"
Parra was following behind, saw the collision and stopped at the crash scene, according to the report.
Neither sheriff's vehicle was equipped with emergency lights, according to the report.
John Harding died at a nearby hospital. He is survived by his wife, Nohemi Harding, and a son, Jordan.
Glendale detectives have submitted the case to the county attorney's office requesting manslaughter charges be filed against Pearce, something Harding's widow would like to see.
"I have a concern that he may not get charged because of who he is - a policeman - and because he's the son of an ex-senator," said Nohemi Harding.
Hear comes the dept of JustUs because it’s MCSO
Wait and see.
Sounds like a white guy victim. His death is therefore irrelevant.
“I have a concern that he may not get charged because of who he is - a policeman - and because he’s the son of an ex-senator,”
Ahem.
Being well-connected didn’t help when fat Uncle Teddy Kennedy was convicted of manslaughter!
Oh, wait...
Wishing peace for the remaining family members. I’m not holding my breath, but I hope they find some way to gain closure.
Surprise, surprise, surprise!
What is it we keep hearing when questioning LEOs "flying low" on routine trips? "Oh LEOs are specially trained for high speed driving."
If you lock your front wheels, you throw away all your ability to steer to AVOID an accident. Maybe all LEOs need a bit of realistic driving simulator time and testing every three months on the simulator. Testing to be witnessed by civilians, including at least one with a recent "Reckless Driving - Excessive Speed" ticket.
Welcome to the real world.
Her concern is warranted.
I'll try that excuse next time a cop pulls me over.
The Glendale Police Department just issued this update through their press office:
“We want the public to know that there are allegations regarding one of our officers possible involvement in a motor vehicle accident. When Officer Pearce comes back on duty tomorrow, we’ll speak to him then. In the meantime, two of our decorated public servants have visited the home of the complainants, and shot their Poodle, when it attacked our officers. Thank you.”
Robert Castro
Chief of Polic
wow, I suspect the Cube became the flattened square after that encounter
A similar event occurred a few years ago where I live. A county policewoman was responding to a call of a disturbance when she went through a red light at 90 mph. Her police car collided with the car of another driver who was proceeding through a green light and did not see or hear her car approaching. The driver was thrown from his car and killed. The policewoman was fired from her job, but appealed the decision and is seeking her old job back under a wrongful firing suit.
What the heck was John Harding doing in the way of a Ruling Elite, above the law, public master?
The driver wasn’t Glendale PD, he was MCSO. So, that statement would have to be issues by Sheriff Joe Arpaio, not Robert Castro.
Deputy Sheriff’s are one of the biggest groups of wannabes that have ever existed. They have the short man, short dick syndrome all to them themselves. They are wannabe Napoleons that just can’t make the cut. Where I live there must be a minimum weight requirement for them, because most tip the scales at about 350 lbs.
A recent graduate of the Fullerton, CA Police Academy racing home to show his husband his diploma.
I'm thinking one could get seriously injured in one of those things if hit by a bicyle.
Personally, I wouldn't care to be on the highway in one of these - unless everyone else was aldo not driving anything bigger. -
to me, it kinda looks like a glorified golfcart
Probably a figurative statement. Most vehicles have anti-lock and chances are his did. My guess is he probably hit the brakes just a second or two before impact and had no chance of steering.
Not really. The lesson to be learned here is that Cube < SUV. If you want to be safe, don’t drive a small car.
Generally true. I take risks, but often drive my truck because it is safer than my small car. Long time ago two guys I know were driving their 60s Corvette and got T-boned by another car. The Corvette, being made of fiberglass, exploded. Tail section ended up a couple hundred feet from the engine section, parts landed on neighboring roofs. Miraculously, both guys were relatively okay still buckled in their seats on the road, with no car remaining around them. You can die in any vehicle, or angels could save you in a bad situation.
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