SEVEN TEENAGERS KILLED IN N. C.

[boothead]

Seven teenagers ranging from 13 to 18 were killed this A.M. about 12:30 after being chased by the Troutman Police. The driver was seen driving in an erratic way and a chase was started. The car ran off the roadway to the left and went into a slid ending up in a small stream-bed on it's top. All seven, 5 boys and 2 girls were killed instantly. The auto was stolen earlier in the night. Some of the victims have not been identified. The teenagers were all from the Statesville, N. C. area. Sorry but this is all I have.

[CyberCowboy777]

The cops have a Crystal Ball that tells them "let these guys go, nothing bad will happen"

[TheCrusader]

"You have a problem with any authority, right?"

No, I have a problem with stupidity and big deadly egos that kill people needlessly. The authority that I grew up with did not allow itself to engage in high speed chases with non felony related incidences of kids joy riding in a pilfered car. They had the brains and common decency to understand that high speed car chases are often deadly, to innocent bystanders, to innocent kids in the back seat of the car, and even to the police themselves. You think this chase was worth it?????????????????

[FixitGuy]

And how about:

Don't steal cars and kill six friends!

Don't steal cars and kill six friends!

[ThePointer]

Unless we hear otherwise, which we won't, I put the blame squarely on the driver. When I was a teenager I was in situations (not stolen cars though) where I wanted OUT but there was no way I could.

I may be naive but I would like to think at least the two girls wanted no part of this. But who the hell knows.

[notpoliticallycorewrecked]

So let me get this straight.

Your statement appears that you are finding fault with the police officer that attempted to investigate a driver that is weaving.

So far the only thing that the officer did that was "wrong" was to attempt a traffic stop.

Now the teenagers on the other hand were
1. Driving underage
2. The above obviously means without a license.
3. After curfew
4. Stolen vehicle
5. No seat belts.
6. Speeding
7. God only know what else they had done or were doing.

Do you need a reality check or a brain check?

[Servant of the 9]

The father of the driver says on local T.V. "this could have been avoided.". Quote of the day.

It sure could, he could have taught his kid not to steal cars.
I hope the car owner sues his ass for his kid wrecking it.

So9

[spectre]

Not long ago these chases were always allowed.

Excuse me, but I never said it was worth it.

I guess if you had your way, nobody would be stopped for erratic driving, stealing a car and fleeing from the police.

Luckily for society, the "poor children" bleeding hearts don't control law enforcement YET.

sw

[Alas Babylon!]

"We just saw them yesterday," she said. "They were happy and laughing. ... It looks like they were out having fun last night, just doing their Christmas holiday break."

Ah yes, the joys of youth! I remember those days, holiday cheer, stealing cars, weaving in and out of traffic at high speed. Just typical teenage hijinks and fun, fun, fun!!!!

[boothead]

The word now is they borrowed the car. I doubt seriously, that the owner will say he loaned his car to a non-licensed driver.

[CyberCowboy777]

It was worth it if it kept these idiots from hitting one other car innocently driving along.

We have teens who like to speed and play chicken on two lane roads - one side down to the river, the other a rock face.

One person has died already, how many more before you let the cops chase these guys down?

It is safer to have a cops with lights and sirens than a idiot with no warning speeding down the road.

[John D]

Since when is car theft a petty crime. If the police had not tried to stop them when they did an INNICENT person might have been killed.

[jonascord]

Find me a leo under forty that doesn't believe he could give Jeff Gordon a run at Darlington! They've had how many hours of high speed pursuit training? (You can't outrun a Motorola, but they DEFIED ZOD!)

[Trickyguy]

They learned the hard way. Don't run from the cops.

They didn't learn anything. They're dead.

[gatex]

"What's this go to do with a stupid, needless high speed car chase ...."

New Jersey, several years ago, said no high speed chases. --- The gangs then started taunting the police and speeding away, knowing they could not be chased --- shown on tv by news program.

[TheCrusader]

"What if the stolen car is doing 100 miles an hour and weaving all over the road? Just let them continue on their merry way??"

Frankly I get more than nauseated by replies like this, I get discouraged. Did it ever occur to you that the high speeds and dangerous driving usually happen as a result of being chased by the police and the kid panics and takes off for his life? If there is no report of a robbery or felony then why assume it is one? It makes no sense. If there is a report of a stolen car then assume that it is a stolen car. Aren't you aware that the police being allowed to chase down every single car theft like this is a recent development, and that it was formerly frowned upon by police cheifs because they knew it posed more danger to society than the benefits it could provide??? They have radios and a network of police today that never existed before, there is more than one way to catch a teen who pilfered a car than chasing him down as though the fate of the whole world depended on it. But hey, people today seem to want a police state, so I guess they have gotten what they wanted.

[Petronski]

...non felony related incidences of kids joy riding in a pilfered car.

I believe auto theft is inherently 'felony-related.'

[skr]

The driver was seen driving in an erratic way...

You're right. The police should've assumed that the driver was just being silly in a stolen car. After all, if they'd known it was just a bunch of teens with no harm in mind, they could've just explained that to the loved ones of anyone the car thieves might've crashed into all by themselves. It's not the driver's fault at all--just ask the driver's father.

[ThePointer]

Not much more I can add then what already has been said to you. You are Monday morning quarterbacking. Hindsight, 20/20, all that jazz. Go to your local police station and ask for a ride-along.

[DCBryan1]

Darwinism was right.
Those most able to adapt will continue to survive.

These "children" did not adapt to the laws of:
1) God (thou shalt not steal),
2) The laws of man...which protect us all from reckless behavior.

I have relatives in that part of the state, and I am glad that the police chose to enforce the law, and attempt to stop obviously dangerous driving.

It is sad that seven "children" wreckless thieves met their untimely end, but THEY are the ones who chose to break God's Law, and Man's Law.

I think we should pray for the police, the dead, their grieving parent(s), and be sure to kiss your teenage children tonight and show them this article on what NOT to do.

If a parent/teacher/loved one told them
1) DO NOT STEAL, and
2) DO NOT RUN FROM COPS
and the teenagers actually listened, they would be alive today. Unfortunately, I would bet that a majority in the car are totally innocent of both breeches of public trust mentioned above, and thus will receive my prayers.

[FITZ]

In this city a 13 year old murdered a man in a car-jacking over a truck and we've seen several people injured in a struggle over their car. Car thieves are not minor or petty criminals, these kids were driving wrecklessly because they didn't care who they killed ---- they figured they had a right to keep the car they had stolen and didn't care who died trying to stop them.