TP charged with Reckless driving

[Senior KX Rider]

cyclenews.com

According to reports in yesterday's Capital, a newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland, police plan to cite Travis Pastrana with reckless driving for causing a crash last month that left an acquaintance paralyzed.

The report says that Cpl. Charles Brown said he's written Mr. Pastrana citations for reckless driving, negligent driving and speeding. He plans to serve them on the 19-year-old Davidsonville resident when he returns from an out-of-town trip.

If convicted of the misdemeanor offenses, Pastrana faces a maximum fine of $1000 for reckless driving and $500 for negligent driving, according to the report.

The newspaper said that prosecutors who reviewed the case said the law makes it impossible to charge Pastrana with more serious felony charges.

"There's still no jail for someone who drives recklessly with a flagrant disregard for the traffic laws and injures someone seriously," Deputy State's Attorney William D. Roessler told the Capital.

Pastrana was driving a black 2003 Chevrolet Corvette on Rossback Road on June 10 at about 12:30 a.m. when the vehicle went airborne after cresting a small hill near Overlook Glen, according to police.

The car went onto a steep embankment and struck a large oak tree. The force of the collision flipped the Corvette and threw Pastrana from the vehicle. Firefighters had to rescue his passenger, Matthew Bigos, 20, from the wreckage, the papers says.

According to the Capitali, Bigos remains paralyzed from the waist down.

Pastrana was unavailable for comment, according to the Capital.

Pastrana has said that a deer jumped out of the woods, forcing him to dart into the oncoming lane, then lose control when he saw car lights coming over the hill. He admitted to driving too fast.

Cpl. Brown said he estimated Mr. Pastrana was driving between 85 and 95 mph in a 35 mph zone. According to the newspaper report, Brown never talked to Pastrana, but said Bigos never mentioned a deer in a statement he gave through an attorney.

Prosecutors will lobby the General Assembly next year to change the law and allow them to charge drivers in serious crashes with reckless endangerment, a misdemeanor that carries five years in prison, according to the Capital.

"There are any number of situations where that would be a very appropriate charge for us to use, but we're precluded from using it," Assistant State's Attorney William Katcef told the Capital.

According to the newspaper, court records show police twice stopped Pastrana while driving his Corvette in the months leading up to the crash.

On March 3 he was clocked driving 81 mph in a 65-mph zone on westbound Route 50 near the Route 424 exit. He received probation before judgment after paying $53 in fines and costs.

And three days before the crash, Pastrana was cited for failure to show his license when stopped by police. He paid a $30 fine, according to the published report.

 

[nephron]

GOOD. :silly:

 

[92cr]

I wonder if Matt Bigos never saw the deer ,can't remember it or Pastrana made it up!

 

[marcusgunby]

Travis is lucky he isnt going to prison-the offense deserves it IMO.It seems like he has been even more stupid than originally thought-to have been stopped twice previously and to be going three times the speed limit is wreckless.At least on the track Travis was mainly only endangering his own life.

 

[dirt bike dave]

Pastrana is lucky he lives in a state where the maximum penalties are so low.  He'll be lucky if is his passenger doesn't sue him.  Not sure if his passenger's medical insurance company can sue Pastrana, but they might. 

 

[Senior KX Rider]

Originally posted by marcusgunby
At least on the track Travis was mainly only endangering his own life.

And occasionally Mike LaRoccos :p

 

[jsned]

Just wondering if anyone knew what kind of gun TP used to make his buddy get in the car?

Get real, they both knew what they were getting in that car for and his buddy shouldnt even consider sueing him. People need to start owning up to their decisions. His buddy had to think to himself, just before getting in the car, that what they were about to do was very dangerous. Be a man,the decision was his now the consequences should be his!!

As far as the fines, not even worth giving to TP, he probably wipes his nose with $20 bills. Yank his liscence is the only thing that would stop him from doing this again (maybe).

Only the innocent (which none were involved here in this case) should be compinsated for injury do to an act like this.

Sorry dont want to affend anyone, but this crap is the stuff making this country weak and it has to stop.

 

[super rat]

I hope Bigos sues the pants off of TP and gets every last cent. I also hope you never have to feel what it like to have to spend your life in a wheelchair.

 

[zcookie49]

that "hill" in the road is used as a jump....per locals....

 

[bh]

I agree with "jsned".

 

[Y2Z]

i think that the TP's story isnt entirely true, i doubt that the deer caused him to go into the left lane.

 

[mx547]

i must be the only one here that did that kind of stuff when i was a kid. we drove fast, jumped cars, etc. all the time. i even wrecked a corvette when i was 17. i remember doing a 360 at 100+ mph in a station wagon on a two-lane road. i thought i was pretty conservative at the time. i could make a list a mile long.

i'm not defending what tp did but i understand it.

 

[Gary B.]

Yeah, I did plenty of stupid things when I was young, too, but I wasn't a millionaire with a whole lot of people depending on me. This ain't much different than the NBA or NFL. You can pay them millions, but they're just as stupid as when they were nobodies. :flame:

 

[atc3434`]

I'd have to agree with jsned on this one as well. I'm sure Bigos knew they were going to be screwing around. You can't sue your bike manufacurer for not warning you that their product was going to go crazy fast and toss you off, because you choose to ride it willingly, just like Bigos choose to ride with TP.

 

[BunduBasher]

TP, just needs to join those clowns on MTV's Jackass - he'd fit right in. We could have our very own reality show - I'm with #199 :ugg:

 

[ScottYZ250]

JSNED, you nailed it! People need to "man up"! Something my father told me as a kid, "you make a lot of decisions in life. Some won't be the right ones. How you react to your mistakes shows what kind of job I did as a parent."

Nobody's perfect, but people need to take responsibility for their actions. That kid does not deserve to be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, but nobody forced him into that Vet. My guess is it was his idea to go for a joy-ride in the first place.

 

[380EXCman]

Well now this is a hard one. Its one thing to be stupid in a controled situation like your own back yard, track, stadium, in contests or competition. But its another to take it out on to public roads and highways. I agree with jsned to a certain degree. However I still feel a lesson here needs to be taught. Im sure Bigos learned his lesson (and if he has not, Im sure spending much of his life in rehab will help), but I am struggling with the idea that Travis has. I used to do these same types of things when I was the same age. But there was one thing that limited the level I could reach in getting into trouble and that was money. With all the money he has comes greater responsibility, like it or not he can not act like a teenager or twenty something. Many people do not have the wealth that he has until (if ever) they are near retirement age. Hopefully by then they have matured. I think this trend of athletes being worth millions if not hundreds of millions before they are age 20 is as big as problem as the lawyers are. Its creating a trend where many teenagers have become lazy and have a sense of entitlement that did not exsist a few years ago. No doubt these athletes work hard. But the kids dont see that. What they see is someone that has the cool cars, clothes and friends and got it playing a game.... TP needs to grow up quick!!!!!!

 

[whyzee]

It's called accountability. Correct, Travis did not hold a gun to his buddy’s head. Would he have gone along for the ride if he had known the result, would TP have pulled the stunt if he had known? Both answers of course are no. Tragically the accident happened, now it's time for the driver to "man-up". It's also a time for him to grow up. Yea I did the same schat as a kid, I'm lucky to be here, that does not diminish the fact that, if I had killed or injured someone through my stupidity, I would have been held accountable.
Let's face it though, he's a celeb', a lil slap on the wrist and he'll be done with. :|

 

[jsned]

I totally agree that TP should be severely punished for reckless driving on a public road. Losing his liscence for a very long time and some bigger fines. Maybe more!!! and he is just another spoiled rich celebrity kinda person. IMO

But what I was getting at was the instantaneous responses of suggesting Bigos sueing. I dont agree at all.

If TP wants to man up, maybe he could help the guy out best by paying hosptial bills, recovery, what ever to give the guy somewhat of a good life. A guy like TP with the connections in the industry might even be able to get the guy a job.

Nothing will make it 100% right, but is it 100% TP's fault???????

 

[RM_guy]

Originally posted by Whyzee
It's called accountability. Correct, Travis did not hold a gun to his buddy’s head. Would he have gone along for the ride if he had known the result, would TP have pulled the stunt if he had known? Both answers of course are no. Tragically the accident happened, now it's time for the driver to "man-up". It's also a time for him to grow up. Yea I did the same schat as a kid, I'm lucky to be here, that does not diminish the fact that, if I had killed or injured someone through my stupidity, I would have been held accountable.
Let's face it though, he's a celeb', a lil slap on the wrist and he'll be done with. :|

This is just about exactly what I had typed up and then decided not to post. I aggree it's about time TP grew up.

 

[dirt bike dave]

Originally posted by jsned
But what I was getting at was the instantaneous responses of suggesting Bigos sueing. I dont agree at all.

Uhhh, I didn't suggest Bigos sue.  I said Travis would be lucky if he didn't get sued.  My point is, to date, Travis is getting off easy. 

Hopefully the two of them can work it out.  But Bigos has to think of his family, too.  What if they are required to spend tens of thousands of dollars supporting him?  Rehab, wheelchairs and ramps ain't cheap, to say nothing of lost wages, etc...

IMO, the driver takes responsibility for the safety of his passengers.   You injure a passenger with your reckless behavior, then you risk legal penalities and getting sued.  

 

[tx246]

well, according to the article, it sounds like they would of nailed TP famous or not.........if they had a law that allowed it. seems the lawmakers in that state are intent on closing that loophole and travis just closed it for everybody else. i dont think his fame helped him stay out of jail. sometimes famous people who do stupid things bring light to existing problems. recently, here in texas, justin g(that talent show thing), had an incident on a jet ski on a texas lake where he almost wiped out someone on the beach. obviously, he wasnt knowledgeable about jet ski operation. this brought the whole PWC issue to the front in the media. result is another push for licensing/training before being allowed to operate a PWC.

10 yrs ago i had a friend who hadnt been on the back of my fj1200. we went out one evening on a nearly deserted FM road and i opened her up to the tune of 135mph. i backed out and uturned in the road and headed back to town. there were some headlights 2 miles away and behind those lights was a county sherriff with radar. needless to say, as he eased up behind me in town he hit the lights. i pulled over and me and my passenger just stood by the bike. i told ted, im going to jail and they are going to impound the bike. ted was scared poopless. as the officer started talking about how i was endangering my pasenger, ted did the "man up" and broke in and said he wanted me to run it fast. i was so proud of him. it gets better. he handed me a very expensive ticket and i didnt go to jail. i pick my time and place to "play" but i am very concious of where i do it and most importantly where i wont hurt an innocent.

 

[tx246]

bigos will receive disability from the govt to the tune of about 1500 per month. he will also be on medicaid. the govt will pay his education to learn a skill. if he is smart he wont touch a job until he goes to school. if he lands a job before he finishes school, the offer for free training/school goes out the window. if he does take some lowpaying job, he can only make 800 per month or he will lose his 1500 in disability and insurance coverage. he needs to take care of that wheelchair that he gets. medicaid only pays for one per lifetime. they go for a minimum of 3500.

being a paraplegic is tough but not impossible. i have a friend who went through a windshield and had a bronco roll over him. they were jacking around. he works for me and i am so proud of him. he is very active and does everything he used to do. he hunts, rides 4 wheelers(he misses his dirtbike), fishes from the deck of a 20ft gambler ect. ect. he needs very little help. things take a little longer for him to do but he gets it done. he lives every day like its his last because he has truly seen the last one. the coroner was spraying paint around him in the field when he regained conciousness.