Attorney General arrested in brutal hit-and-run death

[cletus8269]

Politician known for harsh motorist laws arrested in brutal hit-and-run death

Former Ontario, Canada Attorney General Michael Bryant made a name for himself as a tough-nosed lawmaker that took a hard line against street racing. Among Bryant's hard stance anti-racer policies was a law that gave the police the right to crush any car that was modified for racing – even if the vehicle had no complaints against it. If a report from The New York Times is true, Mr. Bryant could ironically spend the rest of his life behind bars for a brutal hit-and-run accident involving a bicyclist.

The incident reportedly began as a minor event and quickly escalated. Bryant allegedly brushed the bicyclist while he was driving, who then held on to the driver's side door of his black Saab convertible. Witnesses told a local Canadian television station that Bryant was heard swearing and swerving in an apparent attempt to shake the biker from his door. Bystanders told police that Bryant was driving on the sidewalk near lamp posts at a high rate of speed, in an apparent attempt to knock the biker off.

The incident ended with the bicyclist, Darcy Allen Sheppard, striking a mailbox. Sheppard later died due to injuries sustained from the accident. According to the NYT, Bryant went to a nearby hotel after the incident where he was later arrested for what appears to be a most heinous hit-and-run incident. It looks like Bryant was right when he said that cars could be as dangerous as explosives...

by Chris Shunk

source

[cletus8269]

well now... seems that irony is about to come ashore... are they sure some street racing vehicle didnt make him swerve into the cyclist?

[A Horse With No Name]

That's one thing I like about the US and due process laws. We have at least some level of protection against our cars being crushed...

Guy needs to go to jail for a long, long time...

Chris

[siegen]

The bicyclist held on to the door of his car?? That doesn't sound right; I wonder if the report is wrong. There doesn't seem to be enough information to really decide who was being the bigger idiot here.

I for one am consistently irritated by bicyclists. Most roads make passing them very precarious, only to have them fly past you at the next stop sign/stop light.

[aaaantoine]

I for one am consistently irritated by bicyclists. Most roads make passing them very precarious, only to have them fly past you at the next stop sign/stop light.

They're a road hazard, yes. When I'm biking (doesn't happen often, to be honest), I always try to keep it on the sidewalk instead. Unfortunately, not all roads have sidewalks or bike paths. This is also why I would probably never swap my mountain bike for a street bike.

[siegen]

They're a road hazard, yes. When I'm biking (doesn't happen often, to be honest), I always try to keep it on the sidewalk instead. Unfortunately, not all roads have sidewalks or bike paths. This is also why I would probably never swap my mountain bike for a street bike.

I also have a mountain bike and on occasion ride on the road (usually at night). I stick to the side walks and always stop for cars and pedestrians. I imagine the situation is different for people who use their bikes as transportation and not just fun. Or they just get too confident.

[A Horse With No Name]

The bicyclist held on to the door of his car?? That doesn't sound right; I wonder if the report is wrong. There doesn't seem to be enough information to really decide who was being the bigger idiot here.

I for one am consistently irritated by bicyclists. Most roads make passing them very precarious, only to have them fly past you at the next stop sign/stop light.

I enjoy cycling but I prefer rural roads and bike paths. Cyclists can be idiots, I have lost my temper with 1 or two of them...

But for the most part I try to live and let live.

[the_yellow_dart]

This happened less than 1 km from where I live.

The biker in question is a bike messanger. Allegedly he was drunk, and whacked the car with his backpack, causing the altercation. Nobody will know for sure who the bigger idiot was until the investigation is complete, but this much is clear - BOTH men were angry and did irrational things that escalated the situation. The biker grabbed onto the car. The driver drove like an a-hole to get him off the car. Both actions are stupid. The idiot with the bigger piece of machinery lived.

This incident will serve as a lightening rod for any bike or car enthusiats who want to spit fire at the other side. I fear that most people will not care in the end what really caused this and just take it as another example of "drivers are all a-holes" or "bikers are all a-holes", depending on their view.