Cops Eye Laptop In Calif. Collision

Computer In Crashed Car Was Allegedly On And Plugged Into Cigarette Lighter

(AP)  Authorities say a man who appeared to be driving while using his laptop computer died Monday when his vehicle crossed into oncoming traffic near Yuba City and collided with a Hummer.

California Highway Patrol officers investigating the accident say they found the victim's computer still running and plugged into the cigarette lighter of his Honda Accord.

The name of the dead man, a 28-year-old computer tutor from Chico, Calif., has not yet been released.

Police say the couple inside the Hummer escaped the collision with bumps and bruises.

The crash, near the intersection of highways 99 and 113 about 30 miles north of Sacramento, totaled both vehicles and closed a section of Highway 99 south of Yuba City for about two hours.

[anopinion1]

If the family should happen to view this comment area I would be ashamed to have them see me make the terrible comments you have been making. If you weren't there when he died, "shut up" No family should see their dead members spoken of like that (especially without knowledge).
Posted by ToolMangler at 07:45 PM : Feb 27, 2007


this is a post board that was made to go with the article.................
and this is a free country and besides cbs put this post board here for us to use so we are.............

[anopinion1]

Posted by tiggyboo at 01:15 PM : Feb 28, 2007

THIS COMPUTOR GUY CROSSED THE CENTER LINE AND BARRELED INTO THE HUMMER..........
its a damm good thing they were in a large vehicle like a hummer because the only person that should get hurt(if their had to be any) is the person that caused the damm accident. (which was this cumputor guy)

use your head tiggyboo

[a-ji]

Got your message loud and clear ToolMangler. My apologies if my words did offend anyone.

[mela774]

I'm really amazed at how no one has said anything about how this guy with the laptop was in a little Honda and the other party was in a freaking HUMMER.

It is pretty disgusting how just about everyone jumped to the absolute worst conclusions, but then maybe that is simply because of the manner in which the article was written. Bad news sells, after all, right?

This guy was a computer tutor, so it stands to reason he probably traveled a lot to meet with people to troubleshoot, etc. I know lots of people who rely on car battery chargers to keep their laptops running while they are on the go, and none of them are so stupid that they'd look at their comps while driving!

Use your common sense, people. The fact that the comp charging was probably coincidental; the REAL reason why he died is because he got creamed by that gas-guzzling monstrosity of metal.

[chia42728]

I am a semi driver and I have seen this sort of thing alot on our nation's highways. it doersnt always end in a tragedy like this but neverthe less he should not,under ANY circumstances have been using his computer while driving. He may not have just killed himself, but others as well. Babyboo, if your brother had killed another driver, that the other drivers family could very well be suing you and your family for wrongful death? or possibly worse? I think you had better stop to think about others than yourself here.

[toolmangler-2009]

If the family should happen to view this comment area I would be ashamed to have them see me make the terrible comments you have been making. If you weren't there when he died, "shut up" No family should see their dead members spoken of like that (especially without knowledge).

[haneyr-2009]

First let me congratulate Canaima for shutting down 'bluestardad' in his continuing saga of inserting his one dimensional diatribe about Bush and the war in every conversation that occurs. This may be a first for bsd to crawl away with shame.

On this subject. I would have to say that the preliminary evidence supports the driver using his laptop while driving. For him to vear off to the left is usually a reaction to his movement to the right while seated in the car. But I also agree with those who say not all the evidence is in and we shouldn't come to a quick conclusion. Hopefully CBS will air more followup info for people to know the whole truth.

Bottom line is that any activity that impedes a drivers ability to fully concentrate on driving a dangerous weapon called the automobile should be avoided. It's not only laptops but cellphones, car radios, kids, drugs, alcohol, *** (in case is this is x'd out it rhymes with hex), cigartette smoking, etc. Maybe the real cure is enclosing the driver in a small cubicle in the car where they can't be distracted by any of the above. Or maybe raise the fines and allow others to collect a bounty off of catching people in the act of being stupid.

[newton221]

He must have been looking at the Antonella Barba photos. I had trouble taking my eyes off them as well.

[funkotronic]

See, here's your proof that using a PC is inherently dangerous: When Windows Vista crashes, it takes a lot of stuff down along with it.

removes tongue from cheek

Seriously, **anything** that distracts you from sucessfully piloting 2 tons of steel traveling at a high rate of speed on a crowded roadway is a bad idea.

You see, I live in Chico, and I regularly travel the very section of Highway 99 where this accident ocurred. It is, in and of itself, a deadly stretch of road. Compounding the danger by adding a cell phone, computer, makeup or even a distracting conversation makes this an all-around bad situation.

I feel bad for the victim (actually, it turns out I may even know him - I will find out more tonight when I get home), and it's simply my opinion that this was an unfortunate ocurrence that very likely **may** have been caused by a singular lack of judgement and common sense.

But then again, it seems that these days "common sense" is an oxymoron.

[mitywhity]

I see people doing this stuff all the time. I watched this woman go by me the other day with a magazine open on her steering wheel. "Mobile Make up" is a daily sight. Not to pick on just the ladies, I have seen men watching porn on a laptop or DVD player in traffic. What a sleazeball.

[dotcomperson]

See what happens when you don't backup.

[susanhelit]

He could have killed a bunch of other people, veering into oncoming traffic like that. Whether it was the computer or tuning the radio or falling asleep - I can't be sorry for him, because he was risking everyone else's life there. Anyone could have been in the other car, minding their own business, paying close attention to the road, postponing their phone calls - and killed for no good reason.

Of course, if it were a mechanical failure, or another car pushed him or cut him off - that's a whole different matter. But that seems unlikely.

Computer-wise - I too have used a laptop with GPS for directions. But if you can't configure it so it does it's work without you looking at the screen nor touching the keyboard, you have to pull over to use it (or in our case, have the passenger be the navigator).

[musty2u]

Agreed, babyboo4you5 is totally fake. The idiot that dies doing laptop cr*ap next to me on the freeway gets what he deserves. His family should have warned him better.

[mdc76082]

I guess when I said, "wasn't using his computer or not." I actually meant to say " was using."

[mdc76082]

babyboo4you5 ,simply you're a fake, fraud and a phoney. Goodbye loser! What a moron. Mommy's calling you.

It doesn't matter if he wasn't using his computer or not. What matters is he did something he ought not have done while driving, and it cost him his life. He was being stupid for the time it took to end his life. Play with fire & you'll probably get burned. Sooner or later. Luckily, it did cost anyone else theirs.

[anopinion1]

LOL tcc3po
survival of the fittest........he looses......


for some reason i bet he was playing
world of warcraft...

[bildooreilly]

I've seen people driving down the freeway reading the freakin newspaper all spread out across their steering wheel. Not saying this guy was doing that sort of thing with his laptop but there's some people on the road that shouldn't be.

[a-ji]

babyboo4you5, have you forgotten that this is a comment section? And ecuadoriana is right, shouldn't you attending the current situation your family is having now? Well, here you are "surfing" the news. Its a kind of accindent where it could have been avoided, laptotps and cellphones can cause distraction while driving.

[ngbezmt]

Hi Folks,

Don't you think death is a little harsh for doing something you shouldnt while driving. He may have only pluged the computer in to charge the battery. Even the police say they are reviewing the situation. Never jump to conclusion without all the facts. I don't think any of you have the right to pass judgment but yet you cast the first stone!

[ecuadoriana]

babyboo4you5, I don't believe you, because if that was your brother you would be tending to family matters at the moment, not surfing for news items & posts about this "accident". That is, unless you, too, are as addicted to technology as this man obviously was that you can't even attend to a family death without being plugged in to your machine. Just sayin'.

The reason I put "accident" in quotes is because it wasn't really an accident. Anyone who engages in activities beyond full control & concentration of the vehicle they are operating is doing so intentionally & therefore any tragic result (remember the ol' "action-reaction" phenomenon?) is not accidental, but intentional.

This man thankfully did not kill the family he hit. If he had, yet survived himself, there would be cries for the death penalty. This is a case of the middle man getting cut out, thereby saving many innocent people from having to pay for his crime- either with their lives, if he somehow "beat the system" & went on to do this again, or with their tax paying wallets.

This is a classic case of people shirking their basic human responsibility & privledge to have a brain & to use it wisely.