Bob Novak Cited After Hitting Pedestrian
This story was written by Jonathan Martin and Chris Frates.
Syndicated columnist Robert D. Novak was cited by police after he hit a pedestrian with his black Corvette in downtown Washington, D.C., on Wednesday morning.
A Politico reporter saw Novak in the front of a police car with a citation in his hand; a WJLA-TV crew and reporter saw Novak as well. The pedestrian, a 66-year-old man who was not further identified by authorities, was treated at George Washington University Hospital for minor injuries, according to D.C. Fire and EMS. Novak was later released by police and drove away from the scene.
"I didn't know I hit him. I feel terrible," a shaken Novak told reporters from Politico and WJLA as he was returning to his car. "He's not dead, that's the main thing." Novak said he was a block away from 18th and K streets Northwest, where the accident occurred, when a bicyclist stopped him and said, "You hit someone." He said he was cited for failing to yield the right of way.
The bicyclist was David Bono, a partner at Harkins Cunningham, who was on his usual bike commute to work at 1700 K St. N.W. when he witnessed the accident.
As he traveled east on K Street, crossing 18th, Bono said a "black Corvette convertible with top closed plowed into the guy. The guy is sort of splayed onto the windshield."
Bono said that the pedestrian, who was crossing the street on a "Walk" signal and was in the crosswalk, rolled off the windshield and that Novak then made a right into the service lane of K Street. "The car is speeding away. What's going through my mind is, you just can't hit a pedestrian and drive away," Bono said.
He said he chased Novak half a block down K Street., finally caught up with him and then put his bike in front of the car to block it and called 911. Traffic immediately backed up, horns blared and commuters finally went into reverse to allow Novak to pull over.
Bono said that throughout, Novak "keeps trying to get away. He keeps trying to go." He said he vaguely recognized the longtime political reporter and columnist as a Washington celebrity but could not precisely place him.
Finally, Bono said, Novak put his head out the window of his car and motioned him over. Bono said he told him that you can't hit a pedestrian and just drive away. He quoted Novak as responding: "I didn't see him there."
A concierge at 1700 K Street said that she saw a bicyclist yelling and walked outside to see what the commotion was about.
"This guy hit somebody and he won't stop so I'm going to stay here until the police come," Aleta Petty quoted Bono as saying, as he stood in K Street, blocking traffic.
D.C. police confirmed that there was an accident at 18th and K streets NW at approximately 10 a.m. involving a black Corvette convertible and that the driver was a white male.
The intersection is in the hub of Washington's business district and is filled with pedestrians who work in the law firms and lobby shops that line the corridor.
Novak, 77, has earned a reputation around the capital as an aggressive driver, easily identified in his convertible sports car.
"'Learn to read the signs, [bodily orifice]!' Novak snapped before speeding away," according to an item in The Washington Post's Reliable Source column.
Novak explained to the paper: "He was crossing on the red light. I really hate jaywalkers. I despise them. Since I don't run the country, all I can do is yell at 'em. The other option is to run 'em over, but as a compassionate conservative, I would never do that."
Two years later, the same column reported that Novak had gone to a racing school in Florida.
"I've wanted to be a racecar driver all my life, and anyone who has watched me drive can tell you that," Novak said.
Anne Schroeder Mullins and Adrienne Smutko contributed to this story.
By Jonathan Martin and Chris Frates
The Politico Syndicated columnist Robert D. Novak was cited by police after he hit a pedestrian with his black Corvette in downtown Washington, D.C., on Wednesday morning.
A Politico reporter saw Novak in the front of a police car with a citation in his hand; a WJLA-TV crew and reporter saw Novak as well. The pedestrian, a 66-year-old man who was not further identified by authorities, was treated at George Washington University Hospital for minor injuries, according to D.C. Fire and EMS. Novak was later released by police and drove away from the scene.
"I didn't know I hit him. I feel terrible," a shaken Novak told reporters from Politico and WJLA as he was returning to his car. "He's not dead, that's the main thing." Novak said he was a block away from 18th and K streets Northwest, where the accident occurred, when a bicyclist stopped him and said, "You hit someone." He said he was cited for failing to yield the right of way.
The bicyclist was David Bono, a partner at Harkins Cunningham, who was on his usual bike commute to work at 1700 K St. N.W. when he witnessed the accident.
As he traveled east on K Street, crossing 18th, Bono said a "black Corvette convertible with top closed plowed into the guy. The guy is sort of splayed onto the windshield."
Bono said that the pedestrian, who was crossing the street on a "Walk" signal and was in the crosswalk, rolled off the windshield and that Novak then made a right into the service lane of K Street. "The car is speeding away. What's going through my mind is, you just can't hit a pedestrian and drive away," Bono said.
He said he chased Novak half a block down K Street., finally caught up with him and then put his bike in front of the car to block it and called 911. Traffic immediately backed up, horns blared and commuters finally went into reverse to allow Novak to pull over.
Bono said that throughout, Novak "keeps trying to get away. He keeps trying to go." He said he vaguely recognized the longtime political reporter and columnist as a Washington celebrity but could not precisely place him.
Finally, Bono said, Novak put his head out the window of his car and motioned him over. Bono said he told him that you can't hit a pedestrian and just drive away. He quoted Novak as responding: "I didn't see him there."
A concierge at 1700 K Street said that she saw a bicyclist yelling and walked outside to see what the commotion was about.
"This guy hit somebody and he won't stop so I'm going to stay here until the police come," Aleta Petty quoted Bono as saying, as he stood in K Street, blocking traffic.
D.C. police confirmed that there was an accident at 18th and K streets NW at approximately 10 a.m. involving a black Corvette convertible and that the driver was a white male.
The intersection is in the hub of Washington's business district and is filled with pedestrians who work in the law firms and lobby shops that line the corridor.
Novak, 77, has earned a reputation around the capital as an aggressive driver, easily identified in his convertible sports car.
In 2001, he cursed at a pedestrian on the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 13th streets Northwest for allegedly jaywalking.
Click here to see the Politico story and to watch video of Novak answering questions about the incident.
"'Learn to read the signs, [bodily orifice]!' Novak snapped before speeding away," according to an item in The Washington Post's Reliable Source column.
Novak explained to the paper: "He was crossing on the red light. I really hate jaywalkers. I despise them. Since I don't run the country, all I can do is yell at 'em. The other option is to run 'em over, but as a compassionate conservative, I would never do that."
Two years later, the same column reported that Novak had gone to a racing school in Florida.
"I've wanted to be a racecar driver all my life, and anyone who has watched me drive can tell you that," Novak said.
Anne Schroeder Mullins and Adrienne Smutko contributed to this story.
By Jonathan Martin and Chris Frates
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He rolled off the windshield and that %u201CThe car is speeding away. What%u2019s going through my mind is, you just can%u2019t hit a pedestrian and drive away,%u201D Bono said.
He said he chased Novak half a block down K Street., finally caught up with him and then put his bike in front of the car to block it and called 911. Traffic immediately backed up, horns blared and commuters finally went into reverse to allow Novak to pull over.
Bono said that throughout, Novak "keeps trying to get away. He keeps trying to go.%u201D He said he vaguely recognized the longtime political reporter and columnist as a Washington celebrity but could not precisely place him. *************************************************************
I wish i didn''t have the sinking feeling that this is just par for the course. He runs over a senior citizen walking in the cross walk, and tries to get away.
No concern for the human being he just creamed. He called himself a compasionate conservative. I can only hope and pray that all Republicans are not alike, but I have never yet seen one take any responsibility for his actions, no matter how disgusting their actions or how many people get hurt.
Bono said that the pedestrian, who was crossing the street on a "Walk" signal and was in the crosswalk, rolled off the windshield and that Novak then made a right into the service lane of K Street. %u201CThe car is speeding away. What%u2019s going through my mind is, you just can%u2019t hit a pedestrian and drive away,%u201D Bono said.
He said he chased Novak half a block down K Street., finally caught up with him and then put his bike in front of the car to block it and called 911. Traffic immediately backed up, horns blared and commuters finally went into reverse to allow Novak to pull over.
Bono said that throughout, Novak "keeps trying to get away. He keeps trying to go.%u201D
Compassionate Conservative Indeed .... Are there any charges pending ?
Posted by luvusa at 08:24 AM : Jul 24, 2008
+ report abuse
Not only is luvsusaa so low that when a snake flatulates he chokes on the dust,this is immaterial to the topic headline . It also contributes to the coarsening of political dialog by engaging in remarks that are not backed up by any sort of facts. Even the Enquirer doesn''t print stuff this oviously false. You have to ask your self why someone would post this about a honourable man with a wife with a serious illnes.
He was NOT proven to be drinking. Kennedy took Ambien, a sleeping pill, and Phenergan, an anti-nausea pill that can cause sedation and added to Ambien''s effects. Why he decided to drive anywhere, I don''t know, and I don''t defend such stu.pidity. But he did not run down an old man and try to flee. He was charged, convicted, & sentenced to 1-year probation and fined $350, he was ordered to attend a rehab program including weekly urine tests, twice-weekly meetings with a probation officer, near-daily AA meetings and a weekly meeting of recovering addicts.
More from bretster7: "Just like good ol Uncle Ted. Yeah I''m sure you defend his actions after he killed Mary Jo."
I think you repugs should examine why you always ASSume what other people would do, and then condemn them without ever finding out (or even asking) what they really would do. It''s BS: you invent an enemy and then argue against him. I never defended Ted Kennedy''s actions on that night. I don''t support or defend drunk driving, and whatever else may have happened, it''s certain that he had too much to drink.
But you are NUTZ to try to defend Novack by trying to compare him to the Kennedys. Novack ran over an old man in broad daylight, tried to flee the scene, and later claimed he "never saw" the man who smashed into his windshield. That is absurd! No sane person could believe that story for an instant.
onemoretim at 08:28 PM : Jul 23, 2008
Have you been drinking?
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Posted by onemoretim at 08:28 PM : Jul 23, 2008
+ report abuse
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LMAO. Best laugh I have had today. Thanks, onemore. The only thing you forgot was the cap-lock.
HUSSEIN
So, mo.ron, what''''s your point?
Yeahtypical lib come back assault and insult .
Here is one for all ya libs
You are all a waste of skin..........