Lawmaker Involved In Fatal Crash
Rep. Bill Janklow loves to drive fast, and he has paid more speeding tickets than many people get in a lifetime: a dozen in a four-year period in the 1990s.
The former South Dakota governor's driving record drew closer attention Monday as authorities investigated a weekend crash in which a Cadillac driven by Janklow collided with a motorcycle, killing the rider.
It was not immediately known if Janklow violated any traffic laws, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol is investigating. A crash report was expected to be released in the coming days.
"There have been a lot of calls and inquiries, what's going on, are we doing the things we normally do," said Col. Dan Mosteller, state Highway Patrol superintendent. "We are doing this by the books and doing this one like we would do any other one."
The crash occurred Saturday at an intersection about 25 miles northeast of Sioux Falls that had only a stop sign for Janklow. Randolph Scott, 55, who was driving his motorcycle home from his father-in-law's 80th birthday party, was killed.
Janklow suffered minor injuries but didn't require medical attention, Mosteller said.
Russ Janklow, the congressman's son, said his father "feels absolutely horrible about this. I've never seen him as distraught as I saw him last night."
"Personally, and on behalf of my family, we feel as much anguish for this gentleman and his family and friends as is humanly possible," Janklow said, adding that any more comment at this time would be inappropriate.
The political impact of Janklow's involvement in the accident will depend on what details emerge from the investigation, analysts said Monday.
Janklow has been mentioned as a possible Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate next year. But most observers have assumed Janklow will seek re-election to the House rather than challenge Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., because the two are friends.
"How much of a liability will remain to be seen," said Bob Burns, head of political science at South Dakota State University. "It's certainly far too early to know with any degree of certainty what any political implications may come out of this."
Janklow's heavy accelerator foot is legendary with state employees who rode with him when he was governor and reporters who tagged along during disasters. Just last summer, two reporters were riding with Janklow when he made a 99 mph mad dash, through heavy smoke, down a mountain highway in the Black Hills during a raging forest fire.
Fleeing the area before the blaze made the most direct escape route inaccessible, Janklow tried to go faster, but the computer in his sport utility vehicle kept the engine from going past 99 mph.
State court records show that Janklow got 12 speeding tickets in 11 South Dakota counties from 1990 to 1994 and paid more than $1,000 in fines. He often drove 15 mph to 20 mph faster than legal speed limits and once got caught going 90 mph in a 65-mph zone.
However, Janklow has not been ticketed for speeding since October 1994, just before he was elected to his third term as governor. He served as governor from 1979-1986 and 1995-2002 before being elected to the state's lone House seat last year.
The court records, dating to 1989, also show he was fined in 1992 for following too closely. Records from previous years are not listed in the computer system.
Janklow got several speeding tickets during his first term as governor. He was warned in 1982 that he was in danger of losing his license after being stopped for going 80 mph in a 55-mph zone in Turner County. Janklow had received a similar warning in 1979 during his first year in office.