Should person who sends driver a text be blamed for a crash?

Mobile devices

We adore our mobile devices. But a New Jersey court case underscores the dangers of texting and driving. (Bloomberg News / May 24, 2012)

We all know we're not supposed to text and drive. But what about texting with someone else when that person is texting and driving?

A tragic case being heard in a New Jersey courtroom on Friday is testing the limits of such responsibility in a potentially precedent-setting case. It's also serving as a cautionary tale about the sometimes irresistible lure of our mobile devices.

Here's what happened, according to local coverage of the high-profile case in the New Jersey Star-Ledger and the Daily Record:

David and Linda Kubert were out on theirHarley-Davidsonon Sept. 21, 2009, enjoying a winding Morris County road. That's when they saw, Kyle Best, 19, driving a pickup truck headed in their direction. In the final seconds before impact, the couple could see he had his elbows -- not his hands -- on the steering wheel, and his face was peering down.

Authorities would later determine that Best was using his cellphone to text with his girlfriend, Shannon Colonna. Best pleaded guilty earlier this year to three traffic citations and was ordered to pay $775 and speak at 14 schools about the dangers of texting and driving. His driver's license was not suspended.

That's a slap on the wrist, as far as the Kuberts are concerned.

The Kuberts, both 56, each lost their left legs in the crash. They have endured multiple surgeries and medical costs. They have also become crusaders working with state legislators to beef up punishment for drivers who text from behind the wheel.

But it's their legal action that is raising eyebrows: They are suing both Best and Colonna. The attorney for the Kuberts, Stephen Weinstein, says that Colonna -- who was also 19 at the time -- aided and abetted Best’s negligence by texting him when she knew or should have known he was driving.

No surprise, but Colonna’s lawyer, Joseph McGlone, disagrees. "It’s not fair. It’s not reasonable. Shannon Colonna has no way to control when Kyle Best is going to read that message," McGlone told the Daily Record.

McGlone has asked Morris County Superior Court Judge David Rand to dismiss Colonna from the case. Rand has indicated he will issue his decision on Friday in the case with implications far beyond his courtroom.

Join Rene Lynch on Google+, Facebook or Twitter. Email: rene.lynch@latimes.com

Views: 62

Comment

You need to be a member of 12160 Social Network to add comments!

Join 12160 Social Network

Comment by Nikki on May 24, 2012 at 7:45pm

I really feel sorry for the Kuberts but it's all Best's fault.  He did not have to answer her texts while he was driving.

"Destroying the New World Order"

TOP CONTENT THIS WEEK

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SITE!

mobile page

12160.info/m

12160 Administrators

 

Latest Activity

tjdavis posted a blog post
3 hours ago
Doc Vega posted a blog post
12 hours ago
Doc Vega posted blog posts
yesterday
Doc Vega posted blog posts
Monday
Doc Vega favorited tjdavis's photo
Sunday
Doc Vega commented on tjdavis's photo
Thumbnail

Game Night

"Ha! Good one!"
Sunday
Doc Vega commented on FREEDOMROX's blog post MRNA VACCINES: Question
"Listen man I know where you're at but back in October of 2023 thru December of 2023 for months…"
Sunday
tjdavis posted a video

Architecton | Official Trailer HD | A24

SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/A24subscribeWritten and directed by Victor Kossakovsky and starring Michele De Lucchi. ARCHITECTON – Coming Soon RELEASE DATE: Comin...
Sunday
tjdavis posted photos
Sunday
tjdavis posted a blog post
Sunday
Burbia posted a video

Europe Will Not Survive

The hubris.All things Archaix at www.archaix.com
Sunday
FREEDOMROX posted a video
Saturday
Burbia commented on tjdavis's blog post Track AIPAC
Saturday
rlionhearted_3 commented on Doc Vega's blog post Latest Details on Missile Exchanges Between Iran and Israel
"May get really ugly over there?"
Friday
Doc Vega posted a blog post

Latest Details on Missile Exchanges Between Iran and Israel

Latest information about the air attacks between Israel and Iran as the US moves another carrier…See More
Jun 19
tjdavis favorited Less Prone's video
Jun 19
tjdavis posted a blog post
Jun 19
cheeki kea replied to cheeki kea's discussion Tartaria
"Some interesting information has come to light ( from the renaissance period ) which explains that…"
Jun 19
Sandy posted a video
Jun 19
John Miller replied to MAC's discussion BREAKING! UFO whistleblowers drop BOMBSHELL on D.C. | Redacted with Natali and Clayton Morris
"Yes, the whole whistleblower situation is getting more intense, especially with all these bombshell…"
Jun 18

© 2025   Created by truth.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

content and site copyright 12160.info 2007-2019 - all rights reserved. unless otherwise noted