Two women are going to prison for a September 2010 crash that took the life of a prominent Relic Entertainment developer, injured his pregnant wife and killed two passengers in the woman's Chevy Blazer. The two women were found guilty of three counts of vehicular homicide each, with the driver Jordyn Weichert sentenced to eight years in prison and the passenger Samantha Bowling receiving a five year sentence. Wood was the lead developer on Company of Heroes Online.
The accident happened on Highway 20 near North Whidbey, Washington on September 3, 2010. According to police reports, Weichert tried to remove her sweater while driving her Chevy Blazer, and asked the passenger, Bowling, to steer. This lead to the confusion that caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle, which veered to the left and into oncoming traffic.
The Blazer went straight for the station wagon driven by Brian Wood of Vancouver, B.C. Wood had the presence of mind to swerve the vehicle enough so that his pregnant wife was spared most of the impact, but was killed instantly. Two passengers in the Blazer were also killed. Wood's wife, Erin Wood, also sustained some injuries. Police also found drugs and a handgun at the scene, near the defendant's Blazer.
Both women pled guilty to three counts each of vehicular manslaughter. During the sentencing hearing both expressed deep regret at the tragedy that killed three people and left a pregnant woman injured. The atmosphere of the sentencing hearing was emotional for all involved including the judge. Island County Superior Court Judge Alan Hancock said that this was a tragedy for all involved and hoped that the young women would give back to the community after they serve their sentence to atone for what they had done.
Since the crash, Mrs. Woods gave birth to their daughter, Sierra Grace, and is doing everything she can to keep Brian's memory alive - but it is not easy. She expressed the sorrow and loss she felt at the sentencing hearing, along with her father-in-law:
"The first thought I have when I wake up in the morning is that he is gone and the last thought before I fall asleep at night is the same," she said.
"Brian was hoping for a daughter and he never knew he had one," Wood's father, Ed Wood said of his son.
It's a sad, senseless tragedy that was caused because the driver was distracted and foolish. The lesson here is that distracted drivers are dangerous to everyone on the road.
Source: MSNBC by way of Winda Benedetti
Comments
Re: Women Who Killed Game Developer Gets Prison Time
Wait. While this is a very tragic story, why is the passenger charged? I mean, I can't drive (epileptic), but if the conductor dropped the wheel and tried to remove his sweater, I'd grab it to try and maintain us on course. Obviously, the passenger failed, but why is it her fault? Shouldn't the whole blame lay on the driver?
Re: Women Who Killed Game Developer Gets Prison Time
That assumes the driver suddenly started taking off her sweater without saying anything to the passenger. IMO, if someone says to me "I'm going to take my sweater off, you take the wheel" and I say "ok, sure" and do it instead of saying, maybe, "no, that's not a good idea, that's how wrecks happen, you should pull over first" then I'm equally responsible for what happens.
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I'm not under the affluence of incohol as some thinkle peep I am. I'm not half as thunk as you might drink. I fool so feelish I don't know who is me, and the drunker I stand here, the longer I get.
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I'm not under the affluence of incohol as some thinkle peep I am. I'm not half as thunk as you might drink. I fool so feelish I don't know who is me, and the drunker I stand here, the longer I get.
Re: Women Who Killed Game Developer Gets Prison Time
Well, of course, in which case, yes, vehicular manslaughter for both... I just have trouble swallowing BOTH would be equally as dumb...
Re: Women Who Killed Game Developer Gets Prison Time
I remember several times as a kid, steering for my dad while he removed a jacket or something. It's not that difficult if you've got an open stretch of road and don't have to worry about reacting to other cars or anything. That being said, if anything had happened, no one person had full control of the vehicle, and things could have gone south in a hurry. It's a risk I'll bet a lot of people take though, and it is, as the article said, tragic that it turned out the way it did this time.
Re: Women Who Killed Game Developer Gets Prison Time
I realize now that it was very stupid, but as a younger man I used to pride myself on my ability to drive from the passenger seat, pedals and all (in a car with an automatic transmission). That said, this story really underscores the potential harm that can come from wreckless driving. Pull over, take care of whatever you need to, and give driving your full attention.