| Pedestrian Deaths: Drivers Getting A Free Ride? |
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| Written by Stacy Loe - sloe@kgmb9.com | |||
| May 18, 2008 11:06 PM | |||
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More than two years after her mother's death, Susan Sheldon still believes her killer got off easy. In 2006, 86-year-old Betty Santiago was struck in a crosswalk on Nimitz by a speeding driver who fled the scene. Santiago suffered a skull fracture, broken ribs, broken pelvis, legs, ankles and two collapsed lungs. "To have to look at her, to see her body lying there to think of what she went through is still very hard to get over," said Susan Sheldon. Jatios Jatios pleaded guilty to fleeing the scene and 2nd degree negligent homicide. The maximum penalty is 10 years in prison. Prosecutors pushed for it. So did Santiago's family, but Jatios got one. not enough for sheldon. "You need to send a stronger message out. If you hit someone you are going to pay dearly. If you run away it's even worse," said Susan Sheldon. The reality is most drivers found at fault don't serve more than a year in prison, and a review by the Honolulu Advertiser and KGMB9 of fatal pedestrian cases from 2003 to 2006 found that only 42 out of 117, or 36% statewide were prosecuted. We asked Honolulu's City prosecutor to explain the numbers. "When you are dealing with pedestrian deaths, you have to look at both what the victim and defendant are doing and compare the negligence involved," said Peter Carlisle. Peter Carlisle says they screen cases very carefully and often find the victim is at fault. Many are struck while jay-walking, pedestrians who put themselves in harms way. Some enter a crosswalk too late or walk against a red light, and there are cases with no witnesses or if police determine it's a pure accident. The records also reveal of the 33 drivers sentenced since 2003 only 16 served any time in jail. The rest got probation. "That's not something I am particularly happy with," said Peter Carlisle. We asked Carlisle what he would say to those who look at the statistics, and conclude the courts are too lenient on drivers who take lives. "I would agree with them to some extent and not agree with them entirely. I don't think the numbers necessarily tell you what the incident was involved. We certaintly have cases where we do not agree with someone not getting jail or we do not agree with leniency given by the court," said Carlisle. To make the streets safer, Susan Sheldon wants to see stiffer penalties for drivers, and their cars taken away when convicted. As for the man who killed her mother, Jatios was released from prison last month. "I don't feel he'll learn anything from that because what's a year. He's got the rest of this life. My mom doesn't have it," said Sheldon. Web extra: click here to search The Advertiser's special database detailing pedestrian accidents.              |
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| Last Updated ( May 23, 2008 10:57 PM ) | |||
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