Motorcycle fatality with DPS Trooper in Elgin

[whoa]

I've not seen much information on this fatality yet. The brief coverage on television news indicated the Trooper was responding to a call.


http://www.news8austin.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=196368
Motorcycle accident in Elgin leaves 1 dead
12/9/2007 2:47 PM
By: News 8 Austin Staff

The driver of a motorcycle is dead after he and a DPS trooper collided on highway 290 in Elgin.

Investigators said the driver of the motorcycle, Walter Chabert, 62, was travelling east on 290 when the trooper entered the intersection at County Line Road.

That's when officers said Chabert hit the trooper's car.

He was transported to Brackenridge hospital where he died from his injuries.

The trooper suffered minor injuries.

[Jbay]

too bad there was no red light and camera

"Chabert hit the trooper's car" :doh:

yaaaaa riiiight, after the trooper blew the stop sign

[whoa]

A very tragic event. My condolences to the Chabert family and friends. This will weigh heavily on Trooper Bradshaw regardless of extent of culpability.

We've discussed media's use of sensationalism when describing action (e.g. slammed into), and speculate the language is more about adding drama than implying blame.

Because of poor editing, the Fox article (bottom article) makes it sound like DPS is saying the intersection caused the collision. DPS will do a thorough reconstruction and report facts. CL Rd. intersects 290 at about 40 degrees. I hate intersections offset from 90 degree angles, and often turn my vehicle more perpendicular when possible for this reason.

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/12/10/1210roundup.html
Monday, December 10, 2007
ELGIN
Trooper injured in fatal wreck

The motorcycle driver who died Saturday night after a crash near Elgin had collided with a Department of Public Safety cruiser, officials said Sunday.

Trooper Raymond Bradshaw was driving south on County Line Road and crossing U.S. 290 when a Harley-Davidson driven by 62-year-old Walter Schabert crashed into his passenger side about 6:30 p.m., DPS spokeswoman Tela Mange said.

Schabert, of Elgin, was taken to Brackenridge Hospital, where he died about an hour later, Mange said. He was wearing a helmet. Bradshaw suffered abrasions and was treated by paramedics.

Darkness may have been a factor in the wreck, Mange said.


http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=7471145
Elgin Man Dies After Slamming Into DPS Trooper's Vehicle
Posted: Dec 8, 2007 10:00 PM
Updated: Dec 9, 2007 10:48 PM

DPS officials say Trooper Raymond Bradshaw was responding to a stolen vehicle report near Highway 290 and County Line Road. As Bradshaw drove through the intersection, 62-year-old Walter Chabert crashed into the passenger's side of his car.

The accident happened shortly before 6:30 pm Saturday.

Chabert was taken to Brackenridge where he later died. Trooper Bradshaw wasn't hurt in the collision.

The crash is still under investigation.

http://www.myfoxaustin.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=5164294&version=4&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1
Motorcyclist Collides with DPS Trooper
Collision Leaves Motorcyclist Dead
Last Edited: Sunday, 09 Dec 2007, 9:48 PM CST
Created: Saturday, 08 Dec 2007, 9:22 PM CST

AUSTIN -- A motorcyclist collided with a DPS trooper on his way to a burglary call on Highway 290 and County Line Road in Elgin. Investigators say the trooper was crossing the intersection when the motorcycle collided with his vehicle. The driver, 62-year-old Walter Chalbert of Elgin, was transported to Brackenridge Hospital where he died. He was wearing a helmet.

Many people, including the Department of Public Safety, consider the intersection very dangerous.

"For motorists it could be very dangerous," says DPS spokesperson Robbie Barrera. "Hopefully there will be some evaluations of that intersection."

The trooper had his dashboard cam on during the accident. A DPS review board will hear the case to determine what action, if any should be taken against the trooper.

[Stephen Max]

Hmmm. So the statesman article is headlined "Trooper Injured in Fatal Wreck" (don't you just love what the Statesman emphasized?), but the kxan story says the trooper was uninjured.

The news story I heard on TV (forget which station) said the trooper was chasing a stolen vehicle, not responding to a call.

[DaveC]

Isn't the norm is not to comment until after the investgation? Seems like a fake story is working here due to the death of another motorcyclist. Or should we chalk it up to over zealous reporting?
Prayers for Walter Schabert, family and friends.

[ruger9mm]

If the trooper was responding to a stolen vehicle call was he running:

1. Lights and Siren
2. Lights only
3. Just going to take a report.

Just the above mentioned issues could afect the outcome of the investigation.

[T.B.]

Many people, including the Department of Public Safety, consider the intersection very dangerous.

"For motorists it could be very dangerous," says DPS spokesperson Robbie Barrera. "Hopefully there will be some evaluations of that intersection."



i like how they blame the intersection. maybe they can sue the intersection. its more probable that the officer ran a red, or just never saw the motorcyclist.

[Chirpy]

The deadly intersection. (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&time=&date=&ttype=&q=County+Line+Rd,+Elgin,+Texas+78621,+United+State s&sll=30.215613,-97.07056&sspn=0.044428,0.071583&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=0,30.390967,-97.387532&ll=30.357694,-97.389936&spn=0.044363,0.071583&t=h&z=14&iwloc=addr&om=1) If memory serves correctly, that's pretty dark with no streetlights out beyond the edge of town. Yet your close enough to 95 where all that light will probably mess you up. But still you'd think the DPS trooper would be running with headlights if not gumballs.

Sad, all the way around...

[Stephen Max]

The deadly intersection. (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&time=&date=&ttype=&q=County+Line+Rd,+Elgin,+Texas+78621,+United+State s&sll=30.215613,-97.07056&sspn=0.044428,0.071583&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=0,30.390967,-97.387532&ll=30.357694,-97.389936&spn=0.044363,0.071583&t=h&z=14&iwloc=addr&om=1) If memory serves correctly, that's pretty dark with no streetlights out beyond the edge of town. Yet your close enough to 95 where all that light will probably mess you up. But still you'd think the DPS trooper would be running with headlights if not gumballs.


Especially if the DPS by their own admission already knew that the intersection was dangerous.

[whoa]

you'd think the DPS trooper would be running with headlights if not gumballs.

One report said the dash cam was running, I'm not sure if that implies the Trooper was running with overheads on or not. An intersection off perpendicular makes headlamps harder to see.

Being involved in a serious injury or fatality crash is often devastating to all drivers, whether culpable or not. This will be even harder as the Trooper's mission is protecting motorists.

I've not read anything yet regarding where Mr. Chabert lived.

[Hood Ornament]

From the info given from the various reports I'm not sure how some of you are jumping to conclusions. How can you accuse the DPS officer of doing something wrong based on that info? Chances are, half of what was reported was wrong as the media in general is pretty ignorant.

[T.B.]

From the info given from the various reports I'm not sure how some of you are jumping to conclusions. How can you accuse the DPS officer of doing something wrong based on that info? Chances are, half of what was reported was wrong as the media in general is pretty ignorant


its textbook. rider goes into passenger door. whats more likely? do you think an older guy on a harley ran a stopsign/light at night at a weird intersection?

[Chirpy]

6:30 Monday was nasty, at least in Hutto which isn't that far from Elgin. At 6:30 I was still on my way home, and it was a very light, fine drizzle. Almost more of a heavy dense fog, and already completely dark. Visibility was very, very poor. I was only running about 40 or so on the tollway.

I wasn't saying the trooper did anything wrong, I was just commenting that he'd have to have headlights on as black as it was...so why wasn't he seen?

Visibility was junk at 6:30 Monday, at least about 15 miles north it was, that's for sure.

[Hood Ornament]

From the info given from the various reports I'm not sure how some of you are jumping to conclusions. How can you accuse the DPS officer of doing something wrong based on that info? Chances are, half of what was reported was wrong as the media in general is pretty ignorant


its textbook. rider goes into passenger door. whats more likely? do you think an older guy on a harley ran a stopsign/light at night at a weird intersection? i don't think so.


While that is most probably what happened, until I see all the facts I'm sure not gonna draw unfounded conclusions.

[T.B.]

Fair enough.
by the way. nice bike collection. where do you keep them all?? i was thinking i need a motard, but might just get a plain old D/S

[trl5791]

That part of 290 must be cursed there is lots of accidents between manor and elgin. I have not been to elgin in a while but I dont remember county line having a red light.

[Tx Rider]

From the info given from the various reports I'm not sure how some of you are jumping to conclusions. How can you accuse the DPS officer of doing something wrong based on that info?

Guy riding down a 4 lane divided highway hits the passenger door of a car crossing/entering that highway at a stop sign intersection.

Sounds like it's not hard to figure who violated right of way there.

[Hood Ornament]

Fair enough.
by the way. nice bike collection. where do you keep them all?? i was thinking i need a motard, but might just get a plain old D/S


Keep all but one in my garage, the others at a friends shop. As for the D/S vs Motard issue, all you need is one bike and 2 sets of wheels. :rider: