Biker Killed by Congressman in SD

[John Bennett]

"TRENT, S.D. (AP) - Rep. Bill Janklow was driving a car that hit a motorcycle and killed its rider at a rural intersection [in SD], state officials said Sunday.

Janklow, 63, a former four-term governor who is in his first congressional term, suffered minor injuries but didn't require medical attention, said Col. Dan Mosteller, the head of the state Highway Patrol.

Killed in the collision was Randolph E. Scott, 53, of Hardwick, Minn. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash near Trent, the patrol superintendent said."

Follow along via:

http://news.google.com/news?num=30&hl=en&edition=us&q=Janklow+motorcycle

Apparently, Janklow ran a stop sign and smashed into the biker.

Of course the biker wasn't wearing a helmet, so that means the biker deserved what he got.

Strangely, Janklow is a member of the "Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame (http://www.museum.sturgis-rally.com/halloffame/governorjanklow.html)". If he's a rider, you think he be a bit more observant.

My Conspriracy-Spider-Sense particularly enjoyed this part (http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aberdeennews/news/6551678.htm)...

"The highways were closed temporarily so investigators could take measurements and complete other work ...Late Saturday, law enforcement authorities kept reporters a mile away from the crash site."

Can't have pictures of Jaklow's handywork splashed across the evening news can we?

I wonder whether or not the state troopers would keep the press a mile away if I splattered a biker with my Honda CR-V?

Hmmmmm.

[10-95]

I think you should take what the press writes with a grain of salt. "Keeping the press back" usually entails stringing crime scene tape so folks don't trample on evidence. With the freedom of info act, it's pretty hard to keep stuff out of the papers or off TV. You can exclude the press or by-standers from the actual crime scene (wrecks can and sometimes do cover a mile or more) and back to a point if their safety is an issue, but after that it's pretty much open. I didn't see the part about keeping them a mile back in the article. Maybe that was where traffic was re-routed???? I also didn't see where it said the politician ran a stop sign. ??? :?

Anyway, the stories looked pretty standard to me. Same BS the newsies always ask. Helmet usage is almost always in there and if you notice seat belts in the car were mentioned too.

I don't see the problem here. Accident reconstruction is simple math and science. Once you mark it out, plot it, measure it and enter the data anyone can come in and place the vehicles back where they were and usually can tell what happened. And with modern cars being equipped like they are they can usually back up your calculations with input from their sensors.

Probably best to wait until the civil trial, 'cause youknow someone is gonna get sued, and see how the private reconstructionists re-creation matches.

[AggieVFR]

Sorry to change the subject, but have you been able to get out and about on the Speedmaster lately, 10-95? I've seen an America and a Speedmaster in the past couple of weeks. Fred Brown must be doing their job because I've seen quite a few more Triumphs lately in the B-CS area. RS, Tiger, Speed Triple, ST, Daytona, Bonneville, etc. Pretty much the full line. Sorry for the subject diversion, I was just curious. :)

[10-95]

Wasn't me.

I saw the Dr Friday and he restricted me for another month. He did tell me that if I keep progressing I won't need surgery though. :chug:

Hopefully by Sept 10 or so I'll be back to full duty. After that if you see a red/black SM with plain black TourMaster saddlebags it's probably me. I have a grey Arai helmet and usually have either a red JR mesh jacket or a grey Triumph retro jacket on. Holler at me and I'll pull over and we can chat.

If you see a woman riding a maroon America with a sticker on her helmet that says "She Devil" that's the wife. And believe me, the sticker fits her :twisted:

[John Bennett]

I didn't see the part about keeping them a mile back in the article. Maybe that was where traffic was re-routed????

It's the 3rd paragraph in the article from the bottom.

Keeping reporters a mile away is excessive. I usually see them set up shop about 200 feet away.

Have you guys seen any pictures of the wreck? I haven't and doubt we ever will.

Several years ago I worked for Congressman Charles Wilson. You wouldn't believe the breaks the local media and LEO's gave him. Same here probably.

[John Bennett]

175 miles in 150 minutes. Not bad for a DeVille.

http://www.argusleader.com/janklowaccident/images/crash_graphic.jpg

[Tourmeister]

175 miles in 150 minutes. Not bad for a DeVille.


:tab Not bad for any kind of ground based vehicle unless they are cruising only on the freeway with no traffic!! :eek:

[bluedogok]

That is a 70 mph average.

[Tourmeister]

That is a 70 mph average

Which is hard to do unless you are on the freeway. When I run up I-45 to Dallas, you really have to push to keep your average speed that high. It is about 170 miles from here to my buds and takes me right at 2-1/2 hours if I try to cruise at 80-85mph. Even a little traffic can bring the average speed down dramatically. However, I don't think they guy was cruising at a speed that was inherently dangerous or outrageous. Only the folks in little Yugo's or big assed Duelies seem to drive like that :shock:

[bluedogok]

It is South Dakota after all. There may not be that much traffic out there.I know there are plenty of roads in western Oklahoma and west Texas like that. Not like 290 out to I-10 here.

He probably was driving a little over the limit, but I don't think that was his problem. Blowing the stop sign is.

[10-95]

Here's some follow-up on ST.N:

http://www.sport-touring.net/cgi-bin/msgboard/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST&f=1&t=8130

[John Bennett]

I just heard on the news that he got charged with 2nd deg. manslaughter along with a couple of misdemeanors.

I was surprised to say the least. I was sure he was gonna get off easy.

[buck000]

http://photopile.com/photos/Randilyn/emotes2/8682.gif

[John Bennett]

UPDATE:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g3zkpmmD8C7O-2dYHU84V0vR2gXAD90LHGLO0


$1M for motorcyclist's family in Janklow crash

May 14, 2008

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Relatives of a motorcyclist killed in a crash with former Rep. Bill Janklow said Wednesday they've settled their wrongful death lawsuit against the government for $1 million.

Randy Scott of Hardwick, Minn., was killed Aug. 16, 2003, when his Harley-Davidson struck the back of a Cadillac that Janklow drove through a stop sign at an intersection in eastern South Dakota.

Scott, 55, was killed instantly. Janklow, 68, was injured.

Scott's family sued the federal government for $25 million after the U.S. attorney in Minnesota concluded Janklow was on official business at the time. A trial had been scheduled to start June 16 in Minneapolis, but the family opted to settle Tuesday, said Scott's mother, Marcella Scott of Luverne, Minn.

"Now that it's all over, we can get closure," she said. "And so many people have been helpful and given us the strength to go on."

The family's lawyer, Ron Meshbesher, said federal attorneys settled "begrudgingly." Because it was a nondependent case, meaning Scott's two children are adults supporting themselves, the $1 million is about as much as was possible, he said.

Janklow has not commented on the accident but said Wednesday he's glad Scott's family can move on.

"I'm happy that part of it's over," he said.

Janklow, who has returned to private practice as a lawyer, was a dominating force in South Dakota politics for 30 years. After serving as attorney general, the Republican was governor for 16 years, serving four terms in two separate eight-year stints. In 2002, he was elected as South Dakota's lone member of the House.

Janklow has diabetes and testified he had not eaten the day of the accident and likely blacked out when he approached the intersection.

A jury in his boyhood home of Flandreau convicted him of second-degree manslaughter in December 2003. He resigned from Congress a month later, served 100 days in jail, paid a $5,000 fine, temporarily lost his law license and was forbidden from driving during his probation.

He finished his sentence in the Minnehaha County Jail in May 2004. His three-year probation ended Jan. 22, 2007.

Because Janklow was given a suspended imposition of sentence, his criminal record was cleared.

[Tim Kreitz]

It's hard to believe this was five years ago already. It's a shame they weren't able to get more.

[Stephen Max]

The bigger shame is that the money will come out of our pockets and not Janklow's.