Drag Racing Death in New Orleans

[byevette]

Man dies in drag race on US 90

06:08 AM CDT on Monday, May 17, 2004

Associated Press

SLIDELL, La. -- A man was killed in an apparent drag race over the weekend when he swerved to avoid an oncoming pickup truck, authorities said.

Donald Barrett, 28, of Slidell was racing his 1998 Chevrolet Camaro west, against traffic, on the two-lane U.S. Highway 90 against another car when he swerved to avoid the pickup truck, officials said.

Barrett's car spun clockwise and off the westbound shoulder of the road into a pine tree at about 7 p.m. on Saturday night. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No one else was hurt.

The other driver in the drag race, who was in a Ford Mustang, could face charges, state police spokesman Sgt. John Hartzog said.

 

[trplblacksnake]

Originally posted by byevette
Man dies in drag race on US 90

The other driver in the drag race, who was in a Ford Mustang, could face charges, state police spokesman Sgt. John Hartzog said.

[rant]
Charges of what unintentional man slaughter? Second degree murder? Or just a nice fat speeding ticket? I get ****ing sick of these stories. I feel bad for the guy that died and his family but to charge someone else for his death is just fawked up. It bull shit. Thats makes me not want to stop if some one wrecks while racing me. **** our society **** it all to hell Im sick of it. It was the camaros choice to race its not like the mustang forced him to. If I wrecked and died in a firey ball and the guy drove on I wouldnt hold it against him. I wouldnt expect the other car to be charged for my death. What is this society coming to. We dont have a democracy we have a damn nazi ruled comunist government wher you are guilty if you are poor and if you have enough money you get off with just a slap on the hand. what ever happened to the constitution? I understand that its under glass some where but since when do we not read it and actually keep what our forfathers set down in the beginning to keep this nation what it was originally supposed to be. Free. Now on another note I would under stand if the camaro would have smashed into the truck instantly killing the the truck owner and not harming the camaro owner that he should have been charged for second degree.[/rant]

 

[cobraRcraig]

didn't here about that thanks for the info I'll have to look in the paper. Sad story, but blksnake is write the politians in this country have sold us out and there's nothing we can do. Sorry to here that one man will pay for anothers choice to race..

 

[VenomousSVT]

I think there wer two guilty parties...one died the other didnt. Bot were guilty of the same crime, reckless driving, unlawful speed competition, ect... But not anything to do with the death of another. Had the camaro guy hit the stang and killed him that would be different. But the stang guy didnt hold a gun to his head and say race me in the oncoming traffic lane....thats just stupid.

 

[05 Roush]

Why on earth do people still race on 2 lane back roads??? :shrug:

I guess maybe this locale is rural enough to be missing a 4+ lane freeway nearby....

 

[byevette]

Originally posted by cobraRcraig
didn't here about that thanks for the info I'll have to look in the paper. Sad story, but blksnake is write the politians in this country have sold us out and there's nothing we can do. Sorry to here that one man will pay for anothers choice to race..

Aren't you supposed to be coming by with Beena? Congrats on the baby.

:beer:

 

[byevette]

Originally posted by PlatinumCobra
Why on earth do people still race on 2 lane back roads??? :shrug:

I guess maybe this locale is rural enough to be missing a 4+ lane freeway nearby....

Actually, I-10, I-59, and I-12 all converge in the area. So no, it is not missing a freeway.

 

[Vancouver83LTD]

hmmm..... Barrett as in Barrett-Jackson? Or what?

 

[JDV]

I guess maybe this locale is rural enough to be missing a 4+ lane freeway nearby....

There is TONS of places to run here, much safer than a 2 lane highway. It was a bad decision that costed a life. I dont agree with chargeing the other guy either, but i do feel that someone should have said "hey, wait a minute".

Yes Byevette, thats not the same craig, but we are going to ride by. His new baby got his time kinda slim, and the rain got me not wanting to take mine out

I still have your digits, gonna holla at ya first chance we get bro.

 

[byevette]

Originally posted by Benaa
Yes Byevette, thats not the same craig, but we are going to ride by. His new baby got his time kinda slim, and the rain got me not wanting to take mine out

I still have your digits, gonna holla at ya first chance we get bro.

I hear you. I am going to be in Atlanta this weekend and Dallas June 5th. Any other time, give me a call.

I took my hood blanket off and there is all this tape under there. I brought it in and they are repainting my underside. I am going to see if they will do the top as well since there are a few chips. They allready did the top due to the thin paint blowing off back in Sept of '02.

 

[Bullitt_#1346]

It has always been the law that if someone dies during the commission of a crime, some degree of homicide attaches. That isn't new, and doesn't have anything to do with politicians or anything else. If anything, it has been relaxed over the years by courts that have given leniency in situations where justice would not be served by charging someone with homicide.

Street racing can be as dangerous or more dangerous than drunk driving. If someone gets killed while someone was driving drunk, shouldn't they be held liable for that death? It was said above that the Mustang driver didn't make the Camaro driver race with him, but if the Mustang driver hadn't been racing the Camaro driver wouldn't have either and wouldn't have died.