Autobahn reckless driver imprisoned

From http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,336...58_1_A,00.html

A German court has sentenced a man to 18 months in prison for killing a
mother and daughter through reckless driving on a motorway. The accident
has triggered a debate on uncontrolled speeding on the autobahns.

Rolf Fischer's passion for high speeds proved to be his undoing on
Tuesday when a German court found the 34-year-old Mercedes test driver
guilty of causing the deaths of a young woman and her two-year-old
daughter while travelling at 250km/h on a German motorway.

Nicknamed "Turbo-Rolf" among his colleagues for his preference for fast
cars, the DaimlerChrysler engineer now faces 18 months in prison.

Fischer has also been fired by DaimlerChrysler following the court
sentencing.

A case of reckless speeding

The state prosecution in Karlsruhe, who had called for a prison sentence
of one year and nine months, said that on the day of the accident in
summer last year, Fischer was tailgaiting a car driven by a woman named
only as Jasmin A. on the A5 autobahn.

The engineer was on his way to a car test-track in the northern city of
Papenburg in a company-owned, dark Mercedes SLK. Fischer forced the
21-year-old woman, driving in a much smaller Kia, to shift into one of
the slow lanes.

Startled by his agressiveness and speed, the woman lost control of her
car while swerving to change lanes. The car spun across two lanes and
smashed into some trees. She and her daughter, Rebecca, died instantly.
Fischer sped off from the scene.

Police said they had finally found Fischer on the basis of petrol
station receipts, mobile phone records and the testimony of a witness.
Witnesses during the trial also identified Fischer's Mercedes as having
caused the accident.

However Fischer himself had pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, fleeing
from the scene of the accident and serious traffic violations during the
trial. Despite his colorful nickname, which has been splashed in the
tabloid press, Fischer had denied his love for fast driving. "It's a
complete mystery to me why people say that I have an aggressive driving
style," he said during the trial. "I never forced anybody off the road
nor did I notice anything about an accident," he said.

If he was found guilty of manslaughter, that is a very light sentence.
But it could easily be the same in the U.S., especially in states where
there is no mandated sentence for any given crime.

Will there now be civil litigation ?

jay
Wed Feb 18, 2004





In article , Thomas Peel
wrote:

From http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,336...58_1_A,00.html

A German court has sentenced a man to 18 months in prison for killing a
mother and daughter through reckless driving on a motorway. The accident
has triggered a debate on uncontrolled speeding on the autobahns.

Rolf Fischer's passion for high speeds proved to be his undoing on
Tuesday when a German court found the 34-year-old Mercedes test driver
guilty of causing the deaths of a young woman and her two-year-old
daughter while travelling at 250km/h on a German motorway.

Nicknamed "Turbo-Rolf" among his colleagues for his preference for fast
cars, the DaimlerChrysler engineer now faces 18 months in prison.

Fischer has also been fired by DaimlerChrysler following the court
sentencing.

A case of reckless speeding

The state prosecution in Karlsruhe, who had called for a prison sentence
of one year and nine months, said that on the day of the accident in
summer last year, Fischer was tailgaiting a car driven by a woman named
only as Jasmin A. on the A5 autobahn.

The engineer was on his way to a car test-track in the northern city of
Papenburg in a company-owned, dark Mercedes SLK. Fischer forced the
21-year-old woman, driving in a much smaller Kia, to shift into one of
the slow lanes.

Startled by his agressiveness and speed, the woman lost control of her
car while swerving to change lanes. The car spun across two lanes and
smashed into some trees. She and her daughter, Rebecca, died instantly.
Fischer sped off from the scene.

Police said they had finally found Fischer on the basis of petrol
station receipts, mobile phone records and the testimony of a witness.
Witnesses during the trial also identified Fischer's Mercedes as having
caused the accident.

However Fischer himself had pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, fleeing
from the scene of the accident and serious traffic violations during the
trial. Despite his colorful nickname, which has been splashed in the
tabloid press, Fischer had denied his love for fast driving. "It's a
complete mystery to me why people say that I have an aggressive driving
style," he said during the trial. "I never forced anybody off the road
nor did I notice anything about an accident," he said.

Go Fig schrieb:

If he was found guilty of manslaughter, that is a very light sentence.
But it could easily be the same in the U.S., especially in states where
there is no mandated sentence for any given crime.

Will there now be civil litigation ?

jay
Wed Feb 18, 2004


I just flipped through the court reporting and several pages of reader
comments,
the subject of civil litigation has not been mentioned, nut I guess it's
quite possible. I guess you're an American?
Most of the discussion was about whether the sentence was too
heavy/light/wrong/will be overturned on appeal etc.

T.



In article , Thomas Peel
wrote:

From http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,336...58_1_A,00.html

A German court has sentenced a man to 18 months in prison for killing a
mother and daughter through reckless driving on a motorway. The accident
has triggered a debate on uncontrolled speeding on the autobahns.

Rolf Fischer's passion for high speeds proved to be his undoing on
Tuesday when a German court found the 34-year-old Mercedes test driver
guilty of causing the deaths of a young woman and her two-year-old
daughter while travelling at 250km/h on a German motorway.

Nicknamed "Turbo-Rolf" among his colleagues for his preference for fast
cars, the DaimlerChrysler engineer now faces 18 months in prison.

Fischer has also been fired by DaimlerChrysler following the court
sentencing.

A case of reckless speeding

The state prosecution in Karlsruhe, who had called for a prison sentence
of one year and nine months, said that on the day of the accident in
summer last year, Fischer was tailgaiting a car driven by a woman named
only as Jasmin A. on the A5 autobahn.

The engineer was on his way to a car test-track in the northern city of
Papenburg in a company-owned, dark Mercedes SLK. Fischer forced the
21-year-old woman, driving in a much smaller Kia, to shift into one of
the slow lanes.

Startled by his agressiveness and speed, the woman lost control of her
car while swerving to change lanes. The car spun across two lanes and
smashed into some trees. She and her daughter, Rebecca, died instantly.
Fischer sped off from the scene.

Police said they had finally found Fischer on the basis of petrol
station receipts, mobile phone records and the testimony of a witness.
Witnesses during the trial also identified Fischer's Mercedes as having
caused the accident.

However Fischer himself had pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, fleeing
from the scene of the accident and serious traffic violations during the
trial. Despite his colorful nickname, which has been splashed in the
tabloid press, Fischer had denied his love for fast driving. "It's a
complete mystery to me why people say that I have an aggressive driving
style," he said during the trial. "I never forced anybody off the road
nor did I notice anything about an accident," he said.

Sounds like reckless manslaughter; he ought to be doing at least
several decades on a chain gang picking up trash along the same road
where he killed two people...

Tim K

"Thomas Peel" wrote in message
...


Go Fig schrieb:

If he was found guilty of manslaughter, that is a very light
sentence.
But it could easily be the same in the U.S., especially in states
where
there is no mandated sentence for any given crime.

Will there now be civil litigation ?

jay
Wed Feb 18, 2004


I just flipped through the court reporting and several pages of reader
comments,
the subject of civil litigation has not been mentioned, nut I guess
it's
quite possible. I guess you're an American?
Most of the discussion was about whether the sentence was too
heavy/light/wrong/will be overturned on appeal etc.

T.



In article , Thomas Peel
wrote:

From
http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,336...58_1_A,00.html

A German court has sentenced a man to 18 months in prison for
killing a
mother and daughter through reckless driving on a motorway. The
accident
has triggered a debate on uncontrolled speeding on the autobahns.

Rolf Fischer's passion for high speeds proved to be his undoing on
Tuesday when a German court found the 34-year-old Mercedes test
driver
guilty of causing the deaths of a young woman and her two-year-old
daughter while travelling at 250km/h on a German motorway.

Nicknamed "Turbo-Rolf" among his colleagues for his preference for
fast
cars, the DaimlerChrysler engineer now faces 18 months in prison.

Fischer has also been fired by DaimlerChrysler following the court
sentencing.

A case of reckless speeding

The state prosecution in Karlsruhe, who had called for a prison
sentence
of one year and nine months, said that on the day of the accident
in
summer last year, Fischer was tailgaiting a car driven by a woman
named
only as Jasmin A. on the A5 autobahn.

The engineer was on his way to a car test-track in the northern
city of
Papenburg in a company-owned, dark Mercedes SLK. Fischer forced
the
21-year-old woman, driving in a much smaller Kia, to shift into
one of
the slow lanes.

Startled by his agressiveness and speed, the woman lost control of
her
car while swerving to change lanes. The car spun across two lanes
and
smashed into some trees. She and her daughter, Rebecca, died
instantly.
Fischer sped off from the scene.

Police said they had finally found Fischer on the basis of petrol
station receipts, mobile phone records and the testimony of a
witness.
Witnesses during the trial also identified Fischer's Mercedes as
having
caused the accident.

However Fischer himself had pleaded not guilty to manslaughter,
fleeing
from the scene of the accident and serious traffic violations
during the
trial. Despite his colorful nickname, which has been splashed in
the
tabloid press, Fischer had denied his love for fast driving. "It's
a
complete mystery to me why people say that I have an aggressive
driving
style," he said during the trial. "I never forced anybody off the
road
nor did I notice anything about an accident," he said.

Sounds like reckless manslaughter; he ought to be doing at least
several decades on a chain gang picking up trash along the same road where
he killed two people...

Criminology in Germany tends to focus on what will actually do any good, not
revenge as a pure motive. The deaths are a horrible tragedy. The question
is what penalties serve any function, besides whetting our own personal
appetites for hatred.

Who says their focus is correct? Let's whet out appetite for *Justice*
to the *Victims* and not call it hate instead...

Eight months for killing someone recklessly isn't justice for the
victim.

Tim K

"Douglas W. Hoyt" wrote in message
...
Sounds like reckless manslaughter; he ought to be doing at least
several decades on a chain gang picking up trash along the same road
where
he killed two people...

Criminology in Germany tends to focus on what will actually do any
good, not
revenge as a pure motive. The deaths are a horrible tragedy. The
question
is what penalties serve any function, besides whetting our own
personal
appetites for hatred.

Douglas W. Hoyt wrote:

Criminology in Germany tends to focus on what will actually do any good, not
revenge as a pure motive. The deaths are a horrible tragedy. The question
is what penalties serve any function, besides whetting our own personal
appetites for hatred.

How about locking him up for good so he can't wrecklessly kill anyone
else? Punishment for a crime doesn't do any good?

In article , Douglas W. Hoyt
wrote:

Sounds like reckless manslaughter; he ought to be doing at least
several decades on a chain gang picking up trash along the same road where
he killed two people...

Criminology in Germany tends to focus on what will actually do any good, not
revenge as a pure motive. The deaths are a horrible tragedy. The question
is what penalties serve any function, besides whetting our own personal
appetites for hatred.

So someone who kills their spouse in a rage of passion should just be
let go ? Statistically, it is very likely they will ever kill again.

If this guy is in jail he can't be going 200+/kph.

jay
Wed Feb 18, 2004

Well in this case a good hanging would prevent him from doing it again.
--
wf.

"Douglas W. Hoyt" wrote:

Sounds like reckless manslaughter; he ought to be doing at least
several decades on a chain gang picking up trash along the same road where
he killed two people...

Criminology in Germany tends to focus on what will actually do any good, not
revenge as a pure motive. The deaths are a horrible tragedy. The question
is what penalties serve any function, besides whetting our own personal
appetites for hatred.

Tim Kroesen wrote:
"Douglas W. Hoyt" wrote:
Criminology in Germany tends to focus on what will actually do any good,
not revenge as a pure motive. The deaths are a horrible tragedy. The
question is what penalties serve any function, besides whetting our own
personal appetites for hatred.

Who says their focus is correct? Let's whet out appetite for *Justice*
to the *Victims* and not call it hate instead...

Eight months for killing someone recklessly isn't justice for the
victim.

While I find eight months to be a ridiculously light sentence, let us not
forget that the vicitms are dead. There is no remedy available to them.

The focus, then, should be on providing a powerful disincentive to others
who might drive with similar recklessness.

miguel
--
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