Update

My brother submitted this in the comments section of the last post, but I'll add it here. There is talk of criminal charges being filed against Tyler. I very much hope the Prosecuter's office does not attempt to press charges other than reckless driving. I don't know what I would do if I was forced into a similar situation, and I pray I never have to find out. Even I'm not ready to be as "grown-up" as Tyler is being forced to be now. I do know that I would never commit another "minor" traffic violation.

an update on the Accident as reported in the Lima News this morning: "Sheriff’s report: Teen didn’t stop at stop sign before fatal crash
By TIM RAUSCH
419-993-2097
trausch@limanews.com
02.20.2004

BLUFFTON — A 16-year-old Bluffton boy didn’t stop at the stop sign on Hillville Road Sat-urday, just moments before the two-vehicle crash that claimed the life of one of his passengers, a sheriff’s official said.
The Allen County Sheriff’s Office released information Thursday on the crash that killed 15-year-old Ricky Matter and injured three other people.
Capt. Steve Hoverman said the office did not want to release information until investigators had a chance to interview everyone involved in the fatal crash at Hillville and Phillips roads.
Hoverman said the driver of a Honda Accord, Tyler Kindred, was eastbound on Hillville Road at 2:50 p.m. with Matter and 16-year-old Kyle Roby in the car.
“When they ran that stop sign, Richard McCoy was northbound on Phillips Road and T-boned the Kindred vehicle in the passenger side,” Hoverman said. There is no stop sign at that intersection for motorists on Phillips Road.
Matter was sitting in the front passenger side of the Honda, Hoverman said. Roby was in the rear passenger side.
The facts of the crash will be presented to the Allen County juvenile prosecutor next week, Hoverman said.
“They will recommend whatever enforcement action to take,” Hoverman said. “It is a trag-edy. We don’t want to add more tragedy to it. We’ll let the prosecutor’s office decide what enforcement action they deem necessary.”
Exact speeds have not been determined, Hoverman said, but he estimated Kindred was trav-eling nearly 40 mph at the time of the collision. McCoy was probably going 50 mph, the captain said.
“That’s consistent with the rotation from the crash. Where they ended up is consistent with those speeds,” Hoverman said.
The physics calculations that will determine exact speeds will be done at a later time, Hoverman said.
“It happened so quickly there was no chance to even brake,” Hoverman said of McCoy’s ac-tions. There were no skid marks from either vehicle on the pavement.
McCoy, 54, of Bluffton, along with Roby and Kindred, were injured in the crash, but have since been released from hospitals. McCoy was driving a Mercury Mountaineer.
Hoverman said everyone involved in the crash was wearing a seat belt.
The teens were returning from a wrestling match at Allen East to prepare for a basketball game scheduled for that evening."

Obviously, this doesn't make the situation any better but it does provide some more information to curious readers. As Tim said, Tyler is feeling really bad, and the Sheriff had to talk to both Kyle and him today which couldn't have made things better. As the article says, a charge is still pending, but I would think that Tyler's grief would be punishment enough. Think what you would feel like having to live your entire life knowing that you ran the stop sign and ended up killing your 15 year old friend. I really didn't know Ricky, but it is still really hard to loose someone like that. After all, it could have been one of my friends. It really is emotionally draining. As one of my teachers said, It really makes you grow up faster that you should. You shouldn't have to go to a funeral of someone your own age till you're at least 75 or 80. School was really tough on Monday and we didn't really have class. More than 30 counselers, and clergy were at the school, and by 3rd. period, no one was in a classroom. That day was the longest school day in my entire life, and we even got out an hour and a half early. Now, school is back to "normal" or as normal as it can be. Although there is a time to mourn, things also need to go back to as normal as possible.
Alex
Posted by Alex at February 20, 2004 05:35 PM