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[DavidB]

THP trooper placed on administrative leave after teen dies in crash
 
Tuesday, Aug 21, 2007 - 10:01 PM

 BY Nate Morabito
Reporter / Photographer
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A cross marks the spot where 18 year-old Justin Thompson of Kingsport lost his life this weekend. Virginia State Police say the recent Sullivan North graduate slammed into a guardrail at the intersection of East Carters Valley Road and Wadlow Gap Highway in Scott County around three o’clock Sunday morning.

As a result of his death, the Tennessee Department of Safety has placed a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper assigned to Sullivan County on administrative leave with pay. The state made the decision regarding Trooper Kyle Cantwell yesterday.

According to the state, Cantwell, a three-year employee, engaged in a high-speed pursuit of the motorcycle driven by Thompson shortly before the accident that led to his death. The pursuit reportedly began when Cantwell clocked Thompson driving 140 miles per hour on Interstate 81 South. Cantwell reported the motorcycle exited I-81 onto Highway 36 before taking John B. Dennis Highway and Bloomingdale Road into Virginia, the Department of Safety said. According to the state, a Scott County deputy saw the crash happen at the intersection of East Carters Valley Road and Wadlow Gap Highway.

Now, several agencies including THP, Virginia State Police, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are all investigating the accident.

Since Sunday, Thompson’s family has visited the accident scene daily. As state troopers investigated the crash Tuesday, Jeff Thompson held a picture of his son close.

"He always smiled, he never gave nobody no trouble,” Thompson said. “I don't know what to say. I wish it hadn't ever happened.”

Thompson admits his son didn't make the best choice Sunday morning, but he says neither did Trooper Cantwell.

"I think he should have called the chase off a long time ago, got his tag number, called the house and picked him up,” he said.

Thompson believes the trooper chased his son on-and-off for almost a half hour through two states.

Investigators are now taking a closer look at the events leading up to the crash. Virginia State Police are reconstructing the crash scene and examining Thompson’s motorcycle. Meanwhile, forensic experts with the TBI are assisting agents from THP’s Criminal Investigation Division to examine Trooper Cantwell’s patrol car.

Thompson hopes the investigation provides answers and justice for his family. Friday would have been Justin Thompson’s 19th birthday. Instead, it will be his funeral.

“Just because somebody's speeding doesn't give them the right to run them into the ground and kill them,” Thompson said.

 http://www.tricities.com/tristate/tri/news.apx.-content-articles-TRI-2007-08-21-0028.html

[ccr]

I am so sorry to hear this. 

[Coolbreeze]

THP trooper placed on administrative leave after teen dies in crash
 

Thompson admits his son didn't make the best choice Sunday morning, but he says neither did Trooper Cantwell.

"I think he should have called the chase off a long time ago, got his tag number, called the house and picked him up,” he said.

Thompson believes the trooper chased his son on-and-off for almost a half hour through two states.

Investigators are now taking a closer look at the events leading up to the crash. Virginia State Police are reconstructing the crash scene and examining Thompson’s motorcycle. Meanwhile, forensic experts with the TBI are assisting agents from THP’s Criminal Investigation Division to examine Trooper Cantwell’s patrol car.

Thompson hopes the investigation provides answers and justice for his family. Friday would have been Justin Thompson’s 19th birthday. Instead, it will be his funeral.

“Just because somebody's speeding doesn't give them the right to run them into the ground and kill them,” Thompson said.

 http://www.tricities.com/tristate/tri/news.apx.-content-articles-TRI-2007-08-21-0028.html

Anybody else wanna puke?  When you break the law, it is Big John's job to run you down.  This BS about "call off the chase so the perp don't get hurt" is crap in my opinion.  These little crap heads that can't seem to understand that we have laws out there in order to obey them just skyrocket my blood pressure. 

Personally, I think if a cop lights you up and you don't stop, they oughta just send in a chopper to strafe you...  That will shorten the whole process. 

 

[erniezap]

Anybody else wanna puke?  When you break the law, it is Big John's job to run you down.  This BS about "call off the chase so the perp don't get hurt" is crap in my opinion.  These little crap heads that can't seem to understand that we have laws out there in order to obey them just skyrocket my blood pressure. 

Personally, I think if a cop lights you up and you don't stop, they oughta just send in a chopper to strafe you...  That will shorten the whole process. 

 

Totally agree!  Why is it always "society's fault"  when an individual does something stupid?  It's about time that Americans take responsibility for THEIR actions and not blame everything else around them!

[mrmagloo]

Anybody else wanna puke?  When you break the law, it is Big John's job to run you down.  This BS about "call off the chase so the perp don't get hurt" is crap in my opinion.  These little crap heads that can't seem to understand that we have laws out there in order to obey them just skyrocket my blood pressure. 

Personally, I think if a cop lights you up and you don't stop, they oughta just send in a chopper to strafe you...  That will shorten the whole process. 

 

x3 - The second you flee, or disobey an officer, all bets should be off. It shouldn't be his responsibility to guess why the person is dumb enough not to comply. The default should always be, dude runs - dude is stopped at all costs to figure out why, period. If the guy gets reckless and endangers others, shoot him.

[Midnight Rider]

Anybody else wanna puke?  When you break the law, it is Big John's job to run you down.  This BS about "call off the chase so the perp don't get hurt" is crap in my opinion.  These little crap heads that can't seem to understand that we have laws out there in order to obey them just skyrocket my blood pressure. 

Personally, I think if a cop lights you up and you don't stop, they oughta just send in a chopper to strafe you...  That will shorten the whole process. 

 

 

It's a shame the young man died.  One of more stupid things a person can do in their lifetime is to try running from the police.  I've ducked down a few side streets in my life, and even had a run out somebody's back door and up over a hill, out of sight, but if they've got you, you'd best stop and take the medicine.  If they want you bad enough, they're going to get you, no matter how you try and hide...

[bobaroni]

It's sad.....probably ruined a perfectly good motorcycle.

[Talon]

I guess there is a fine line, but what are they going to do, let everyone that runs go? Wouldn't catch to many criminals that way. I guess if the called in the plate and it wasn't stolen, and the owner didn't have any major warants, they could have backed off and picked him up in the morning?

[Midnight Rider]

The problem with high speed chases is not whether to worry about the criminal getting hurt in the process, but the innocent bystanders who are at risk, not only from the vehicle running, but more importantly from the cop car.  Most have a chase policy in effect...

[Coolbreeze]

I agree, but only to a VERY limited point.  If the bad guy thinks you might let him go in the interest of public safety, he just gets wild and wholly.  If he knows you will RUN HIM DOWN LIKE THE DOG THAT HE IS, he's more likely to stop in the first place. 

I don't like the results, but, personally I am more than willing to accept the collateral damage in the interest of future enforcement.

BTW,  bobaroni, thanks for the levity.....  I am now grinning instead of ranting.  Thank you.     I needed that!

[Ghost Rider]

Anybody else wanna puke?  When you break the law, it is Big John's job to run you down.  This BS about "call off the chase so the perp don't get hurt" is crap in my opinion.  These little crap heads that can't seem to understand that we have laws out there in order to obey them just skyrocket my blood pressure. 

Personally, I think if a cop lights you up and you don't stop, they oughta just send in a chopper to strafe you...  That will shorten the whole process. 

 

I agree as well.  I feel bad for this young man and his family, I can't imagine their pain.  However, I am sure that if this young man's actions had resulted in an innocent person's death, their would be an equal outcry from people on why the highway patrol was not out there protecting the citizens from this menace.

[SCRM-R]

I agree too, but the folks on the tail of the dragon website, who have been ranting and raving about the stepped-up enforcement up there for weeks, are ranting about this too.  Read it here www.tailofthedragon.com near the top under Current News.  Of course, they are ranting about all enforcement up there right now.  IMO, if there weren't so much rampant law breakin' going on up there, they wouldn't have this "problem".  These Rice Rocket Racers are living in a dream world if they think that they can continue forever the way that they have abused that area for years.  I'm tired of going up there and damn near getting run off the mountain.  Looks like it ends now...

[VAZHOG]

Looks like all the folks that "work" the Dragon will have tofind NEW JOBS.

[Twolanerider]

A slightly different spin.  When someone is truly criminal in intent all bets should be off.  And they deserve what befalls them. 

There is a reason, however, that many jurisdictions have ordinances for joyriding as something less than felony auto theft (for example); it's because teenagers are still stupid (stupider?).  In raising society's youth you occasionally cut them a little slack. 

If they're being stupid is there a good reason to put them in a position of making themselves believe they must be stupider to the point of getting themselves mangled?  If the license number had already been obtained, if they knew they'd catch him sooner or later, if they knew they were just pushing him harder and harder; I'm not entirely sure that in cases like these the guy being chased is the only one that went joyriding that day.

[cuthbertss]

The problem with high speed chases is not whether to worry about the criminal getting hurt in the process, but the innocent bystanders who are at risk, not only from the vehicle running, but more importantly from the cop car.  Most have a chase policy in effect...

Terry has the key point

I have been involved in more than a  few pursuits.

The key thing i teach my young eager cops is that to make sure the reason you are chasing the guy who is running is worth him plowing into your families car.

otherwise, let them go and get them next time

My experience with trying to chase bikes...  dont even bother

if the bike was really doing 140 i wouldnt have even put the car in drive.  there is no point. Math majors calculate the intercept speed for me

my .02

[Chief]

Terry has the key point

I have been involved in more than a  few pursuits.

The key thing i teach my young eager cops is that to make sure the reason you are chasing the guy who is running is worth him plowing into your families car.

otherwise, let them go and get them next time

My experience with trying to chase bikes...  dont even bother

if the bike was really doing 140 i wouldnt have even put the car in drive.  there is no point. Math majors calculate the intercept speed for me

my .02

I'm not a math major, but the answer to your question is "Too phuking fast!"

[Talon]

Well here's a key point, at a 140 on the highway, he's no different than a person randomly firing a gun aimsly, going to hit something sooner or later. 

Two people in the car were killed, rider? What do you think!!!

[Talon]

Other side.
At 250 KM (155 mph) the operator is traveling at 227 feet per second. With normal reaction time to SEE-DECIDE-REACT of 1.6 seconds the above operator would have traveled over 363 feet while making a decision on what actions to take. In this incident the Swedish police indicate that no actions were taken.