I really appreciate the kind reception, since I know resurrecting old threads is generally uncool. And, yes, I did join the forum only because this post came up while Googling info on the accident (which had come to mind earlier that day as I biked past the spot where it occurred).
Long story short, I was acquainted (not "friends") with both Judy and (much less so) Brian through my partner, who happened to be Judy's co-worker. All of us had had lunch together just a couple of days prior, where I couldn't help noticing Brian was rather a cantankerous sort, arguing with anybody about anything. I/we knew nothing about the stresses in his life, so took it as a sign of his personality.
After Judy was killed, and Brian was jailed, we were left to clean up their (really "her" as it was leased by her employer) apartment, drive her car to a safe holding spot, and so on, which is a harrowing ordeal in itself. Basically box everything up so that her family could come claim it. Then vacate the premises so the landlord could rent to someone else, etc.
Needless to say, a bunch of Judy's friends were absolutely devastated by the turn of events, and more than a little angry with Brian. But the facts of the case suggest both parties used poor judgment. As someone said above, one taxi ride might have prevented so much sadness. (Uber and Lyft would not appear for several more years.)
My takeaways: (1) Bad things happen even to good people. (2) When under stress, check your situation twice over. (3) Life can end at any moment, so create your legacy now. (4) Don't be a dick.
Ironically, despite widespread alcohol consumption in New Orleans, the incidence of DUI-related injuries and death remains consistently low. Reason: The natives know how to handle their liquor, starting from their preteen years (ask any bartender how many kids they've served). It's the out-of-town college kids who get effed up and puke on the French Quarter sidewalks. Hell, NOLA has drive-thru daiquiri shops, with the only restriction being that they leave the end of the paper straw intact, so it's not an "open container" (LOL). Of course, NOPD still conducts random sobriety checkpoints regularly, which is a non-event here.
Sorry for the long-winded reply. Y'all seem like a great bunch of folks, and I didn't wanna leave you hanging. I guess we all recognize that vehicular deaths are a part of normal life, and that any accident could have been caused by something "dumb" we did, like changing the radio, looking away for one second, or checking a text message. Motorcycle riders (I grew up riding on the back of my sister's Kawasaki 700, but never owned one myself) have a lot more common sense and road smarts than us "hands on ten-and-two" Sunday motorists, which makes this seemingly self-inflicted mess all the harder to comprehend.
Life is a marvel. Eyes on the road.
- Libra