Salt Lake City Officer Down

[fraudfighter]

Rebecca, have you heard anything about the SLC Bicycle Officer ran down by a car? Radio said they're charging the driver with homicide.

[This message has been edited by fraudfighter (edited 07-18-2000).]

[Rebecca]

I see you found a web site after you made this post... and I appreciate you sending it to me. This is such a hard one because you have to wonder if the driver should be charged with negligent homicide or was it a tragic accident? I will be watching to see what the investigation turns up.

No matter how it turns out for the driver... another Officer has died... and that's always the bottom line for me. Officer Dunman leaves behind a wife and three very small children... and it doesn't get more sad than that.

Here is the link you sent to me for anyone else who may wish to read this article...
http://www.sltrib.com/2000/Jul/07182000/utah/68113.htm

And... I'll follow it up with his memorial post from the ODMP. If you find any future links related to this man's death... please send them my way.

Thank you, fraudfighter.

[Rebecca]

Not only is he our second bicycle Officer to die... but he is one of many who was a father...

************************************************** *****

*Officer Michael J. Dunman
Salt Lake City Police Department, UT

Cause of Death: Bicycle accident
End of Watch: July 17, 2000
Date of Incident: July 17, 2000
Time of Incident: 1600 hours
Age: 30
Tour of Duty: 5 yr
Suspect Info: Charged with negligent homicide
Weapon Used: Automobile

Officer Dunman was killed after his bicycle was struck by an automobile. Officer Dunman was on bicycle patrol in downtown Salt Lake City when a car veered across three lanes of traffic, hopped a curb, and struck him from behind. He suffered severe head injuries in the accident and died shortly after being transported to a local hospital. The driver of the vehicle was arrested and charged with negligent homicide.

Officer Dunman had been with the agency for five years and is survived by his wife, and three daughters, ages 5, 3, and 1.

*as reported by the ODMP

************************************************** *****

Rest in peace, Officer Dunman. My prayers are for your family and friends.

http://www.officer.com/ubb/frown.gif



[This message has been edited by Rebecca (edited 07-18-2000).]

[David]

If the driver could be shown to be in charge of his facilities the charge of murder should be imposed.

For someone to cross that many lanes to seek out the bike officer from behind is almost impossible to lay at 'accidents' door.

But as you said Becca, the bottom line is that another brick is, yet again in such a short time, taken from the Thin Blue Line and the foundation which protects our citizens from harm.

That another father will not be there to see his children start school, go on their first date, or graduate and start lives of their own is a sad legacy to impose on his family.

The wife, with the double burden of going on without him to lean on and the responsibility of three little ones is a crime unto itself. It's something no wife and mother should have placed on their shoulders.

The image of their Dad will only be a blur and for that, in addition to, the sensless way to die, is a crime that, irreguardless of the final charge, is not ever going to see justice prevail.

Rest in Peace Brother,
That your patrol will be on streets of purest gold will be the reward you have from here on in.
Your transfer has been approved
so rest in peace...

[Rebecca]

I don't know, David. As horrible as this is for everyone... I wonder if there could be two tradegies to come out of this man's death. I don't usually try to place myself in the shoes of someone who kills an Officer (or anyone else for that matter)... but sometimes accidents happen... and what if I were driving that car and my tire(s) blew out and I hit someone? Would it be fair to charge me with negligent homicide?

One day... I was driving to work and it had been raining and was still slightly drizzling. I was driving under the speed limit and being cautious. The driver in front of me must have not known his left turn was coming up... and instead of passing the turn and coming back to it... he slammed on his brakes in hopes of making the turn. I hit mine, too... and before I realized it, I was into a skid. I ended up taking out a mailbox, a very large bush and I saw the side of a house right before my eyes. Luckily, I stopped just short of hitting the house. The oriental lady came running outside of her home yelling, "my bush, my bush"... but thank God there was no one in that yard right then. I was so scared by the whole thing... all I could do was shake.

Cars go their own way when tires blow sometimes. If that car had not hit anyone else, but the driver was killed... no one would think it was a suicide on the part of the driver... it would be classified as an accident. Even with crossing other lanes first... if the car were out of control... what else can you do? I have a hard time imagining this driver as deliberately doing this.

Unless they find that this driver had been drinking or on some sort of substance and should not have been driving at all right then... I would feel very bad for the driver in all of this, too. I realize another human being is gone from our lives... an Officer, a husband, a father of three. But... do we, as human beings who find ourselves in situations we sometimes can not control at all... call this negligent homicide... or a terribly sad accident?

Until I find out more facts about this case... my heart goes out to everyone involved in this devastation of lives.

http://www.officer.com/ubb/frown.gif

[This message has been edited by Rebecca (edited 07-19-2000).]

[fraudfighter]

Some new information from Salt Lake.
http://www.sltrib.com/07192000/utah/4580.htm

[Don]

Unfortunate accident or negligence? Whichever it may be, the results are the same. Most

[David]

Rebecca,

If he was charged with neg. homicide, then their was a lot more than an accident according to the Investigator.

Otherwise the driver would have been accused of manslaughter.

But, as you say, the investigation is not complete.

The statement stands on the face of the charges. I meant if they charge the driver with negligent homicide I still feel that the charge should be upgraded to murder...

[Rebecca]

Has anyone heard anything more of this case?