Cars becoming weapon of choice, traffic experts say
(Globe and Mail)
People seeking to settle scores are increasingly getting behind the wheel and taking aim at their adversaries, traffic experts say after a weekend in which one person was killed and four seriously injured in what police suspect were deliberate attacks.
"Some people choose a gun or their fists, but some choose their cars," said Detective Constable Paul Lobsinger, who works on the hit-and-run squad with Toronto police. "I am seeing them more often than I used to. Often it's a case of impatience or rage." (Read on in the comments)
1 comment:
Ted Holtzhaeuser, a retired police sergeant who spent more than 15 years with traffic services, goes further.
"People often feel empowered behind the wheel of a car," said Mr. Holezheuser, who now runs an organization called the Road Safety Network, a group that bills itself as committed to improving road safety throughout the world.
"They think of themselves as anonymous, and they feel shielded from the outside world. When they use their car to exact revenge or to show their rage, it's obvious the human body will come out the loser and the car will come out the winner."
Police believe that knowledge played a role in two incidents over the holiday weekend: 21-year-old Christy Mayooran Anton-Pious died and four teenagers, including one female, were sent to hospital after two separate hit-and-run incidents in the Greater Toronto Area.
Peel Regional Police said Mr. Anton-Pious was travelling in a gold GMC Envoy at about 4 a.m. when he became involved in an argument with the occupants of a black Acura or Honda. At some point, he got out of the SUV and was struck by the other vehicle on Rutherford Road near Orenda Road in Brampton. Three people were being sought in connection with the incident.
Also on Saturday, four 15- to 19-year-olds were hit by a white Oldsmobile around midnight in Etobicoke. They left a bush party in a ravine near Dunning Crescent and Westhead Road after a fight erupted and were struck as they walked away from the party. Toronto police have recovered the vehicle and are waiting for forensic test results.
Det. Constable Lobsinger said tempers seem to be rising among drivers in Toronto and Mr. Holezheuser said he's seen too many cases in which drivers get away with murder.
"I believe someone should reasonably know that if they are going to strike someone with a car, that they are going to kill them or seriously injure them," he said.
"We need to refer to cars as weapons. If a car deliberately accelerates toward a person we should charge those drivers with attempted homicide, or even homicide."
There are no statistics on the number of intentional hit-and-run cases in Canada, but Mr. Holezheuser said the increase in the number of cars on the roads -- more than 18 million -- has led to an increase in violent drivers.
Det. Constable Lobsinger said it is up to the justice system to hand down more severe sentences for people convicted of using their automobiles as weapons.
Louise Botham, president of the Criminal Lawyers' Association, defends the courts, saying criminal sentences depend on the quality of evidence that is gathered by police.
"People are hardly given a free ride when they decide to use a car as a weapon," Ms. Botham said.
Post a Comment