Another deadly cocktail

[Rogie]

The equation for this often deadly cocktail is something like this:

 

fast car + male brain atrophied to pea size owing to playboy lifestyle + possible alcohol or drugs = trouble, often double trouble and sometimes DEATH

 

It's always a fast car, isn't it? And as so often happens, the driver of the car escapes injury-free or nearly so, whilst the other - usually innocent - party, comes off worst.

 

I've read about three such cases recently. They must just be the tip of the iceberg, the ones we hear about. One incident happened in Thailand, one in China and the other in Britain.

 

In the Thai incident, the grandson of the Red Bull founder hit a motorcycle whilst driving his Ferrari. The rider was killed. It was a typical hit and run accident, the driver knew he'd hit somebody and just sped off. That to me is a good indicator of the person's underlying character. Anyone who does that and doesn't stop cannot be considered to have a brain IMO, hence my scathing use of the term pea-brain. He's now been arrested, but released on bail . . .

 

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/310580/red-bull-founder-grandson-arrested-on-hit-and-run

 

In the Chinese incident, guess what? Another Ferrari! Here is an AFP news item:

 

BEIJING — China's leadership has been hit by a fresh scandal ahead of a 10-yearly power handover, with reports a close ally of the president was demoted following his son's death in a Ferrari crash.

 

China said at the weekend that Ling Jihua, who has close ties to outgoing President Hu Jintao, had been removed as head of the Communist party's powerful Politburo general office and given a new, less high-profile post.

 

It gave no explanation for the surprise move, but a day later, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, quoting unnamed sources, said Ling's son had died in a high-speed Ferrari crash in Beijing in the early hours of March 18 that also injured two young women, one of whom was naked.

 

Reports of the crash first surfaced in March on China's popular microblogs, along with speculation that the son of a senior Communist leader had been involved, but were quickly suppressed by the country's army of online censors.

 

Photographs of the wreckage were briefly circulated online, sparking questions about how the son of a government official could afford a luxury sports car worth a reported five million yuan (around $800,000).

Online searches for the words "Ferrari crash" have been blocked in China ever since, underscoring the huge sensitivity of the issue ahead of the Communist Party leadership handover later this year.

 

Many leaders send their children to be educated abroad -- Bo Guagua, son of Gu Kailai and Bo Xilai, attended an exclusive British private school before studying at Oxford, and was also reported to have driven a Ferrari.

 

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hBu5dCPxjQnZzx9OJgKdezVilgCQ?docId=CNG.5dfbe54bfbccf0224b6062f1d3f6b95c.571

 

In the UK incident, Courtney Meppen-Walter, a football (soccer) player contracted to Manchester City F.C. driving his Mercedes was in collision with a much smaller car driven by a family of Sikhs. Two of the family were killed and the other two lie seriously injured in hospital. There is some evidence this guy and another motorist were racing each other. The second link below contains good evidence this young man scores very highly on my pea-brain index. He too is now out on bail . . .

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-19462513

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2198003/Manchester-City-starlet-screamed-wasnt-crash-left-dead.html

[Guest fountainhall]

Two other factors distinguish that horrific Bangkok road death.

 

1. The driver hit the motor cycle but did not stop. He drove on and dragged the body some 200 meters. So it is not yet certain if the poor policeman died as a result of the initial 'hit' or from injuries sustained in the moments after it.

 

2. The driver was a member of the moneyed 'elite'. A Thonglor policeman friend of the family tried to persuade his bosses that the driver had in fact been the family's own driver - not the rich grandson. As we know, money talks in Thailand! But thankfully, not in this case, it seems. The Police Chief announced at an emotional press conference yesterday that he would resign if he could not bring justice to the driver responsible for his colleague's death.

 

Pol Lt General Khamronwit Thoopkrajang. Khamronwit announced he would quit his position as commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau if he could not bring to justice the driver responsible for the death of Wichean, 48.

 

Speaking before his successful search of Worrayuth's house, Khamronwit said he knew that a senior Thong Lor police officer was close to a person living in the home and had produced another man as the suspect. He was later charged with giving false statements.

 

"I have transferred this officer away, so he will no longer work closely with the people. A policeman was killed, but he is siding with the [actual] suspect," he said emotionally.

http://www.nationmul...d-30189675.html

[Guest snapshot]

Rogie... here's another recent Ferrari incident involving a Mainland Chinese dickhead expat in Singapore. Wiped out a taxi driver, passenger and himself when he screamed through a red light. Worse, he had a female passenger in his car while his wife was at home pregnant!

 

In Singapore, resentment and annoyance at immigrants and foreigners has been growing and this incident just served to fuel that further.

 

Here's the footage...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WobXlfnuSZk

 

the driver knew he'd hit somebody and just sped off. That to me is a good indicator of the person's underlying character. Anyone who does that and doesn't stop cannot be considered to have a brain IMO, hence my scathing use of the term pea-brain. He's now been arrested, but released on bail

Yep... but it's not about having a brain or intelligence. It's having a sense of responsibility and awareness of consequences for others. Unfortunately, this is missing in a lot of the kids of wealthy Thai families. It isn't the case with all of them but it is with a good number of them.

 

It's a real shame. You see these parents having done a great job of building wealth, but they've neglected to raise their kids with good values and a sense of responsibility. Where as some guy who grew up poor and has had to look after his family has developed that sense of responsibility and you see it in everything they do and every decision they make.

[Rogie]

Remember that crash with several fast cars a while back? Check out the one called Ferrari graveyard - it's amongst a whole load of other videos alongside the one Snapshot posted.

 

Back to why some men do stupid things. No, of course their brains are the same size as everybody elses, it's just my way of saying the same thing that Snapshot pointed out.

 

Responsibilty and awareness are fine but my belief is even if you've got it, under certain circumstances a normally level-headed guy can go from Jeckyll to Hyde in an instant. That usually involves a catalyst. What sort of catalyst? Pretty obvious I suppose: guy gets behind the wheel of a fancy car, guy wants to show off to his mates or to try and impress a girl, he's drunk, he's high on cocaine or whatever, he's just in a bad mood, or he just does something really foolish without any real reason - some young men are like that.

 

Prince Harry is a good example of a guy brought up 'proper' but who acted like a spoilt playboy and has paid the price for his foolishness. But he's a decent enough chap, well liked but unfortunately no longer well respected. He's lucky it'll blow over with nothing more than a severely punctured self-esteem. It could have been a lot worse, he could have been behind the wheel of a F-E-R-R-A-R-I

[Guest fountainhall]

It was a pile-up involving a meeting of Ferrari owners in Japan. 8 Ferraris, a Lamborghini and 2 Mercedes were severely damaged

 

[Guest fountainhall]

The two English papers this morning report more horrific details about the crash involving the Ferrari which smashed into the back of a police officer’s motor cycle early on Tuesday morning.

 

Forensic experts have now determined that –

 

1. The car was speeding along Sukhumvit at around 200 kph!

2. The driver suffered shoulder and chest injuries from seat belt. The impact caused the seatbelt to be released from its lock.

3. The police motorcycle driver was hit straight on and so could not have been cutting across the Ferrari, as claimed by the driver.

4. The police officer was stuck on the car’s bonnet and fell to the road after 64.8 meters.

5. The motorbike was stuck to the front of the Ferrari for around 200 meters until Sukhumit 49 when, it seems, the driver swerved to dislodge it.

6. The driver drove straight to the family home on Soi 53.

7. The family’s lawyer, a Senator, said his client has not been drinking prior to the crash (at 5.00 in the morning, Mr. Lawyer? ). No, he had a drink at home after the crash “to relieve his tenseness!”

8. He further claims the driver “did not flee the scene but went home to consult his father.” He was also “shocked and afraid.”

 

http://www.nationmul...h-30189858.html

http://www.bangkokpo...med-from-behind

 

Well, excuse me, Mr. Lawyer! Anyone who moves from the scene of a such a hideous crime for any reason other than temporarily to alert the police and medical authorities, is fleeing the scene of the crime. No doubt he said this because the Deputy Police Commissioner had stated yesterday that the Supreme Court has confirmed in the past that a driver who does not stop but drags a body such a distance is guilty of attempted murder.

 

One therefore wonders what pittance from the family's immense fortune will be now slipped into various pockets to ensure the perpetrator of this crime does not have to go to jail!

[Guest fountainhall]

Yesterday the media reported that the family of the driver of the Ferrari had reached agreement with the family of the murdered policeman to pay Bt. 3 million in compensation. This, it is assumed, is to avoid civil litigation once the existing charges have been heard in court. These charges let's recall, amount only to hit-and-run and drunk driving - at present. Although the toxicology tests are not complete, a further charge involving narcotics is likely. And what about wilful murder or at the very least manslaughter? Will one of these charges ever be brought?

 

Bt. 3 million! It's barely credible that a family with a fortune of over US$4 billion can get away so lightly. No doubt it is a large sum to the policeman's family but it would certainly be unlikely to compensate them for the loss of his income over the remainder of his life.

 

In another earlier development, the policeman who attempted to cover up the case by arresting the family's "domestic caretaker" did not report to the Panel conducting the disciplinary case against him on the due date. He turned up the following day. When asked why, "He said he did not show up on the date requested because he did not want to face the press." Unbelievable!

[Guest fountainhall]

The grandson of the Red Bull founder failed to show up for questioning last Friday as ordered by the police. If he fails to turn up for the next session, an arrest warrant will be sought and his bail money forfeited.

 

Mind you, as Red Bull has been touted as one of the sponsors of the F1 race now under contract negotiations for Bangkok in 2014, someone somewhere will no doubt be looking after Khun Vorayuth to ensure there is no problem with the F1 sponsorship money being forthcoming

 

It has also turned out that not ony had he traces of cocaine in his system but was over the alcohol limit. Further tests are underway.

 

http://www.nationmul...t-30192708.html

[Bob]

The Thai press has been all over the accident involving the Red Bull heir and, if they keep it up, this rich kid just might end up at trial. Of course, then he'll be given bail pending appeal and the appeals process ought to be exhausted shortly after he dies a natural death.

 

I've somewhat wondered whether this kid will flee the country given all the publicity. With granddad's billions, he can live wherever he'd like to live.

[Rogie]

In the UK incident, Courtney Meppen-Walter, a football (soccer) player contracted to Manchester City F.C. driving his Mercedes was in collision with a much smaller car driven by a family of Sikhs. Two of the family were killed and the other two lie seriously injured in hospital. There is some evidence this guy and another motorist were racing each other. The second link below contains good evidence this young man scores very highly on my pea-brain index. He too is now out on bail . . .

 

 

Update

 

There has been much bemusement today to learn this 'idiot' was, owing to a cock-up, released from prison early:

 

A footballer who killed two people in a car crash and was released from jail by mistake is back in custody, police said today.

 

Ex-Manchester City youth player and England Under-18 captain Courtney Meppen-Walter walked free from prison yesterday after serving just a quarter of his 16-month sentence.

 

Greater Manchester Police was informed by the Prison Service of the gaffe and efforts were made to return the 18-year-old to custody.

 

A police spokesman confirmed that the player was back behind bars this morning.

 

Police said Meppen-Walter was "erroneously released" from prison yesterday.

 

He was visited by police officers at his home address last night and, once officially informed of the mistake, voluntarily returned to prison in Lancaster, where he will now serve the remainder of his sentence.

 

Police Sergeant Danny Byrne said: "Officers visited Meppen-Walter's address last night and returned him back to prison in Lancaster.

 

"We are speaking to the family of the victims involved in this case to keep them updated with what has happened and our thoughts continue to be with them at this difficult time."

 

Yesterday, the widow of one of Meppen-Walter's victims said she was "devastated" to learn that the footballer was at liberty.

 

A Prison Service spokesman said: "Police have been informed after a prisoner was released in error on Monday July 1 to ensure he is promptly returned to custody.

 

"Releases in error are very rare and we take any incident extremely seriously. An investigation will take place into the circumstances that led to this release."

 

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/death-crash-footballer-courtney-meppenwalter-back-in-jail-after-being-freed-in-error-8682586.html

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/07/01/courtney-meppen-walter_n_3529965.html

 

So, Thailand after all doesn't have a monopoly on strange and bewildering exploits when it comes to law and order (or the lack of . . .)