Kalamazoo Bicyclists Mowed Down

Police: At least 8 victims, multiple dead, after car hits bicyclists Andrew Krietz , WZZM 7:52 PM. EDT June 07, 2016

KALAMAZOO, MICH. - Multiple people are dead after a car ran into a group of bicyclists on the north side of Kalamazoo, police said.

This sounds absolutely horrible.

WWMT has broken into broadcasts

Truck on northbound Westnedge in Kalamazoo Township hit the group of riders

9 riders down, 5 confirms dead

Sad.

One report characterizing it as a hit and run. Jesus.

Original story now includes pictures, including one of the pickup that was involved.

The Pantry wrote:Original story now includes pictures, including one of the pickup that was involved.

The front end of that truck. Eek.

Floyd Robertson wrote:

The Pantry wrote:Original story now includes pictures, including one of the pickup that was involved.

The front end of that truck. Eek.

How does that happen in a 35 mph zone?

The Pantry wrote:

Floyd Robertson wrote:

The front end of that truck. Eek.

How does that happen in a 35 mph zone?

I think we all know the answer to that one.

Floyd Robertson wrote:

The Pantry wrote:How does that happen in a 35 mph zone?

I think we all know the answer to that one.

Looked up a map of the area. There's a place called Racecars Unlimited just north of where it happened. Coincidence?

Most people I know who are serious riders go in groups because there is usually safety in numbers. At least where I live in the hinterlands the bike riders always wear obnoxious optic colors making it damned near impossible not to see them.

I cannot imagine how the surviors families feel. At 6:00 they saw them leave to ride and around 8:00 they are getting visited by law enforcement saying they are dead.

Update from press conference:

5 dead and one of the 4 remaining is in critical condition.

The truck was disabled after hitting the group. The driver, a 50 year old from West MI who isn't being identified bailed and attempted to leave but was stopped by someone who saw him leave his truck.  

There were calls into Kalamazoo City Public Safety at 6:08, Kalamazoo County Sheriff called a few minutes later and Kalamazoo Township Police were called reporting the truck being driven eratically shortly after.  28 minutes after the first call someone called 911 to report the accident.

Sounds as if the truck went from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, people kept calling and law enforcement were looking for the vehicle when the truck hit the cyclists.

Motive? What the actual fuck?

Was alcohol a factor?

So what's the story with this guy?

According to the press conference last night we may not know more than its a 50 year old from West MI who's in custody until sometime Thursday after the prosecutor goes goes through accident reports, any lab reports, etc.

The prosecutor said there were 3 calls reporting erratic driver in a truck that matched the description to 3 different law enforcement agencies prior the call reporting the crash.

I suspect once the witnesses and family / acquaintances of the riders start using social media today we will know more than the prosecutor wants out prior to any arraignment.

read about it this morning.. horrifying.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:read about it this morning.. horrifying.

Thoughts and prayers.

duffy munn wrote:

Robert J Sakimano wrote:read about it this morning.. horrifying.

Thoughts and prayers.

indeed. If that's your thing.

I'm guessing crazy or drunk. If Drunk, no words. Sounds like many people tried to slow him down with 911 calls to cops.

DWags wrote:I'm guessing crazy or drunk. If Drunk, no words. Sounds like many people tried to slow him down with 911 calls to cops.

my first thought was drunk or distracted (texting, etc).. possibly both.

Then I read the reports about him driving erratically and people commenting on that prior to the accident. So it's entirely possible that he was drunk, distracted - while possibly being enraged or in an otherwise altered state of reality.

MSU Staffer Among Those Killed

https://www.everipedia.com/charles-pickett-jr-1/

Apparently, this is the asshole who did this.

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:https://www.everipedia.com/charles-pickett-jr-1/

Apparently, this is the asshole who did this.

no words for something so incredibly senseless.

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:https://www.everipedia.com/charles-pickett-jr-1/

Apparently, this is the asshole who did this.

*NOT AT ALL DEFENDING THE GUY SO DONT MISUNDERSTAND THIS

Is it just me or is the existence of a website like that so... I don't know, wrong? I mean, what if that is in fact the wrong guy and they are basically smearing him calling him a murderer, putting all sorts of information out there? I'm not saying it is in this particular instance, but what if that site ran by random internet weirdos one day got it wrong? They could ruin a life themselves.

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:https://www.everipedia.com/charles-pickett-jr-1/

Apparently, this is the asshole who did this.

*NOT AT ALL DEFENDING THE GUY SO DONT MISUNDERSTAND THIS

Is it just me or is the existence of a website like that so... I don't know, wrong? I mean, what if that is in fact the wrong guy and they are basically smearing him calling him a murderer, putting all sorts of information out there? I'm not saying it is in this particular instance, but what if that site ran by random internet weirdos one day got it wrong? They could ruin a life themselves.

Yeah that site seemed kinda sketchy to me too. I found this from the GR news station a bit later.

http://woodtv.com/2016/06/08/driver-who-hit-9-cyclists-ided-as-battle-creek-man/

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:https://www.everipedia.com/charles-pickett-jr-1/

Apparently, this is the asshole who did this.

*NOT AT ALL DEFENDING THE GUY SO DONT MISUNDERSTAND THIS

Is it just me or is the existence of a website like that so... I don't know, wrong? I mean, what if that is in fact the wrong guy and they are basically smearing him calling him a murderer, putting all sorts of information out there? I'm not saying it is in this particular instance, but what if that site ran by random internet weirdos one day got it wrong? They could ruin a life themselves.

Yeah, it's bad.  About as bad as getting on the social security deceased list when you're still alive and kicking.

Yeah, I saw him somewhere else, so I'm sure it's not wrong in this case, but it just feels like that's the kind of thing that could easily go hey wire. Like when everyone on the Internet was trying to string up two dudes for the Boston marathon bombing that actually had nothing to do with it and were victims themselves.

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:https://www.everipedia.com/charles-pickett-jr-1/

Apparently, this is the asshole who did this.

*NOT AT ALL DEFENDING THE GUY SO DONT MISUNDERSTAND THIS

Is it just me or is the existence of a website like that so... I don't know, wrong? I mean, what if that is in fact the wrong guy and they are basically smearing him calling him a murderer, putting all sorts of information out there? I'm not saying it is in this particular instance, but what if that site ran by random internet weirdos one day got it wrong? They could ruin a life themselves.

Any possibility the cyclists may have been at fault? Maybe? Partly? Lets get the facts. I've seen many times where big groups of bicyclists act as if they own the road and put themselves in peril. Its like they think their "right to the road" suspends the laws of physics. Sorry folks, but 3,000 lb motor vehicles driving at posted speeds are not forgiving to bicyclists that make errors. Its a complete mismatch and just because a bicyclist dies, doesn't mean the driver of the car or truck did anything wrong.

Jethro Bodeen wrote:

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

*NOT AT ALL DEFENDING THE GUY SO DONT MISUNDERSTAND THIS

Is it just me or is the existence of a website like that so... I don't know, wrong? I mean, what if that is in fact the wrong guy and they are basically smearing him calling him a murderer, putting all sorts of information out there? I'm not saying it is in this particular instance, but what if that site ran by random internet weirdos one day got it wrong? They could ruin a life themselves.

Any possibility the cyclists may have been at fault? Maybe? Partly? Lets get the facts. I've seen many times where big groups of bicyclists act as if they own the road and put themselves in peril. Its like they think their "right to the road" suspends the laws of physics. Sorry folks, but 3,000 lb motor vehicles driving at posted speeds are not forgiving to bicyclists that make errors. Its a complete mismatch and just because a bicyclist dies, doesn't mean the driver of the car or truck did anything wrong.

This has been a hell of a week for trolling.

Jethro Bodeen wrote:

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

*NOT AT ALL DEFENDING THE GUY SO DONT MISUNDERSTAND THIS

Is it just me or is the existence of a website like that so... I don't know, wrong? I mean, what if that is in fact the wrong guy and they are basically smearing him calling him a murderer, putting all sorts of information out there? I'm not saying it is in this particular instance, but what if that site ran by random internet weirdos one day got it wrong? They could ruin a life themselves.

Any possibility the cyclists may have been at fault? Maybe? Partly? Lets get the facts. I've seen many times where big groups of bicyclists act as if they own the road and put themselves in peril. Its like they think their "right to the road" suspends the laws of physics. Sorry folks, but 3,000 lb motor vehicles driving at posted speeds are not forgiving to bicyclists that make errors. Its a complete mismatch and just because a bicyclist dies, doesn't mean the driver of the car or truck did anything wrong.  

Well, seeing how pretty much every story is reporting he was driving erratically before the crash, and an eye witness to the crash said the guy almost hit him beforehand I'm going to assume the truck driver was 100% at fault.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/08/us/kalamazoo-bicyclists-dead/index.html

No! No! Bad pylon! Bad! I am going to virtually smack you in the nose with a newspaper then spray a bottle of water in your face. Bad bad pylon!

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:https://www.everipedia.com/charles-pickett-jr-1/

Apparently, this is the asshole who did this.

*NOT AT ALL DEFENDING THE GUY SO DONT MISUNDERSTAND THIS

Is it just me or is the existence of a website like that so... I don't know, wrong? I mean, what if that is in fact the wrong guy and they are basically smearing him calling him a murderer, putting all sorts of information out there? I'm not saying it is in this particular instance, but what if that site ran by random internet weirdos one day got it wrong? They could ruin a life themselves.

Jesus, Travis, how can you take this guy's side? You're a monster.

tGreenWay wrote:

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

*NOT AT ALL DEFENDING THE GUY SO DONT MISUNDERSTAND THIS

Is it just me or is the existence of a website like that so... I don't know, wrong? I mean, what if that is in fact the wrong guy and they are basically smearing him calling him a murderer, putting all sorts of information out there? I'm not saying it is in this particular instance, but what if that site ran by random internet weirdos one day got it wrong? They could ruin a life themselves.

Jesus, Travis, how can you take this guy's side? You're a monster.  

After seeing this pic Bob definitely won't take this guy's side...