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Old 07-08-2017, 08:56 AM
 
Location: Stasis
15,823 posts, read 12,436,448 times
Reputation: 8599

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Driving while celebrity - Venus Williams exonerated by video (but still legally at fault?).

When news first hit that Venus was in a fatal accident, killing an old man, the media and commenters were quick to blame her for recklessly careening through a red, the lawyers swept in, and the widow launched a million dollar wrongful death lawsuit. Based on initial reports she seemed guilty as sin and trying to cover up with her story. Thank god for video.

The new video shows her black SUV pass the camera and stop at a red, proceed on a short green into the intersection, but stopped by a car turning left in front of her, then proceeding but not clearing the intersection before the light turned red. The older couple, coming in from the right, anticipated the light turning green for them and did not slow down.

It should at least spread blame and reduce any judgement amount.

Police Rescind Conclusion That Venus Williams Was At Fault In Fatal Crash

Video Footage Exonerates Venus Williams in Fatal Car Crash


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mWSX2BQEhs
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Old 07-08-2017, 11:24 AM
 
Location: Home is Where You Park It
23,856 posts, read 13,690,180 times
Reputation: 15481
Glad to hear it.

Somehow the story of her driving recklessly never rang true to me.
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Old 07-08-2017, 11:44 AM
 
16,376 posts, read 22,431,011 times
Reputation: 14397
I don't see the green/red traffic light in the video. It's grainy and the color isn't that good.

Can someone identify where it is? Is see something above the PM of the time clock that possibly could be a light, but it doesn't appear to change.
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Old 07-08-2017, 12:32 PM
 
22,923 posts, read 15,434,858 times
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Well, that video shows her stopped by a left turner who would have also been on a green then she resumes to cross the divided intersection to be hit by a car blitzing through on a very early green if judging by traffic not even entering the intersection yet going in the opposite direction to the elderly couple.

I does look like the elderly couple either didn't see the red or patterned their approach to hit the "very virgin" green. They hit Venus' car on the rear passenger quarter panel with no visible attempt to slow down when her car must have been clearly visible as both moving and in the intersection. A coroner should test further if the old guy suffered some kind of medical event that tuned him out before even entering the intersection.
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Old 07-08-2017, 12:37 PM
 
78,021 posts, read 60,232,230 times
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Thankfully there was video.
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Old 07-08-2017, 12:47 PM
 
Location: Raleigh
8,168 posts, read 8,494,576 times
Reputation: 10146
Glad you posted this. Venus seems very upset by the crash, glad to hear she is not totally at fault. You have to look to cross traffic always. I try to remember to look for unexpected traffic at a signal, especially if the light has just changed.
This collision emphasizes my worry over left turns. Avoid them when you can. Our way out of here involves an uncontrolled intersection with a four lane divided highway just down the road from a traffic signal. Lots of our neighbors routinely make a left across both lanes to head north. I always head up our street to enter that highway at a signal.
Watch car wreck videos on youtube and you'll see why.
"No left turn, not always the law, always a good idea"
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Old 07-08-2017, 12:51 PM
 
Location: Sarasota, Fl
809 posts, read 743,474 times
Reputation: 643
Thanks for sharing the info and video

The plaintiff's lawyer still claims that Venus was at fault:

Quote:
Michael Steinger, the lawyer for the Barons, said it supported their position.

'The video released by the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department continues to support the fact that Ms. Williams remained in the intersection at a red light, violating the Barson’s right of way,' Steinger said in a statement.

'There is nothing that disputes Ms. Williams' was in the intersection on a red light, and the witnesses clearly confirm the Barsons' had a green light and lawfully entered the intersection.'

Then again, a simple google search on this lawyer shows he has a questionable history:

The Steingers: Like Father, Like Son? | New Times Broward-Palm Beach


There's more information to process, but it appears to me, that short of getting Scottie (from Star Trek) to initiate a transporter beam, there wasn't anything Venus could do to avoid being struck by the car.






Quote:
Originally Posted by katzpaw View Post
Driving while celebrity - Venus Williams exonerated by video (but still legally at fault?).

When news first hit that Venus was in a fatal accident, killing an old man, the media and commenters were quick to blame her for recklessly careening through a red, the lawyers swept in, and the widow launched a million dollar wrongful death lawsuit. Based on initial reports she seemed guilty as sin and trying to cover up with her story. Thank god for video.

The new video shows her black SUV pass the camera and stop at a red, proceed on a short green into the intersection, but stopped by a car turning left in front of her, then proceeding but not clearing the intersection before the light turned red. The older couple, coming in from the right, anticipated the light turning green for them and did not slow down.

It should at least spread blame and reduce any judgement amount.

Police Rescind Conclusion That Venus Williams Was At Fault In Fatal Crash

Video Footage Exonerates Venus Williams in Fatal Car Crash


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mWSX2BQEhs
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Old 07-08-2017, 12:53 PM
 
Location: Sonoran Desert
39,026 posts, read 51,082,683 times
Reputation: 28222
In my state she would not be at fault at all. Cars already in the intersection when a light changes have the right of way. That is probably true in most places as it is common sense.
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Old 07-08-2017, 01:01 PM
 
487 posts, read 543,636 times
Reputation: 327
Glad she has the video to back her up.
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Old 07-08-2017, 01:01 PM
 
Location: Santa Monica
36,856 posts, read 17,308,412 times
Reputation: 14459
So DWC supersedes DWB?
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