State police report on Corzine accident
Today's editorial in the Press called for the release of the police accident report on the crash that left Gov. Corzine in critical condition. This afternoon, it was finally released. In case you haven't heard yet, Corzine's SUV was doing 91 mph.
Here's the state police account of the accident:
The following information is a synopsis from the ongoing accident
investigation: On April 12, 2007, at approximately 5:30 pm, the Governor's
motorcade, made up of two 2005 Chevy Suburbans, departed Atlantic City en
route to Drumthwacket via the Garden State Parkway.
The Governor was traveling in the first vehicle, which was driven by Trooper
Robert Rasinski. The vehicle's emergency lights were activated to clear
traffic ahead. Governor Corzine was unrestrained in the right front seat
and his aide, Samantha Gordon, was unrestrained in the left
rear seat. Trooper Rasinski was wearing his seatbelt. As the
motorcade progressed north on the Garden State Parkway into Galloway
Township, Atlantic County, it traveled in the left of two northbound lanes
and encountered two additional northbound vehicles. The first, a white 2003
Dodge Ram pickup truck, was operated by John M. Carrino, Jr.
of Glenwood, New Jersey and occupied by Matthew Cameron who was seated to
his right. His vehicle was in the left lane. In the right lane was a red
1991 Ford F150 pickup truck operated by Kenneth Potts of Little Egg Harbor,
New Jersey. As the Governor's detail approached the vehicles, both drivers
moved to their right. Mr. Pott's vehicle was slightly ahead of Mr.
Carrino's vehicle and moved to the right shoulder.
At the same time, Mr. Carrino's vehicle moved to the right lane, slightly
behind Mr. Pott's vehicle. As the Governor's vehicle approached Mr.
Carrino's vehicle, Mr. Potts encountered a roadway delineator (mile marker
signpost) near the right edge of the roadway and moved left to avoid it. Mr.
Carrino observed Potts' vehicle moving back toward the roadway and took
evasive action to his left, during which time the left rear of his truck
collided with the right front of the Governor's vehicle. This impact caused
Trooper Rasinski to lose control and travel toward the wooded center median.
Subsequent corrective steering to the right caused the Suburban to slide
clockwise from the paved roadway and shoulder into the western grass berm.
There it struck a milepost marker, and then impacted the end of the guide
rail. The rail hit immediately behind the left front wheel and penetrated
the vehicle's body, continuing through the front seat floorboard area. The
SUV abruptly rotated 180 degrees, before coming to rest with its back
portion on top of the guide rail. All occupants of the Suburban were
injured. Governor Corzine sustained the most serious injuries, being thrown
within the vehicle during the impact. Carrino's truck stopped near milepost
43.5 with no injury to its occupants. The Potts vehicle continued on. The
post-accident investigation response was the responsibility of the New
Jersey State Police Fatal Accident Investigation Unit, Crime Scene
Investigations, and Troop E Criminal
Investigations Office. The investigation included interviews of all
witnesses, examination of evidence including tire marks, vehicle damage
assessments, and information gleaned from the Crash Data Retrieval System
(so called black box). With regard to the speed of the Governor's vehicle,
all investigative data points to a speed of approximately 91 mph five
seconds before impact with the guide rail. The vehicle's speed at the time
of impact with the guide rail was approximately 30 mph.
Colonel Fuentes has asked that the State Police Motor Vehicle Accident and
Vehicular Pursuit Review Board convene as soon as possible to review the
accident report. The board is comprised of State Police experts in these
matters. It is standard procedure that all accidents or pursuits involving
State Police vehicles are forwarded to this board for review.
They will consider all factors and determine whether the accident should be
classified as preventable, or non-preventable. Should the accident be
deemed preventable, the review board may recommend training or disciplinary
actions. To ensure transparency and accountability, Colonel Fuentes asked
Attorney General Stuart Rabner to appoint an additional participant to the
review board. General Rabner has asked Kathleen Wiechnik of the State
Ethics Commission to serve in this capacity. New Jersey traffic laws require
the wearing of seatbelts for all occupants of front seats. It is the
driver's responsibility to ensure that all front seat occupants under the
age of 18 are properly restrained by
either seatbelts or child safety seats. Colonel Fuentes has also asked
the Attorney General to undertake a critical review of the practices of our
Executive Protection Unit (EPU) with regard to vehicular transportation of
those officials with state troopers as drivers. The Attorney General will
assemble an independent group to review the
current practices of EPU. In the aftermath of this serious accident,
the Colonel and Attorney General look forward to the development of policies
that will improve upon the "best practices" now in use
throughout the country.
Here's the state police account of the accident:
The following information is a synopsis from the ongoing accident
investigation: On April 12, 2007, at approximately 5:30 pm, the Governor's
motorcade, made up of two 2005 Chevy Suburbans, departed Atlantic City en
route to Drumthwacket via the Garden State Parkway.
The Governor was traveling in the first vehicle, which was driven by Trooper
Robert Rasinski. The vehicle's emergency lights were activated to clear
traffic ahead. Governor Corzine was unrestrained in the right front seat
and his aide, Samantha Gordon, was unrestrained in the left
rear seat. Trooper Rasinski was wearing his seatbelt. As the
motorcade progressed north on the Garden State Parkway into Galloway
Township, Atlantic County, it traveled in the left of two northbound lanes
and encountered two additional northbound vehicles. The first, a white 2003
Dodge Ram pickup truck, was operated by John M. Carrino, Jr.
of Glenwood, New Jersey and occupied by Matthew Cameron who was seated to
his right. His vehicle was in the left lane. In the right lane was a red
1991 Ford F150 pickup truck operated by Kenneth Potts of Little Egg Harbor,
New Jersey. As the Governor's detail approached the vehicles, both drivers
moved to their right. Mr. Pott's vehicle was slightly ahead of Mr.
Carrino's vehicle and moved to the right shoulder.
At the same time, Mr. Carrino's vehicle moved to the right lane, slightly
behind Mr. Pott's vehicle. As the Governor's vehicle approached Mr.
Carrino's vehicle, Mr. Potts encountered a roadway delineator (mile marker
signpost) near the right edge of the roadway and moved left to avoid it. Mr.
Carrino observed Potts' vehicle moving back toward the roadway and took
evasive action to his left, during which time the left rear of his truck
collided with the right front of the Governor's vehicle. This impact caused
Trooper Rasinski to lose control and travel toward the wooded center median.
Subsequent corrective steering to the right caused the Suburban to slide
clockwise from the paved roadway and shoulder into the western grass berm.
There it struck a milepost marker, and then impacted the end of the guide
rail. The rail hit immediately behind the left front wheel and penetrated
the vehicle's body, continuing through the front seat floorboard area. The
SUV abruptly rotated 180 degrees, before coming to rest with its back
portion on top of the guide rail. All occupants of the Suburban were
injured. Governor Corzine sustained the most serious injuries, being thrown
within the vehicle during the impact. Carrino's truck stopped near milepost
43.5 with no injury to its occupants. The Potts vehicle continued on. The
post-accident investigation response was the responsibility of the New
Jersey State Police Fatal Accident Investigation Unit, Crime Scene
Investigations, and Troop E Criminal
Investigations Office. The investigation included interviews of all
witnesses, examination of evidence including tire marks, vehicle damage
assessments, and information gleaned from the Crash Data Retrieval System
(so called black box). With regard to the speed of the Governor's vehicle,
all investigative data points to a speed of approximately 91 mph five
seconds before impact with the guide rail. The vehicle's speed at the time
of impact with the guide rail was approximately 30 mph.
Colonel Fuentes has asked that the State Police Motor Vehicle Accident and
Vehicular Pursuit Review Board convene as soon as possible to review the
accident report. The board is comprised of State Police experts in these
matters. It is standard procedure that all accidents or pursuits involving
State Police vehicles are forwarded to this board for review.
They will consider all factors and determine whether the accident should be
classified as preventable, or non-preventable. Should the accident be
deemed preventable, the review board may recommend training or disciplinary
actions. To ensure transparency and accountability, Colonel Fuentes asked
Attorney General Stuart Rabner to appoint an additional participant to the
review board. General Rabner has asked Kathleen Wiechnik of the State
Ethics Commission to serve in this capacity. New Jersey traffic laws require
the wearing of seatbelts for all occupants of front seats. It is the
driver's responsibility to ensure that all front seat occupants under the
age of 18 are properly restrained by
either seatbelts or child safety seats. Colonel Fuentes has also asked
the Attorney General to undertake a critical review of the practices of our
Executive Protection Unit (EPU) with regard to vehicular transportation of
those officials with state troopers as drivers. The Attorney General will
assemble an independent group to review the
current practices of EPU. In the aftermath of this serious accident,
the Colonel and Attorney General look forward to the development of policies
that will improve upon the "best practices" now in use
throughout the country.
posted by Randy Bergmann at 5:39 PM
2 Comments:
Driving at 91 mph is unacceptable. Both the state police and Gov. Corzine are supposed to work in the interest of public safety and going 91 mph is in extreme violation of that responsibility. This is especially the case when dealing with an unstable vehicle such as an SUV. Heads should roll.
And once again we see that the law doesn't seem apply to anyone in law enforcement or government in general.
Has the Trooper/driver of that vehicle been issued a summons for reckless driving?
Incidentally, why don't you just post the police report itself in pdf format? The Smoking Gun does that sort of thing everyday.
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