Does your town have a problem with this?
 

Wrong Way Drivers...

It seems that its not a good month unless there is a big homicide because of someone who got on the freeway here going the wrong direction. It often happens at night and the wrong way driver was drunk, but I've seen it happen at all hours of the day. happened again this morning right here by my house.

My question is, if you live in a large metro area, does your town have this problem? Is it something that just comes along with a large urban freeway system? Is there something inherent to the San Antonio freeway setup that leads to this kind of thing (I know you all wouldnt be able to answer that last one, but by default, if theres no other explination, then it must be a SA issue).

Wrong-way driver kills mother, toddler in I-10 wreck

Web Posted: 11/04/2005 10:29 AM CST

Maria M. Moreno
Express-News Staff Writer

A pickup driver headed the wrong way on Interstate 10 smashed into a Chevrolet Cavalier this morning, killing a toddler riding in his car seat and a woman police believe is his mother, authorities said.

A third motorist, identified as the child's father, was taken to University Hospital in critical condition.

The driver of the Ford F-250, who police believe is about 19 years old, was not injured. A blood test was ordered for the pickup's driver to determine whether alcohol was a factor in the wreck, said San Antonio Police Sgt. Michael Oliva.

The crash occurred about 6:15 a.m. in the westbound lanes of I-10 near De Zavala Road. Witnesses reported seeing the Ford truck traveling in the wrong direction around Boerne Stage Road and began trailing him, Oliva said.

Around UTSA Boulevard, the truck clipped a brown car. That car's driver was not injured and police believe the driver later left the scene, he said.

The Ford F-250 eventually slammed into the red Cavalier, destroying the compact car. The impact was so severe that the toddler, believed to be about 2 years old, was thrown from the car and separated from his car seat. The mother also was ejected, Oliva said. Both were pronounced dead.

Debris and car parts littered the freeway, which was shut down at De Zavala Road during rush hour. By 9:30 a.m., authorities were preparing to reopen that portion of I-10 where traffic remained backed up.

mmoreno@express-news.net

I don't think either KC or Omaha does...although I know a couple of people who got caught on one way streets going the wrong way in Lincoln. But never on the interstates.

Strangely enough, I had a dream last night about people going the wrong way on the interstate as I happened to be driving.

Happens every now and then... but it's a rarity in Toronto. Up north on the other hand it happens a lot more, probibly because of the lack of traffic or other idiot proof visual cues for those to dumb to notice the wrong way signs...

You hear about it sometimes in most every city we've lived in -- but not too often.

Generally it's a DUI or and older driver who got confused.

Huge problem in the Atlanta area too.

A couple have been caused by some "car pool only lane" freeway entrances which are confusing.

Yes, it's a big problem here. There was a crash that killed some people a few weeks ago that involved a wrong-way driver.

A few months ago, I was getting onto 75 from Cumberland and someone was leaving the freeway through the entrance lane. Cars were swerving to avoid the wrong-way driver. The lady finally pulled off the side of the road and just sat there with this scared look on her face.

I saw it twice when I lived in Orlando. Once involved an elderly woman who was driving down the wrong side on a very busy road. Another incident involved the same type of thing that happened in Atlanta. My friend and I were maybe a few inches away from getting into a head-on collision with a guy that got off the freeway at an entrance lane.

The worst part is that all these incidents happened during daylight! It just reaffirms my belief that there are a lot of truly stupid people in this world.

This kind of stuff really scares me. The freeway wrong way accidents are always the worst here. I just have this fear of being in one of those accidents.

The media is reporting that the 19 year old driver was drunk.

WHO is that drunk at 6:30AM???

It happens here as well. I went to traffic court w/ someone to dispute a ticket, and a man was there for driving on the wrong side of the road. Wonder what his defense was????

I have to walk across a one way street to get from my work parking lot to our building and back. I have seen cars going the wrong way on that street a handful of times. Yesterday, one started coming the wrong way just as I was halfway across the street. A girl was walking toward me and would've been hit by this nutjob. I told her, "Look out, there's a car going the wrong way" and she looked at me and kept walking, so I grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Then she saw the car coming from the wrong direction.

That was creepy. I'd say we hear about at least one a year of people going the wrong way on the freeway.

The same person that was drunk at 5:30 am, and at 4:30 am, and at 3:30 am, and at 2:30 am ...........

Here's whats left of the vehicle he hit.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/met...c.2c2c2b5c.jpg

The local paper is reporting that he failed a field sobriety test. The driver, 19-year old Ryan Gonzalez has been charged with two counts of Intoxication Manslaughter. It is reported that he is a student at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/met...c.2c28c72a.jpg

No, but I have a stack of News Herald's that I haven't read yet sitting in the living room.

I was on the UTSA campus today and was asking the undergrads there if they knew the wrong way driver. Some of them said they did and that he was in fact, greek. I am not going to post his affilliation here, because it is not relevant to the story now. IF it develops that he had been drinking at a chapter event, and/or it was chapter related, or if that is alleged, I'll post that information then.

I don't know if you guys ever did this or perhaps it is because I have a super low tolerance but I have definately still been drunk when I woke up...
My college down tends to do random check points at 5 and 6 in the morning on roads where most of the college students live.

I wanted to add that it wasnt my group the kid was a member of. In fact it was the group that was our rival, if you will. I just dont want to drag any dirty laundry out if its not necessary.

Uh oh...
 

Looks like it is now involving his chapter...

The Paisano
http://www.paisano-online.com/vnews/.../43727a696ac12
Student charged, two dead
Greek community affected by actions of drunk driver
by Amy Grewal
Assistant News Editor

November 09, 2005

A UTSA student traveling the wrong way on I-10 early Friday morning, collided with another vehicle, killing a 2-year-old boy and his mother.

The student, 19-year-old Ryan Gonzalez, was charged with two counts of intoxication manslaughter and one count of intoxication assault.

According to the police, Gonzalez was traveling in the wrong lanes of westbound I-10 when his F-350 Ford pickup collided head-on with a Chevrolet Cavalier near DeZavala.

Two passengers, 23-year-old Noraima Baltazar and her son, David Baltazar, Jr. were instantly killed and thrown from the vehicle. The driver, David Baltazar Sr., remains in critical condition at University Hospital.

Police also stated that Gonzalez failed sobriety tests at the scene, and his eyes were blood shot.

Gonzalez is a member of Alpha Tau Omega (ATO), a social Greek fraternity at UTSA that is currently off-campus. Although the fraternity is not recognized as a registered student organization (RSO), it may regain recognized status if approved by Greek advisors.

“This is a tragedy on multiple levels for the two people who lost their lives and for Ryan and his family,” Dan Iza, president of ATO said. “The last time I saw Ryan was the Monday before the accident. I’m told that he attended a birthday party with friends and a few ATO brothers several hours before the accident. Clearly, the tragedy of the accident is on the forefront in all our minds and prayers.”

ATO, along with the entire Greek community, may now face repercussions as a result of the accident, in that alcohol-awareness programs will be stressed considerably.

“It’s [the accident] really hit home. I think it will change a lot of things in our Greek community; maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but sometime in the future,” Jack Zepeda, Interfraternity Council (IFC) rush coordinator and member of Delta Sigma Phi said. “Yeah, it happened to an ATO, but it really could have happened to any one of us.”

Chrystine Johnson, a member of Phi Mu womens’ fraternity, also feels that the incident will have an effect upon the Greek community.

“Hopefully, this incident will encourage students to be less irresponsible,” she said. “We shouldn’t look down on the situation, we should learn from it and prevent it from happening again.”

ATO lost two brothers several semesters ago during spring break in an alcohol-related event. Members of ATO presented a slideshow to the Greek community last semester to pay tribute to their deceased fraternity brothers.

“It was very touching,” Zepeda said.

Several organizations are already implementing programs within their own chapters to discuss the consequences of drinking and driving.

Others, however, feel the effect of the accident in the Greek community is irrelevant.

“I think it’s a shame people are worrying about how it’s going to affect the Greek community. A man lost his wife and daughter; that’s more important,” Brett England, former IFC vice president external and member of Lambda Chi Alpha said.

“Anytime something like this happens, someone has to be blamed and, unfortunately, in this case, it’s the Greek community and his [Gonzalez’s] chapter. But that’s just how it is; we [the Greek community] always have to fight against stereotypes,” he said.

England sees the benefit of educational seminars.

“As far as alcohol awareness goes, I do think we should have a program, but it should be a campus-wide event and not just focused on the Greek community,” England said.

David Gabler, assistant vice president for university communications, supports alcohol-awareness programs.

“We already have an extensive array of programs for the Greek community to socialize responsibly and demonstrate respect for the safety of others and themselves,” Gabler said.

According to Gabler, a committee of 20 staff members has met to discuss recent arrests and incidents related to alcohol on and around campus. “This is a tragedy that’s larger than the university community. Everyone at UTSA should be concerned with alcohol related programs,” Gabler said.

“Many members of the UTSA community have expressed sadness concerning Friday’s tragic accident. Our hearts go out to the victims of the accident and members of their families. They remain in the thoughts and prayers of many individuals at UTSA,” Gabler said.

Greek Life and Student Program Advisor Kristal Statler and Associate Director of Student Life and Activities Barry McKinney refused to comment for this article.

Greek organizations were also advised not to speak to the press in regards to this article.

I do it all the time actually....when I'm in Athens...damn one-ways-that-was-a-two-way-the-day-before....