Reader comments
Judge refuses to dismiss negligent homicide charge against officer

Anonymous | 3:04 p.m. July 14, 2008

Cellular phones should be put away while driving. I am sick and tired of avoiding accidents with people talking and text messaging while driving.

If John Douglas would have survived he would be facing charges for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. Itï¿½s tragic what happened to him and this police officer has to live with the events of that day for the rest of his life. Cellular phones kill.

Johny Fairplay | 3:23 p.m. July 14, 2008

Good.

Bad all around | 4:07 p.m. July 14, 2008

Based on what I read here it's frightening that an officer was doing his job and is being punished for it. I can understand if he say, fired over 50 shots into a group of innocent men at a bachelor party, but this . . . What if he was rushing to HELP someone. I worry that if I ever need 911 that help won't get to me in time because of selfish drivers.

Turn down the music, put down the phone, and drive! If I even faintly here a siren I roll down my window to help me figure out if I need to pull to the right and STOP! That's why sirens and the flashing lights exist.

Comments continue below

Elisha | 4:14 p.m. July 14, 2008

I agree with the anonymous post. I was rear ended over a year ago by a teenager texting on his cell and he wasn't even issued a ticket. Meanwhile I am still suffering with back pain that limits my ability to do something as simple as stand or sit for longer than 10 minutes at a time. Yet he has had no maladies from the accident but a scratch on his car. My car was totaled.

Anonymous | 5:51 p.m. July 14, 2008

Based on this story the accident was entirely the other drivers fault if he wasnt on his phone the accident probably wouldnt have happened this officer should have never been charged

Anonymous | 5:55 p.m. July 14, 2008

Can't see why he's fighting it. I mean after all it was an 'accident' and it is only a misdomeaner so he will get an slap on the wrist.

Or is it a case if you accidently kill your child by leaving it in a hot car it's okay but if you have a car accident while doing your job it's cause for jail time.

I do agree however that he had no business talking or texting on his cell. He was at work - cells are only necessary in that situation to receive calls if there is an emergency at home.

Fed Up | 7:37 p.m. July 14, 2008

Just one more action on the part of a Utah Judge who wants to make sure someone pays! And, again, the one who pays is the wrong person. It is way too bad these guys don't have to be elected.

Kelly | 11:58 p.m. July 14, 2008

The officer wasn't on his way to "help" someone, except maybe for his own ego. He was trying to join a pursuit that another officer had initiated several blocks away. The other officer never requested assistance, and this officer never asked for nor received clearance from his supervisor over the police radio to join the pursuit.

Officers are still required to slow down when entering an intersection, even when responding to an emergency, and they must have their lights and siren activated, which this officer did not.

It's the classic defense strategy to blame the victim, who is unable to defend himself. The text messaging is just an allegation made by the defense and has not been proven.

Justice for Corbett | 12:43 a.m. July 16, 2008

Kelly you no nothing about this case. The supervisor that night was the oic and he was calling out the chase. He knew what Corbett was doing and supports his efforts that night and still today. The text messaging is not an allegation it has been proven, the court has the transcripts from Douglas's phone. Corbett did clear the intersection -- the way all police clear an intersection. You do not know anything about police procedure. Corbett had the green light and none of the witnesses saw Douglas's car but for some reason Officer Corbett is supposed to see something NO ONE else sees. I wish people really knew all the facts of this case. Corbett is INNOCENT!

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