Phoenix fire dispatcher dies after I-17 wrong-way crash

[ Wrong-way driver Stephen B Martin has pleaded not guilty in early February to all charges including felony counts for 2nd Degree Murder, several endangerment, along with some minor marijuana-related charges. CR-2015104415 (minutes). “Martin’s blood-alcohol content was 0.313 percent when a sample was taken at the hospital, records show” ]

Victim: Megan Lange, 26/F  southbound on I-17 in central Phoenix ~ 1AM (Tuesday 1/27/2015) was killed by wrong-way driver, who police suspect was impaired. Then today (thursday) it was in news: “A hospital lab analysis of Martin’s blood sample had a blood-alcohol content level of 0.313 percent, nearly four times the state’s legal limit of 0.08 percent, a DPS officer said”

Check out the headon tag for more of these.

Phoenix fire dispatcher dies after I-17 wrong-way crash … The wrong-way driver, Stephen B. Martin, 39, and his 38-year-old female passenger were both taken to the hospital with minor injuries, according to officials. Another driver, whose vehicle was sideswiped in the collision, sustained minor injuries… Martin was arrested on suspicion of endangerment and aggravated assault and is expected to additionally face a second-degree murder charge, according to officials…. The tragedy comes as state officials continue to research technologies designed to stem wrong-way driving incidents, often fatal offshoots of impaired driving…

Criminal Case

Wrong-way driver Stephen B Martin has pleaded not guilty in early February to all charges including felony counts for 2nd Degree Murder, several endangerment, along with some minor marijuana-related charges. CR-2015104415 (minutes). “Martin’s blood-alcohol content was 0.313 percent when a sample was taken at the hospital, records show

Random thoughts on sentencing

Martin is the first driver to be sentenced in a string/spate of unrelated Phoenix metro area freeway headon collisions stretching back to mid-2014

…The issue of wrong-way driving was thrust into the Valley spotlight after three crashes claimed seven lives (plus numerous injuries) from May 12 through May 18 (2014)…

It’s not clear what the holdup is though at least one of the drivers is dead, and others were injured enough they couldn’t move forward at the time; however, the deals are rolling in now, e.g. Patricia Murphy, the grandmother who appeared in court in a wheelchair to plead not guilty several months ago. Police say Murphy was drunk and drugged while driving the wrong way and killed some people has been offered 10 years.

10 years? hmm.

2 thoughts on “Phoenix fire dispatcher dies after I-17 wrong-way crash”

  1. These wrong way drivers have causes enough suffering and death. Why not install “wrong way” spikes as used in parking garages. When a vehicle is proceeding in the wrong direction, raised spikes immediately prohibit further progress. When entering a path driving in proper direction spikes flatten permitting flow of traffic . Simple. This mother, wife, daughter would still be alive.

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