Woman driver kills motorcyclist: was painting nails

Thunder22 · #1 05-04-2009, 12:04 PM

Driver painting nails runs red light, kills cyclist: cops

LAKE ZURICH | Woman issued traffic citation, charges expected

May 4, 2009

A motorcyclist died Saturday near far northwest suburban Lake Zurich after being hit by a female motorist who allegedly drove through a red light while painting her fingernails, authorities said.

Anita Zaffke, 56, of the 1500 block of Eddy Lane in Lake Zurich, died after suffering apparent chest and abdominal injuries from being thrown 200 feet from her bike about 5:30 p.m. at U.S. 12 at Old McHenry Rd., said Lake County's coroner, Dr. Richard Keller.

Zaffke was stopped at a red light when a Chevy Impala, driven by a woman in her 40s, struck her from behind, said Lake County sheriff's police Sgt. Scott Morrison. Zaffke was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, officials said.

Keller said the motorist told police she was painting her fingernails at the time of the crash and did not notice the light was red.

The woman, whom police did not identify Sunday night, was cited with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, Morrison said. She also was hospitalized after the crash for non-life-threatening injuries.

"The investigation is ongoing, but there should be charges against the woman in the very near future," Morrison said.

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X5rolls · #2 05-04-2009, 12:09 PM

Add painting nails to the list including texting and talking on the phone. It's all dangerous and un-necessary.

motordavid · #3 05-04-2009, 12:09 PM

Stories like that give me the fookin willies...these days, every time
I climb on a scoot for a ride, my paranoia level pegs, even on these
comparatively empty roads here in far western NC.

A sad deal...

vegasX5 · #4 05-04-2009, 01:52 PM

Wow very sad indeed! There was basically nothing the cyclist could do to avoid being rear ended while stopped at a red light! That is always my greatest fear when I'm stopped a light on a motorcycle because I usually relax and put it in neutral and rest my hands on the tank so it would be nearly impossible to react to a situation like this one.

motordavid · #5 05-04-2009, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vegasX5

...That is always my greatest fear when I'm stopped a light on a motorcycle because I usually relax and put it in neutral and rest my hands on the tank so it would be nearly impossible to react to a situation like this one.

Me,too if I am in sparse traffic at a light. Otherwise, I tend to keep it
in 1st and eyeball the mirrors for the approaching idiots.

It will be interesting to see what she is charged with; I'm not suggesting
a lynch mob, but sometimes the local DA goes, "hey, those crotch rocket riders are..."

A local bicyclist was very badly injured here in our town, a few weeks ago.
He was literally run down, in daylight. He's a serious cyclist with all the gear and reflective stuff.
The driver was not even issued a ticket; the local genius sheriff said it "was an accident."
Cannot make this stuff up...

Keep your peepers open, out there.

Michelle · #6 05-04-2009, 02:25 PM

Viperfreak2 · #7 05-04-2009, 02:35 PM

You are not safe ANYWHERE! I have highlighted the interesting points.

GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. -- A group of protesters carried signs and gathered in front of the Greenville County Courthouse to question why a man who drove his car into a house, killing the 62-year-old man inside, has still not been arrested or charged.The South Carolina Department of Public Safety said that John G. Ludwig Jr., 36, was behind the wheel of his Maserati sedan on May 25 when it drove off Roe Ford Road, across several hundred feet of open field, over an embankment and into the Greenville County home.

Fredrick William Bardsley was sitting in his living room watching television at about 9 p.m. and was killed when Ludwig's car smashed into back the home on War Admiral Way and out the front.

Investigators said Bardsley's wife called 911, reporting that there had been an explosion in her home and she could not find her husband.

Ludwig was not injured in the crash. More than a week after the fatal wreck, he has not been charged.

More than 1,000 people have signed up on a Facebook page demanding that Ludwig be indicted. That group organized the protest at the county courthouse.

On Monday, WYFF News 4 learned that well-known Greenville attorney Billy Wilkins is representing Ludwig.

When asked about his reaction to the protesters at the courthouse, Wilkins said, "This crowd and other people are unjustly criticizing him (Ludwig), making up their minds before they know all the facts."

The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the wreck, and is conducting an accident reconstruction as part of the investigation.

At the time of the crash, Ludwig was out on bond on burglary and domestic violence charges that are being prosecuted by the 13th Circuit's Solicitor's Office.

Solicitor Bob Ariail said that prosecutors have met with the Highway Patrol's accident reconstruction team to review the progress of the investigation into Saturday's crash.

"As a result of that meeting, there are additional steps we have requested they take in the furtherance of the investigation," Ariail said in a release Wednesday.

"I understand and appreciate the public's interest in this case and can assure you that everything is being done to fully investigate this incident so that it can be prosecuted successfully," Ariail.

Arial also said that anyone who has information related to the crash case is asked to contact the Highway Patrol at 864-241-1000.

Ludwig was charged with criminal domestic violence after an incident with his estranged wife, Donavon Ludwig, in February.

According to court documents, Ludwig is accused of hitting and spitting at his wife in front of the couple's child.

That case is still pending in 13th Circuit Court. In March, Ludwig requested a jury trial in the case.

A previous domestic violence charge against Ludwig in November was dismissed.

Both of those arrests came while Ludwig was out on bond on the burglary and resisting arrest charges.

In July of last year, Ludwig, 36, was charged after officers said he kicked in the door of the home of a man, chased the man and then struggled with police who responded to the scene.

After those charges, Ludwig was ordered to post $1 million in bond. That amount was later reduced to $100,000.

The burglary charge is still pending in Circuit Court, but prosecutors decided not to pursue the resisting arrest charge.

According to court documents, as conditions of his bond, Ludwig was required to remain on house arrest with GPS monitoring, and not to have any contact with or to come within half a mile of his wife or the man whose apartment he is accused of breaking into.

In later court hearings, conditions of house arrest and the prohibition against any contact with Donavon Ludwig were dropped from the bond order.

chilliwilli · #8 05-04-2009, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by X5rolls

Add painting nails to the list including texting and talking on the phone. It's all dangerous and un-necessary.

Indeed...as an avid rider, i totally cringe when i see such headlines. A completely avoidable circumstance. Not to pick on female drivers but i pulled my bike out of winter storage this past weekend for a brief ride and as i'm riding, i noticed a driver applying make-up with both hands, while perhaps steering with her knees!

Meiac09 · #9 05-04-2009, 03:04 PM

yeah, this one you're getting a rant from me.

THIS IS WHERE I RUN. every day. The speed that it takes to go out of control on that curve is well over 100MPH. I could NOT believe the pictures, especially once I found out that the car was in the front of the house only AFTER going through the rest, through woods, and everything. The guy CLEARED the 10 foot fence. People constantly swerve and flip me off when they catch me running through the golf course doing 70 (in a 45) but honest to fookin' god. Its depressing every time I run past.

And on another note, I even called in the guy in front of me. 11PM on US-178, towing a fishing boat at 75 MPH across both lanes weaving in and out. I think mD or viperfreak knows what the roads are like along the NC/SC border. people are RETARDED, pardon my french.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viperfreak2

You are not safe ANYWHERE! I have highlighted the interesting points.

GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. -- A group of protesters carried signs and gathered in front of the Greenville County Courthouse to question why a man who drove his car into a house, killing the 62-year-old man inside, has still not been arrested or charged.The South Carolina Department of Public Safety said that John G. Ludwig Jr., 36, was behind the wheel of his Maserati sedan on May 25 when it drove off Roe Ford Road, across several hundred feet of open field, over an embankment and into the Greenville County home.

Fredrick William Bardsley was sitting in his living room watching television at about 9 p.m. and was killed when Ludwig's car smashed into back the home on War Admiral Way and out the front.

Investigators said Bardsley's wife called 911, reporting that there had been an explosion in her home and she could not find her husband.

Ludwig was not injured in the crash. More than a week after the fatal wreck, he has not been charged.

alpac · #10 05-04-2009, 09:03 PM

Very sad indeed. 2 of my biggest concerns when riding my motorcycles are deers and stopping at a red light.

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