Trooper collides with train while viewing computer.

[phill4paul]

MUNCIE, Ind. (WANE) An Indiana State Trooper from Fort Wayne wasn’t hurt when he crashed into the side of a train in Muncie Friday afternoon.

Police said around 4:30 p.m., Trooper David Haines was northbound on the Muncie Bypass, just north of Cowan Road, in Delaware County. Haines was returning to his assigned district after completing a training assignment at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in Plainfield.

As he approached a rail crossing, Haines looked away from the road at his in-car computer. When he looked back up, he realized a westbound train was entering his side of the road. He was unable to stop his 2008 Crown Victoria before hitting the engine of the train. The Norfolk Southern train was able to stop, and Haines was uninjured. The crash blocked the road for about an hour while the car was removed and the train got rolling again.

Police said the accident is a reminder about the dangers of distracted driving, whether it’s the electronic devices in a police officer’s car, cell phones, radios, or other distractions.

http://wane.com/2014/09/05/trooper-train-collide-in-muncie/

http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20121205194057/simpsons/images/thumb/e/e9/Nelson_Ha-Ha.jpg/250px-Nelson_Ha-Ha.jpg

[TheTexan]

An Indiana State Trooper from Fort Wayne wasn’t hurt

Phew, my heart skipped a beat for a second when I read the thread title. I'm glad he's ok.

[Origanalist]

Police said the accident is a reminder about the dangers of distracted driving, whether it’s the electronic devices in a police officer’s car, cell phones, radios, or other distractions.

So, was he cited?

[luctor-et-emergo]

I understand that police officers are 'allowed' to do distracting stuff while driving. But shouldn't this privilege end as soon as public safety is in danger ? I mean, cops get to shoot people if they're dangerous but if they shoot everyone willy-nilly then surely they are going to be held to account. Oh wait. /s

He's lucky he wasn't driving just a little faster, I'm quite sure getting in front of a train, even if traveling at low speed is quite dangerous. We can presume this guy learned his lesson, next time it could be a kid.

[Origanalist]

I understand that police officers are 'allowed' to do distracting stuff while driving. But shouldn't this privilege end as soon as public safety is in danger ? I mean, cops get to shoot people if they're dangerous but if they shoot everyone willy-nilly then surely they are going to be held to account. Oh wait. /s

He's lucky he wasn't driving just a little faster, I'm quite sure getting in front of a train, even if traveling at low speed is quite dangerous. We can presume this guy learned his lesson, next time it could be a kid.

I hope that is sarcasm.

[Origanalist]

I wonder if the conductor got a citation?

[luctor-et-emergo]

I hope that is sarcasm.

I'm serious about the kid situation but I guess the learning lessons part may be slightly sarcastic, yes.

[HOLLYWOOD]

The comments section is hilarious... the people(some) are catching on.

[Natural Citizen]

Phew, my heart skipped a beat for a second when I read the thread title. I'm glad he's ok.

Yeah, we'll have to make sure these fellers are equipped with next generation Google Glass or something from now on.

[jjdoyle]

I wonder if the conductor got a citation?

I would hope so. Endangering a public servant. And from the article, we know it was the conductor's fault:
"When he looked back up, he realized a westbound train was entering his side of the road."

Clearly this was done on purpose.

[nobody's_hero]

They're upping the ante. A few weeks a cop hit someone on a bicycle while using a computer. Now they're aiming for trains. Next, a cop will fall down the stairs and blame gravity for not yielding.

[Dr.3D]

Obviously it's too dangerous to let them use automobiles, we should put them back on motorcycles.

[nobody's_hero]

Obviously it's too dangerous to let them use automobiles, we should put them back on motorcycles.

only if they are equipped with 2 computers.

[KCIndy]

UN

FRICKIN'

BELIEVABLE.


As it happens, I live near this area. The crossing in question runs across a four lane divided highway. It is a rural area. It is flat. I mean, FLAT. Nothing around but cornfields.

THERE IS NOTHING TO OBSCURE VISIBILITY OF THIS CROSSING FOR AT LEAST A MILE OR MORE IN EACH DIRECTION.

The crossing has drop-bar warnings with really bright flashing red lights.


I simply can't imagine how even the most heavily distracted driver could miss a train at this crossing.

Here are the coordinates of the crossing in question:

40.142042,-85.390561

Take a look on Google maps and then pull up "street view" and look at the road. It's a long, straight stretch in both directions.


Unbelievable.

[TheTexan]

THERE IS NOTHING TO OBSCURE VISIBILITY OF THIS CROSSING FOR AT LEAST A MILE OR MORE IN EACH DIRECTION.

The train driver saw the cop coming from a mile away, and didn't stop the train for him?????

[RJB]

The train driver saw the cop coming from a mile away, and didn't stop the train for him?????

I'm surprised that the officer didn't shoot the train before, during or after the collision. He would have been justified. I'm sure it would have been ruled that he was following department policies.

[heavenlyboy34]

The thread title gave me schadenfreude. :D /evil laugh

[KCIndy]

The train driver saw the cop coming from a mile away, and didn't stop the train for him?????


Hey, it's Indiana! Around here, we just close our eyes stomp on the accelerator! :D

[PaulConventionWV]

So, was he cited?

Forget cited. Anyone driving a company car would have been fired for such stupidity. But they don't care, because they're spending your money, not their own. Wrecking a police vehicle is worthy of nothing more than a slap on the wrist, vehicles are 100% expendable.

[heavenlyboy34]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPCOR1c5rzM

[satchelmcqueen]

i suppose the train swerved to hit him to? did the cop say this? i bet he was suspicious at least and was going to taze the train.

some people are so stupid that they still get hit by a train......point proved.

[kylejack]

Everyone needs to stop texting while driving, especially cops.

[SeanTX]

They have this new technology called "radio communications" where an officer can receive and transmit information without taking his/her eyes off the road while driving ...

[Dr.3D]

They have this new technology called "radio communications" where an officer can receive and transmit information without taking his/her eyes off the road while driving ...
Wow, does this mean they won't have to use those old fashioned computers anymore?

[SeanTX]

Wow, does this mean they won't have to use those old fashioned computers anymore?

Yes, at least not while driving ;) There's no excuse whatsoever for this "I was typing on my patrol car's computer while driving like a maniac and ... oopsie ... I accidentally killed some lesser being!." Dispatchers can look up whatever information needs to be looked up on a computer, and relay it verbally over the radio.

Otherwise, might as well just get rid of the dispatchers (would be one less variety of tax tick sucking off of the productive class). Take the damned computers out of the vehicles if the tax tick enforcers can't be trusted to safely use them. Or maybe install some sort of interlock safety device where they can't be used while the vehicle is in motion.

And I'll bet that often times when they use the "I was looking at my computer/typing on my computer" excuse to blow off a traffic "accident", they weren't even doing that. It's just another catch all cover-my-ass excuse to let them get away with vehicular homicide (kind of like "I saw him reaching for his waistband" can be used to explain away a questionable shooting).

[The Free Hornet]

I understand that police officers are 'allowed' to do distracting stuff while driving.

Well I for one don't understand. Mundanes are expected to pull over or invest in hands free BS. They ought to do the same ... unless of course they are a greater danger to themselves as this incident suggests.

Are there any stats to compare cops to non cops at various BAC (blood-alcohol content) levels?

[fisharmor]

Everyone needs to stop texting while driving, especially cops.

No, they don't.
And they don't need to stop talking on the phone, either.
Or any of the other equally distracting things which, inexplicably, nobody wags their fingers about, like eating, applying makeup, or fiddling with the radio.

What they neef to do is stop crashing. Millions of people can play with their phones and not crash, because they are responsible about it and if they aren't, there will be consequences.

There is nothing inherently dangerous about "distracted driving". It's all just more scaremongering to get us to collectively bend over for the state.

[nobody's_hero]

The engineer is lucky he didn't get searched for drugs. That's what the cops in my town would do. Got a busted tail-light? Probable cause to search for weed.

[Mani]

The officer feared for his safety...I'm not sure why he didn't shoot up the whole train, he would have been justified.

[thoughtomator]

The officer feared for his safety...I'm not sure why he didn't shoot up the whole train, he would have been justified.

by remarkable coincidence DoD is looking to dump its supply of Vietnam-era anti-train missiles

[Mani]

by remarkable coincidence DoD is looking to dump its supply of Vietnam-era anti-train missiles

He should have called for backup and DRONED the train.