http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2003/hockey/nhl/09/30/heatley.crash/index.html
Thrashers teammates Dany Heatley and Dan Snyder were involved in a one-car accident at approximately 10:30 p.m. Monday, according to team sources. Both players were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital.
Snyder is in critical condition and is in surgery for a depressed skull fracture, a break in a cranial bone (or "crushed" portion of the skull) with depression of the bone in toward the brain. Heatley is in stable condition, and the most serious of his injuries is a broken left jaw. He was conscious and talking at the hospital, but will be evaluated further.
http://board.uscho.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29499
Sad update - Dan Snyder died last night from injuries to his brain. He had been in a coma ever since the accident.
I know we over-use this word a lot, but that, really, sucks.
SI columnist - and former Cornell goaltender - Darren Eliot penned this tribute to Snyder:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2003/writers/darren_eliot/10/06/snyder.reaction/
In addition, Heatley has been charged with first-degree vehicular homicide.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=1631396
thats very very very sad...
although i dont think that heatley should be charged with vehicular homicide. its not like he was trying to kill the guy.
[Q]although i dont think that heatley should be charged with vehicular homicide. its not like he was trying to kill the guy.[/Q]
That's why the charge is vehicular homicide. If he was trying to kill Snyder it would be murder. Is 1st degree vehicular homicide too much? There have to be consequences when someone does something as stupid as this was and another person ends up dead. The guy was driving 80 in a 35 zone (I think) in a residential area, after all.
I wouldn't be surprised if Heatley pleads guilty to a lesser charge. It's not like he has much chance of beating the charge after all. Raising the charge to the highest allowable may well give the prosector maximum leverage in the plea deal. My uninformed opinion is that I doubt he ends up with anythig close to the maximum 15 years in prison.
I'm sure Ga. is like many other states whereas "recklessly" is the main factor in that type of charge.
Hello,
This tragic accident reminded me of a similar tragedy many years ago involving then edmonton oiler Craig MacTavish (now current edmonton coach). MacTavish was sentenced to 1 year in jail for vehicular homicide for driving while intoxicated and killing Kim Radley. (It wasn't clear in the article, but i assume the accident happended in Canada.)
(a quick google search led me to this site with the pertinent facts
http://www.canoe.ca/Slam030207/col_simmons-sun.html)
MacTavish was able to resume his hockey career, but IIRC people (opposing fans) did react negatively at first at his seemingly light sentence (compared to the fate of the victim), but he has been able to overcome it (4 stanley cups and a relatively successful coaching career).
Heatley will probably have to serve some sort of sentence, but I don't think anywhere near the maximum. Another stark reminder of how fragile life really is.
Rita Monde
For the record, according to posters on USCHO (the MOST reliable source in the world!), the charge is vehicular "manslaughter" not homicide. Nevertheless, even vehicular manslaughter seems to carry a 3-15 year sentance - that's probably about right as a maximum penalty that will get plea-bargained down to a few months in jail.
[Q](It wasn't clear in the article, but i assume the accident happended in Canada.)[/Q]
As I remember it, the MacTavish accident was in Massachusetts. He was driving home after leaving a strip joint on route 1. Also, I think in that case, the deceased was not a passenger, but in another vehicle.
Manslaughter is a category of homicide.
http://lawsmart.lawinfo.com/canada/criminal/homicide.html?Assoc=myrnalytle