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Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Ind. Gov't. - Valid driver's license in tragedy baffled some

A story Saturday, Dec. 27 in the Evansville Courier & Press, reported by Libby Keeling, included the following:

Prosecutors say they are puzzled over why the driver of a car that caused a fatal, head-on crash on Green River Road on Thursday night had an Indiana driver's license.

Court records indicate Daniel Joe English II, 34, of Evansville had a history of alcohol-related arrests and had been adjudged a habitual traffic offender in 2005. His driving privileges were suspended for life by Vanderburgh Superior Court. * * *

"I don't see how that can be ...," said Vanderburgh Deputy Prosecutor Camala Cooley, who is assigned to the case. "I've never seen this, but I have seen where the (Bureau of Motor Vehicles) records may not be completely accurate. ...

"Monday, I'll probably have one of our investigators contact the BMV and see what their records show, and that can be an additional charge that we can have against him."

Today the same reporter has a story headed "County Clerk Kirk takes blame for error." Some quotes:
Daniel Joe English II apparently had a valid Indiana driver's license on Christmas night, when his drunken driving allegedly caused an accident that killed another driver on Green River Road.

But the 34-year-old Evansville man's license had been suspended for life three years ago in Vanderburgh Superior Court.

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles issued a news release Monday maintaining it had no record of English's court-ordered suspension.

The county clerk also issued a statement Monday acknowledging the office had made a mistake.

"Unfortunately, we are all going to make mistakes once in a while, and the clerk's office will take the responsibility for ours. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Sharp family," said County Clerk Susan Kirk.

The victim, Onterrio T. "Terry" Sharp, 20, was enrolled at Ivy Tech Community College and was planning a career in law enforcement.

Both Kirk and Evansville Police Chief Brad Hill noted officers previously had arrested English for driving on a suspended license.

"You can suspend a guy's license, but you cannot keep him from getting in a car," Hill said.

However, Kirk noted, "This does not excuse the mistake the clerk's office made concerning this horrible tragedy."

It was an error, she said. No policy changes or reprimands were required.

According to the statement from the BMV, the clerk's office said English's lifetime suspension documents never had been sent.

"Following the BMV's communication with the clerk's office this morning, the clerk issued an order, dated (Monday), for a lifetime suspension of Mr. English's driving privileges.

"The BMV promptly processed this order and will continue to collaborate with Vanderburgh County officials to confirm that the BMV has received appropriate records documenting all actions of Vanderburgh County courts."

Posted by Marcia Oddi on December 30, 2008 10:47 AM
Posted to Indiana Government