Virginia law limits judge's sentence in bicyclist's death

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Does losing a driver's license for one year sound like an excessively heavy penalty for someone convicted of reckless driving in the death of a bicyclist?

It is in Virginia.

General District Court Judge Glenwood Lookabill wanted to suspend a 20-year-old's driver's license for a year in the death of Fess Green, a Radford University professor who was killed when he struck a car that had made a left turn in front of him in Radford, Virginia.

The driver's attorney reminded the judge that six months is the maximum allowed under Virginia code.

The driver also was ordered to pay $1,500 of a $2,500 fine. A possible six-month jail sentence was suspended, according to an article in the Roanoke Times.

Radford Commonwealth's Attorney Chris Rehak wanted the driver sent to jail. His driving record includes convictions for not stopping at a stop sign, driving too fast for road conditions, and driving outside the restrictions on his license.

Professor Green's wife testified that “absolutely everything” in her life has changed since the death of her husband of 47 years.

And so it goes in Virginia.

 

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/07/19/virginia-law-limits-judges-sentence-in-bicyclists-death/

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