Ohio police charge man who filmed but didn't aid teens in car crash

[Janelle2002 3,865]

CLEVELAND (Reuters) - An Ohio man was charged on Wednesday for entering a vehicle after an accident where he filmed two injured teenagers, one of whom later died, while calling them “idiots” and making no effort to help them, police said.

Paul Pelton, 41, was charged with vehicular trespass after he opened a back door and leaned into the vehicle to capture video on his cellphone just after the Monday accident in Lorain, 30 miles west of Cleveland, the Lorain Police Department said.

The crash involved Zachary Goodin and Cameron Friend, both 17. Friend, who was a passenger, was taken to an area hospital where he died of his injuries, while Goodin’s condition was unknown.

Neighbors tried to help the pair while Pelton filmed, and at no time did he try to assist, police said.

Pelton, a Lorain resident, was arrested and charged with a fourth-degree misdemeanor for entering what police said was a crime scene, not for taking the video or trying to sell it to news organizations after posting it to Facebook, Lorain Police Detective Buddy Sivert said.

Pelton committed a crime only when he entered the car without permission, Sivert said. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 30 days in jail and a $250 fine.

“We searched to try to find anything to charge him with,” Sivert said. “It is not a crime to stick a camera where a kid is dying or try to sell it.”

Pelton posted bond and was released, Sivert said. No court date has been set.

The driver lost control of the car as it crossed railroad tracks and it crashed into the side of a house, police said.

http://news.yahoo.com/ohio-police-charge-man-filmed-didnt-aid-teens-220324527.html#

[Dashinka 23,209]

Ok, full disclosure, I was a volunteer firefighter for several years and have been at the scene of several nasty accidents. This type of action simply disgusts me. If this bozo cannot provide any more aid than reporting the incident, then he needs to be as far away as possible. If he was on my scene, we would have dragged him back and put a 250 lb firefighter on him. Of course times have changed, and people today are more obsessed with the selfie they can post on whatever social media platform they are part of and/or YouTube.

I will say it again. Disgusting! Throw the book at him.

[Janelle2002 3,865]

Ok, full disclosure, I was a volunteer firefighter for several years and have been at the scene of several nasty accidents. This type of action simply disgusts me. If this bozo cannot provide any more aid than reporting the incident, then he needs to be as far away as possible. If he was on my scene, we would have dragged him back and put a 250 lb firefighter on him. Of course times have changed, and people today are more obsessed with the selfie they can post on whatever social media platform they are part of and/or YouTube.

I will say it again. Disgusting! Throw the book at him.

I wish they would throw the book at him too! But those charges will not give him the time in jail he deserves.

[Dashinka 23,209]

I wish they would throw the book at him too! But those charges will not give him the time in jail he deserves.

No doubt.

[Dashinka 23,209]

Maybe they can sentence him to 200 hrs of watching those wonderful driver's education films that they use to show?

[TBoneTX 43,020]

Wasn't there some version of "failure to (stop and) render aid" that applied?

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Why am I not surprised that something like this happened? Some people are messed up.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Why am I not surprised that something like this happened? Some people are messed up.

Why is Spooky dead?

[elmcitymaven 9,711]

Wasn't there some version of "failure to (stop and) render aid" that applied?

Most US jurisdictions do not require bystanders who do not have a duty (special relationship, began to render aid and then stopped, creates a hazardous situation, contractual obligation) to assist to render any aid. I think in Ohio there's an obligation to report a dead body though.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Why is Spooky dead?

I had to have her put down this morning.

[Dashinka 23,209]

I had to have her put down this morning.

Sorry to hear about your pet. May they R.I.P.

[Dashinka 23,209]

Most US jurisdictions do not require bystanders who do not have a duty (special relationship, began to render aid and then stopped, creates a hazardous situation, contractual obligation) to assist to render any aid. I think in Ohio there's an obligation to report a dead body though.

The article said he was detained for vehicular trespassing. Not sure what that entails, but in this case he acted like a ghoul. If he had no training or ability to render aid, he has no business inside the vehicle filming and photographing the incident.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

I had to have her put down this morning.

Sorry about that. You have my condolences.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Sorry to hear about your pet. May they R.I.P.

Sorry about that. You have my condolences.

Thank you. Her mother was a feral kitten/cat who adopted me and moved in many years ago. Spooky was born in my closet.

[belinda63 2,981]

Not that I agree with what he did but there is no requirement for a bystander to render aid and in some places you can be held liable if you render aid and the outcome is less than perfect. Years ago I remember hearing about medical professionals who refused to assist at accidents because of the fear of a lawsuit.

His best course of action would have been to continue on with his day, not stop, open the vehicle, and film.