# Cops Drive Over Sunbather On Beach. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 13, 2006, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603 "2006-06-13T19:11:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/1 "2006-06-13T19:11:30Z")
This … oh man. This takes the cake. A sunny beach. A place where people are allowed to legally sunbathe. And yet, two beach cops couldn’t see and didn’t realize they had driven over the head of a [woman laying on the beach](http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/06/13/beach.death.ap/index.html), killing her. Given 48 hours, I suspect the woman will be charged with obstructing a law enforcement vehicle, and her family will have to pay the fine. I’m guessing this kind of puts a damper on her son’s wedding day, right? :rolleyes: Jeeez. This poor lady. Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/2 "2006-06-13T19:45:33Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Given 48 hours, I suspect the woman will be charged with obstructing a law enforcement vehicle, and her family will have to pay the fine. Was this LA, or [DC?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=375569) ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/3 "2006-06-13T19:46:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Given 48 hours, I suspect the woman will be charged with obstructing a law enforcement vehicle, and her family will have to pay the fine. Ok, I think that might be the _slightest_ bit harsh. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/4 "2006-06-13T19:50:47Z")
Yeah, it’s very difficult to see what’s immediately in front of you and beneath you when topping a hill in an SUV. They were driving over the crest of a berm after stopping to see if a swimmer was in distress. The woman was apparently below the crest. It doesn’t excuse them at all for their carelessness and incompetence, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/5 "2006-06-13T21:25:51Z")
Brutal, coming from a **Cynical Gabe** such as yourself. 🙂 No, this was north of Los Angeles, as was clearly stated in the cite. 55 miles northwest of Downtown L.A., at the oceanside ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/6 "2006-06-13T21:32:36Z")
I’m sorry, but on the basis of the article linked to, I would just say “shit happens”. Maybe the officers weren’t careful enough, but basically it’s only an accident like many others. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/7 "2006-06-13T21:52:56Z")
An SUV? On a beach? Errrrr, nobody saw this as a potential danger? ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/8 "2006-06-13T22:07:14Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > An SUV? On a beach? Errrrr, nobody saw this as a potential danger? I would suspect a SUV is more useful in sand dunes than on a highway… ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/9 "2006-06-13T22:34:31Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > An SUV? On a beach? Errrrr, nobody saw this as a potential danger? SUVs and Jeeps are the prefered mode of transport on beaches. The 4WD, high ground clearance, and large tires really make sense there. This does appear to be an unfortunate accident, but the drivers should have made sure of their path before cresting the berm. It could have happened in any vehicle if they weren’t watching the path ahead of them. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/10 "2006-06-13T22:52:54Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > SUVs and Jeeps are the prefered mode of transport on beaches. The 4WD, high ground clearance, and large tires really make sense there. This does appear to be an unfortunate accident, but the drivers should have made sure of their path before cresting the berm. It could have happened in any vehicle if they weren’t watching the path ahead of them. _Either_ they took a regular patrol vehicle onto the beach, which happened to be an SUV (and in that case, I can understand the accident-but-stupid-cod explanation)…_or_ the SUV was specifically for beach patrol (so they should have been very aware of such dangers) ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/11 "2006-06-13T22:57:57Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Given 48 hours, I suspect the woman will be charged with obstructing a law enforcement vehicle, and her family will have to pay the fine. More likely that a wrongful death suit will be filed eventually…timing may depend on whether CA has a tort claims act that requires some period of notice to the governmental entity before suit can be filed. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/12 "2006-06-13T23:14:12Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > It could have happened in any vehicle if they weren’t watching the path ahead of them. Negligent Vehicular Homicide, anyone ? Except that these are cops, so they are on PAID desk duty until the dust settles and Oxnard PD makes it go away. Then it’s back to the beaches !!! Shit happens? Yes, well. That’ll look good on the sympathy card sent to the wedding party from that same Oxnard PD… :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/13 "2006-06-13T23:19:54Z")
I wouldn’t expect criminal charges against the cops, but in theory it would be possible. Think it would be a tough case to prosecute. To get a criminal charge to stick, they’ve got to show more than ordinary negligence, and under the circumstances, that may be hard to do here. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2006, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/14 "2006-06-14T00:02:59Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Negligent Vehicular Homicide, anyone ? Except that these are cops, so they are on PAID desk duty until the dust settles and Oxnard PD makes it go away. Then it’s back to the beaches !!! > > Shit happens? Yes, well. That’ll look good on the sympathy card sent to the wedding party from that same Oxnard PD… :rolleyes: Yeah, shit happens. Good thing you’re not a prosecutor/judge/jury rolled into one. Let’s string 'em up before the facts are in. _Negligent Vehicular Homicide?_. Give me a break. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2006, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/15 "2006-06-14T02:27:47Z")
Look. The days when people entered into police work out of a desire to serve the community are mostly over. A whole lot of cops are cops because dad was, or because they like guns, or because they want to be part of the thin blue line between order and anarchy in our degenerate polyglot liberal molly-coddling society. What I’m saying is these guys were probably cowboys – juiced about bouncing the dunes in their armed mutha SUV after radioing in a 10-whatever and feeling like big manly law-enforcement dudes. The fact that a member of the public happened to be lying in their path just wasn’t in the script. Until she was. ---
**Author:** ![Lama\_Pacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Lama\_Pacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lama_Pacos)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2006, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/16 "2006-06-14T02:32:34Z")
This sort of shit really chills me to the bone. I mean, you lock your house, you eat your vegetables, you buckle your seatbelt, you don’t go skydiving, and one day an SUV runs over your head while sunbathing. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2006, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/17 "2006-06-14T03:05:42Z")
> [@Beware of Doug](#): > > What I’m saying is these guys were probably cowboys – juiced about bouncing the dunes in their armed mutha SUV after radioing in a 10-whatever and feeling like big manly law-enforcement dudes. The fact that a member of the public happened to be lying in their path just wasn’t in the script. What I’m saying is that you are probably covering for obvious physical and emotions stunted growth, wandering the message board spewing your useless drivel and pointless insults to entire professions and making yourself feel like a real man when you are just a pathetic loser. The fact that police officers are human beings with all the heroics and failings of the rest of us just wasn’t in the script. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2006, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/18 "2006-06-14T03:29:59Z")
What a horrid accident. It should be investigated of course, but there is no indication of misbehavior or malice. I for one resolve to be especially careful while driving today. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2006, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/19 "2006-06-14T06:31:13Z")
If it wasn’t bad enough… > [@linked article](#): > > The woman, Cindy Conolly, 49, of Sioux City, Iowa, was in town for her son’s wedding, Way to ruin the sons day twice over. “Moms dead. HAVE A GOOD HONEYMOON !” ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2006, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603/20 "2006-06-14T07:20:36Z")
On topic, OH. MY. OG! I just can’t imagine, from any perspective. I feel sorry for everyone involved. And I don’t know if I were in the same situation as those cops, if that would have crossed my mind either. Now though, it’ll definitely make me be even more cautious when driving. ☹ Then this: > [@Lama Pacos](#): > > …I mean, you lock your house, you eat your vegetables, you buckle your seatbelt, you don’t go skydiving, and one day an SUV runs over your head while sunbathing. would make an _awesome_ sig line. May I borrow it? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-drive-over-sunbather-on-beach/360603.md?page=2)