Stoned Skokie driver kills little boy on his bike, gets 5 years

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by David Barish on March 21, 2013 at 9:43am

Gopher, the Evanston Ride of Silence will roll past this sad site on May 15. Main St. is part of our annual route.  This year's ride will be very haunting.  There was another fatal injury about a mile and a half west at Main and Skokie Blvd last year.  We will pass that site as well.  Its easy to say stay safe out there but this little boy was riding on the sidewalk. He should have had no reason to fear anything other than running over somebody's garden hose.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on March 21, 2013 at 12:22pm

Honestly, considering maybe people just get a $100 fine or nothing at all for killing a cyclist, I'd say this is a step in the right direction. Inevitably, people only seem to get jail time if drugs are involved.

Still, another needless tragedy.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by mike w. on March 21, 2013 at 1:09pm

"But a prosecutor and Cook County Circuit Judge Lauren Gottainer Edidin said Carter's death could not be called an "accident," because Goma admitted smoking marijuana on the day the boy was killed.

"These are the most tragic cases we get as judges," Edidin said. "I don't see it as an accident. I see it as a traffic crash."

 

Wish more people at law saw it that way.

And...

"Assistant State's Attorney Catherine Crowley had even harsher words, saying Goma failed to attend court-ordered drug school after her arrest for possession of cannabis in an earlier case. She also said Goma violated the terms of her bail in the Vo case by drinking alcohol.

"Those tears are more heartfelt for herself than the boy she killed," Crowley said, calling Goma "selfish at heart."

 

Well put...

 

Also:

"Goma was also sentenced to two years of probation and fines and fees of $3,319."

 

Damn.

 

i used to commute on this street daily. i have friends who still do.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Joe Guzzardo on March 21, 2013 at 11:20pm

She was sentenced to 5 years hard time plus 2 years probation and a token fine. With good behavior, she'll probably serve less than that. They say the weed in prison is pretty good, so I won't waste any sympathy on her. 

I also have to hold her parents accountable. Clearly Goma required better supervision. Maybe she has no parents or has parents who didn't care what she did. 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by NYC (7.0 mi) on March 22, 2013 at 10:14am

Huh?  Hold her parents accountable?  She is a 24 year old woman.  She's not a kid. 

Joe Guzzardo said:

She was sentenced to 5 years hard time plus 2 years probation and a token fine. With good behavior, she'll probably serve less than that. They say the weed in prison is pretty good, so I won't waste any sympathy on her. 

I also have to hold her parents accountable. Clearly Goma required better supervision. Maybe she has no parents or has parents who didn't care what she did. 

• ▶ Reply