Viper Driver Dies - Driver's Fault

Bobpantax

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Driver dies after crashing into trees in Cape Coral



news-press.com • December 12, 2009

9:58 A.M. — Cape Coral recorded its ninth traffic fatality of 2009 when the driver of a vehicle that hit several trees along Cape Coral Parkway yesterday afternoon died from his injuries. Spencer Bryan Emmons, 39, of Tampa, was pronounced dead at 10:20 p.m. at Lee Memorial Hospital.

On Friday at 4:06 p.m., Cape Coral Police and Fire units responded to a traffic crash in the 1700 block of Cape Coral Parkway. A 2004 black Dodge Viper, driven by Emmons, was heading west on the parkway from the Cape Coral Bridge and had crashed into trees. According to witnesses, the Viper was traveling at a high rate of speed, changing lanes numerous times and passing vehicles. The Viper moved to an outside lane from the middle lane and then attempted to enter back into the middle lane.

Emmons overcorrected as his vehicle entered the middle lane, and the Viper pulled to the right. Emmons lost control, and the Viper continued to the right side of the roadway and began to rotate clockwise. The vehicle struck the curb, traveled across the sidewalk and entered an area of trees in front of Clipper Bay Condominiums. The vehicle struck several trees with two of them hitting and crushing the driver’s door area.

Emmons was pinned inside the vehicle and had to be extricated by Cape Fire units. He was airlifted by Medstar to Lee Memorial Hospital where he died a few hours later. Emmons' passenger, Henry Leo Albrecht, 38, of Cape Coral, was able to exit the vehicle on his own. Albrecht suffered multiple injuries and was transported via ambulance to Cape Coral Hospital. Cape Coral Parkway was closed in both directions for an hour as emergency responders worked to remove Emmons from the vehicle. Alcohol was involved in the accident.
 

ViperGeorge

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This is sad news. Based on eye witness reports it is however another lesson as to why aggressive driving is a fools game regardless of what kind of car you are driving. Condolences to his family.
 

Asp Man

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If he was drinking. I don't feel sad for him. For his family, yes.
The story sounds a bit sensationalized by the press (big surprise), the passenger has the real story.
 

Vipuronr

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This a sad story, but one which yet again points out the dangers of drinking and driving. Because of the speed a Viper can attain, it is very easy to drive recklessly if you are not in control. But, regardless of the vehicle one drives, driving under the influence risks not only the driver's life and passengers, but innocent drivers and passengers of other cars.

We see it all the time up here, many of the vehicle accidents are caused by drinking....

DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE...PERIOD!

(And....sorry for the speech)

Peter (FF 292)
 

WILDASP

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You know, the really sad thing is, that there is absolutely NO reason to drive like that on public roads.....and then I see that alcohol apparently was involved as well! What an utterly senseless (and completely preventable) tragedy for this man's family! Sad, so very sad.:(
 

ViperTony

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Sad but so predictable....Speed + Booze + Reckless Driving = Death
 

BlackSnake99

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"The Viper" was traveling at a high rate of speed

"The Viper" pulled to the right

"The Viper" continued to the right side of the roadway


:nono::nono::nono:


Vipers don't kill people..... People kill people
 

MichaelP

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VERY VERY fortunate no one else was killed. He went across the sidewalk which easily could have had innocent bystanders there.

It seems in many of these crashes the passenger or another driver ends up being the one who is killed. It was not the case this time.

Very sorry for his family.
 

Vipuronr

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They highlight the Viper because its a high speed car, but the fact is that this kind of incident can happen in any type of car. The Viper didn't cause the accident, it was the driver's recklessness and drinking that caused this. Driver totally at fault here and no excuses can be made. Agree that it was fortunate that nobody was walking on the sidewalk at that time.

But, again, very sorry for the family's loss.

'Nuff said!
 

slysnake

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Your right. In fact, because the viper is designed the way it is may have saved the passengers life.
 

compcoupe21

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They highlight the Viper because its a high speed car, but the fact is that this kind of incident can happen in any type of car. The Viper didn't cause the accident, it was the driver's recklessness and drinking that caused this. Driver totally at fault here and no excuses can be made. Agree that it was fortunate that nobody was walking on the sidewalk at that time.

But, again, very sorry for the family's loss.

'Nuff said!

As much as everything you said is true I must add that many people who buy Vipers have no idea what they are in for behind the wheel and many people who own them have no clue how to drive them. The facts are that it is a very twitchy car that must be respected and driven in favorable conditions most of the time. I found the thread about the guy questioning the depreciation of his car if he drove it 1100 miles or the $850 cost to ship funny because the real concern in my book would have been driving from Ohio in 20 degree weather with ice cold pavement and tires that won't heat up. I was stunned by how many Viper owners were saying drive it, total lack of common sense if you ask me. JMO!!
 

DJ'sviper

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I have made mistakes in my life, fortunately, I never had to pay this high a price. Age is supposed to help your judgement. His life is worth way more than taking risks like this.
 

Russ M

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If he really was drinking and was in fact drunk enough to be really drunk not just a few beers then its a good thing he died and didn't take anyone else with him.

There is no excuse for driving in this condition, zero. And if his friend that survived knew he was drunk he should be prosecuted for man slaughter for allowing him to drive or being in the car with him.
 

WILDASP

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and if the car had nanny controls would the difference been that his life was not lost ?
From the description of what happened, I doubt it. Even if an ESC had caught the spin (by no means a sure thing), he likely would have still run off the road, over the curb, and at high speed, that could have thrown the car into the trees anyway. Then too, there's the possibility that if it had caught the spin, he might have over-corrected the other way(especially if impaired), and spun back into traffic, creating a multiple car accident, and potentially more fatalities. We will never know.
 

LaViper

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Sad,VERY SAD, see it around New Orleans,La all the time.I drink WATER ALWAYS when driving the Viper.Too bad someone around him when he was drinking & knew he was driving a Viper could have taken his keys. Our prayers go out to the family.
 
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Bobpantax

Bobpantax

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The best nanny tech of all is the one called impulse control. It resides in a properly functioning, mature, adult brain. Some people do not have it and, for those who do, it occasionally malfunctions causing injury or death to the driver and/or others. I think that we should withhold judgment with respect to the passenger until more facts are known. As for the driver, he paid the ultimate price for his actions.
 

ASPIRATIONS

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Alcohol was involved in the accident.
__________________

Very sad:( Hope his passenger comes through it ok..It was sheer luck that no one else was involved thank God..Boy you would think at 39 he would know better:dunno: RIP Nannies cant save the stupid...:(....... Kevin
 

Martin

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Very sad - and the fact that this happened so close to the holidays is going to affect his family in ways that most of us will hopefully never know. Alcohol may have been involved, but we won't know to what extent until tox results come back. I feel sad for his family, and I hope none of us ever gets into a situation even remotely similar.
 
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