Monthly Archives: June 2012

In February of 2011, Monica Chavez killed a family of five when she lost control of her SUV, apparently while having a seizure. She was going 100 mph at the time of the fatal car accident. On June 15, a jury found Chavez not guilty of five charges of negligent homicide and two counts of child abuse (her two children were in the car with her at the time). The prosecution argued that Chavez knew she had a medical condition that left her in no state to drive, and the defense argued that Chavez’s family doctor said she was okay to drive. Family members of the deceased Stollsteimer family (Randy and Crystaldawn, with sons Sebastian, Darrian and Cyrus) are outraged at the verdict, and they hope to change Colorado driving law to prevent anything like this accident from happening again. “The justice system – in this case – failed our…
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Monica Chavez was driving her SUV through Thornton, Colo. with her two kids when she apparently had a seizure. She reached speeds up to 100 mph, going airborne and crashing into two cars. One of the cars contained a family: Randy and Crystaldawn Stollsteimer and their children Sebastian, Darrian and Cyrus. All five of them died instantly. Chavez’s SUV kept going until it crashed into the front of a mattress store. The arguments in court focused on medical opinions and personal responsibility. After a similar seizure-related incident in 2006, doctors instructed Chavez not to drive until a neurologist approved her to do so. Instead of seeking a neurologist, Chavez sought out her own doctor who allegedly told her that she may not have even had a seizure and that she was okay to drive. Chavez had another incident in 2010 at a McDonald’s that Chavez at the time chalked up…
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If you live in the state of Colorado, put an indefinite hold on campfires, charcoal barbecues and fireworks. The state has issued a ban on open burning, private fireworks or anything that would create a potential fire danger. Gov. John Hickenlooper assured Coloradoans that they would still be able to enjoy the outdoors, as long as they do so responsibly. “We’re going to celebrate the Fourth of July,” he told reporters at a press conference. The ban went into effect on June 14. Fireworks will be allowed, but only if they are performed by officials as part of commercial or municipal firework displays. Even then, the local sheriff must approve the use of fireworks. Individuals will not be able to purchase or use fireworks. Campers can still make fires at camping sites as long as the fire is contained in a permanent fire pit. So far, the state has seen…
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