I hope they give her at least 10 years, which hopefully would be a life sentence. Instead, some jerkoff judge will probably let this scum off because of her age. AGE IS NOT AN EXCUSE.

I know of an old lady who ran over several kids who were waiting for their rides on the school property. She accelerated instead of stopping. One child was in the ICU for days, hanging between life and death. The old lady did not have her license revoked and to add insult to injury, she continued driving the same old car to the school where she dropped off her grandkids.....how is that for an injustice ?

Where are all the old fart supporters from yesterday's speeding Texan granny - poor dear sweet thing? This manipulator knew what she was doing too; from the time she turned the key to the time she went to the body shop.

Why is she being charged with leaving the scene of a fatal traffic crash and failure to report? Someone DIED. Where's the Vehicular homocide charge? The victims family and judge need to make sure that whatever punishment is handed down, that this woman NEVER BE ABLE TO OBTAIN ANOTHER DRIVER"S LICENSE.This is going to continue to happen until a driving skills test is administered every 2 years to everyone over 65.

Well, folks, this happened in McHenry Co. Based on the past actions of the judges there, she may get her fingers slapped and a tut, tut.

Hopefully, she owns her house and has a few bucks tucked away so the family can leave her penniless in a wrongful death suit.

It will not restore their child to them nor will it exact justice. But it may give other arrogant oldsters a warning.

Why 65? I see 20 yr old kids that haven't a clue what they're doing behind a wheel either.

A driver's license is a privilege earned, not a right inherited.

cranky,

"This is going to continue to happen until a driving skills test is administered every 2 years to everyone over 65."

I agree that the elderly drivers should be tested more often BUT only after those younger idiots who insist on using their phones/ipod/etc while driving be tested for THEIR ability to drive safely. It ain't just the elderly who kill and hurt people you know.

Perhaps penalties should be much stiffer for young people (under 65) who KNOWNLY drive distracted. How about jail time for those idiots?

My 85 year old mother was in 2 accidents that were her fault this past Spring. In the second one, she drove through her own garage door and the support between it and a regular door on the front of her garage. We were lucky that no one was seriously hurt. She did total 2 cars. I called the authorities but there was nothing they could do. She had terminal cancer and was on drugs, but again, nothing anyone could do. She died in July and is no longer on the road. My father is now in a similar position and still drives. He has Parkinsons and some mental lapses, yet no one can take away his right to drive. I think that at 70, drivers need to be evaluated and again at 75. Once they hit 80, I think it should be every 2 years. They are often on multiple drugs and are not as sharp as they may think they are. I know it is a blow to the ego, but then again, a 6 year old boy may still be alive. I think we need to use caution because the population is aging and there will be more seniors on the road each year as the boomers keep getting older. I am almost 50, so know this will be an issue for me someday soon enough. It is not cold hearted to want the roads to be safe. The life saved may be of the elderly driver. I also think that when they maim or kill another, it must be a terrible burden emotionally. Taking away someone's license may be doing them a huge favor.

Pictures are worth 1,000 words...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-elderly-woman-charged-20120915,0,2426065.story

If you THINK you hit something you typically pull over to investigate unless you are hiding something.
I hope she gets sued into poverty....

Yeah Dan. Blame everyone and anyone who's fault this ISN'T, but never mind the person who's fault it IS.

Typical...

At 83 years old, she probably shouldn't be driving, anyway. There comes a time when you need to hop on the bus. It's probably hard to give up your independence, but you need to consider the safety of others.

Years ago, I was riding my bike and was hit by an old lady who actually knocked me off my bike - and she just kept driving! I don't think she even realized she had hit me. I was OK - but, pretty pissed off. Since then, I've noticed over and over again that older drivers are just not particularly safe drivers. I saw one older driver plow right into the place where they hold the shopping carts at the grocery store, thinking it was a parking space. Sorry, guys - but there comes a time a when you need to give up your driving privileges.

I had this horribly vulgar and near pornographic post all tee'd up, you know about Granny in the slammer and all what follows that, but at the last minute decided, No...RT don't be that person...so I didn't.

You know taking the license from a senior who simply can't handle driving anymore is all well and good. But oftentimes it isn't enough. My father was the classic "stubborn old man" I watched his driving skills deteriorate...I tried talking to him about not driving anymore...I offered to drive him to wherever he needed to go (I know this isn't possible for everyone, but it was for me) I tried the "you're going to get hurt or worse" lecture...I tried the "you're going to hurt somebody else" lecture...he was having none of it...so I took his keys...then when he came up with a second set...I took those...a third...and I took those as well...finally he ran out of keys...the arguments were homeric in scale...but I never gave him his keys back...my father has passed away...I kept several personal belongings of my dad's to remember him by...his license among them...it's valid until november this year...if you can...and if you must...take the problem of your elderly parents inability to safely drive into your own hands...that way you can be SURE that it won't be your elderly parent that is the subject of the next article like the one above.

@Cheetah - Thank you! That's the comment I was going to make. All of the idiots who thought a 77-year old 'granny' was so innocent when she refused to obey the police officer... none of them thought a 'sweet old lady' could have posed a threat. If she had just been coming from a hit-and-run and a cop just let her going because she was belligerent and had to pee, he would have been chastised!

" an accident, she told authorities, that she didn't realize happened.'' That's a quote from the other piece on this tragedy. Small boy was holding Dad's hand crossing street with family and she didn't notice. Wonder if she had a bladder infection and had to pee?

We took mt Dad's keys, We took my Uncles keys. Just do it. No excuses will bring back a dead child.

We took away the keys from our WWII vet grandfather at 85 after his bad accident (turned left on a red arrow into the sun thinking it was green because the people to the right of him took off when their straight ahead light turned green). A family in a minivan T-boned him. There were no major injuries and thank God that family wasn't sue-happy. It was very hard to do, taking away his privilege to drive - someone who flew B-17s during WWII at age 20 and thought there wasn't anything he couldn't do all throughout life.

There comes a time when you MUST take the keys away from your father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, or anyone else you care about. Not only can their lack of age-driven incompetence behind the wheel injure (or kill in the sad case of this story), it can wipe out an entire family's wealth to a lawsuit. I agree with a poster above that anyone over age 70 should be tested every two years to keep his/her license. Not just a written test, but a simulation test in a driver simulator not unlike airline pilots have to go through to keep their currency. ALL states should make this mandatory.

Now for everyone else here pointing fingers at teen drivers, there are now laws in place to prevent people from texting/talking and driving (statistically one of the biggest killers of teen drivers and their accident victims). The question is, do teens still get Driver's Ed in high school? How hard are today's driver tests for teens? Do the testers take the teens on real world roads and conditions where they will be driving or do they just make the teens drive around in a parking lot testing their skills at not knocking down orange cones at 5mph? Are parents teaching their teens how to drive and be responsible anymore?

In any event, there have always been teen crashes involving death. It's nothing new. The only difference now vs. 30-odd years ago when I got my license is that we didn't have the internet and the 7x24 instant national/global news outlets that we have today that reported every teen death in a car accident.

The more important question is WHAT WAS A 6YR OLD DOING OUT RUNNING AROUND at that time of the evening? Where is the parental responsibility of allowing of that age to be out that late with no supervision?

My brother rode with my mom when she was 82yo - she scared the crap out of him. I told him; I'm not going to be the one to tell her she can't drive, he didn't want to be the one to tell her either. Just try and tell mom something that will piss her off...LOL.

Just before she died she would black out and collapse - she swore she was still conscious during these blackouts...sorry mom but you were OUT. Knowing when your time is up, and just checking out on your own - seems pretty reasonable to me...just give me the pill - I hope I used it before I hurt someone.

@greg, first, 20 year olds are not kids, 2nd,I see drivers of ALL ages doing stupid things on the road, texting,eating,reading etc. I do think people should have to pass a driving test and an eye exam after a certain age, reflexes to tend to slow, and eyesight does tend to fade, but it varies by person.

to chuck and others wanting to blame the parents - re-read the article. The child was with his parents. Hopefully they weren't involved in criminal activity, but what difference does it make where they were coming from? Could have been an emergency, family gathering or church event. Point is the woman hit the child and was callous and evil in leaving the scene. I am floored just thinking that it looks like she tried to cover up her crime by taking it to a mechanic. As soon as she realized her car was damaged from an accident she should have gone to the police. Thank God for the mechanics!

For those of you blaming the parents, read the Chicago Tribune article. The boy was with his father in a crosswalk on the way back from a family party. Unless you're an insurance company or cold and heartless (But I repeat myself) then there's only one person responsible here.... The 83 year old who shouldn't have been driving at night.

Years ago, an old man in a big car pulled into my lane, forcing me into the next lane which, thank heavens, was open. I followed him to the traffic light, got out and gave him a piece of my mind. He just stared at me and told me that I NEEDED TO LEARN HOW TO DRIVE!!!!! Boy, was I p*ssed off. I vowed then and there, that when I got old, I'd surrender my license and, with money saved on insurance, gas and maintenance, enjoy taxi rides around town.

I can still drive very well, alertly and carefully, but in a few years I'm going to hang up that license. I've had my turn on the roadways. Now it's almost time to let the younger ones have it. I won't regret it one bit, either.

God bless that poor little tyke's family. RIP, little angel.

You could just buy a Ford.

Chuck Werner......so, if a 6 year old kid is out at 9 p.m. it's HIS fault? If not him, then some other kid.

I see your point, but i think the time of night is incidental- she killed someone and didn't even remain at the scene.

You must be counsel for the defense.....

BLAME THE STATE DMV

Ok, got your attention, read short but TRUE story of my last visit to the dmv (ohio)

91 year old gent taking his eye test (where you look into that thingie with the colored/hidden letters and blinking lights.

dmv girl "sir, do you see the blinking light"
gent...uhmmmmmm
girl "the blinking light on the left sir"
gent...oh, yeah.
girl "do you see the letter sir"
gent...uhhhhhhh
girl "in the center sir"
gent..yes
girl "do you see the blinking light again sir"
gent....ooohh..uhhhh..uhmmmmj
girl "it's on the right sir"
gent...oh, yeah
girl.................step down here for your picture sir.

Now, about 25 of us were having giggles over this, til that last part, where we then
all had our jaws on the ground in disbelief.

I remember watching, several years ago, a program that addressed elderly driving. It showed a couple, husband and wife, in court because the husband had some traffic violation caused by his being too old to drive. When the judge asked the guy, who about 149 years old and very feeble, a question, he couldn't hear the judge. The wife would whisper to him: "Say blah-blah-blah." "What?" the geriatric asked. Louder, she repeated: "Say blah-blah-blah." "WHAT?" he shouted back at her. By now she was shouting: "SAY BLAH-BLAH-BLAH!" He answered the judge: "Blah-blah-blah." The judge then asked another question, which the fossil couldn't hear, so the wife whispered to him: "Say blah-blah-blah." The judge told the wife to shut up and sit down and let her husband answer the questions by himself. Of course, he could not, and not only was he fined for his driving infraction, but had his license pulled. Both cried about how unfair it all was.

I'm sorry. When someone hits a certain age, full driving tests in front of the counter and behind the wheel must be given every year. Yes, every year.

I don't believe that OverPaidCivilServant! They don't get any awards for giving out licenses to people who can't see and if they have any questions about their ability they just tell them they have to go to the Optometrist and he's the one that makes the decision..

Actually,@ Pepster, I was personally with my Mother who is 58, and now legally blind at the DMV in Minnesota, and the exact same thing happened the last time she went to renew, and they let it go and passed her. Incredibly scary, luckily shortly after she realized that she really had no right to be on the road and willingly sold her car and does not drive anymore. Yes, it does happen.

Pepster - the DMV employees are not very high on the "I-Care-About-My-Job" scale, and could really care less. Sometimes they just feel bad for the geezer and don't want them to start screaming at them. Sorry, old people, but age does limit your reaction and response time. Young kids are idiots when they drive as well, but they are physically capable of driving. Those with diminished physical capacity CANNOT drive safely. I'd like to know how the family of this old woman didn't try to take the keys sooner.

Who do you blame? You blame the old woman! The crime was not that she hit the boy. The crime was she fled the scene. She obviously knew she hit someone or something. If she would have stopped she might have been able to prevent the boy's death. If she would have stopped, she would not have been charged.

Many motorist hit and kill people everyday. As long as they were not reckless or under the influence it is ruled a tragic accident and no 'criminal' charges are filed. You blame her and lock her up for leaving the scene.

Hey Wondering, you and people like you are what is wrong with this country now. Nobody blames the right person anymore, and more often, nobody ever wants to take responsibility for anything even when they are to blame. The article is about an 83 -year old woman who strikes a child with her car and then leaves the scene, not about a 6-year old who was out riding his bike at 9 at night. Did you stop to think that perhaps he was in front of his house or in his drive way and then darted out into the street. His parents could have been sitting on the porch watching him for crying out loud. That doesn't mean some mental midget couldn't run him down. It doesn't matter. The woman is at fault, for hitting him in the first place, and then for leaving the scene. The child is never to blame. I hope you don't have any children because I dare say, you will surely need to lock them away for 18 years lest you make and error in judgment or just act like a parent and the child like a kid.

It isn't dark at 9pm near Indianapolis. It doesn't get dark here until around 10pm. It's not the kids fault, it's not the parents fault. It's the fault of the driver, plain and simple. She didn't even stop. She's either heartless and evil, or she's way beyond the years she should have ever been behind the wheel, which if that's the case, then it's also partly our societies fault as a whole.

In my opinion, once you hit 65, you should have to take a new drivers test every year, exactly the same way a new/first time driver has to do to get their license. There's no harm in it, and it would save lives!

the old lady..

Good luck trying to find answers,sometimes bad things happen to good people.You do not know any of these people.You will be judged, as you have judged others.

A few years ago my 2 week old brand new car was smashed from the rear while parked at my work by an 82 year old lady driving a huge pick up truck. All caught on surveillance camera. There were numerous people in the parking lot waving at her and yelling for her to stop, she sped right through almost running down a man waving his hands in front of her. She proceeded to speed down the city road with 25mph limit; she was at least driving at 50mph. Chicago cops were called and the video reviewed. The cops said they didn't want to pursue charges against a little old white woman thinking the judge would be very sympathetic toward her. I was able to track down her home phone and address based on her license plate I spotted from the video. I called her to ask why she didn't stop knowing she had smashed my car, she cussed at me and hung up. I'm pretty sure it was the same lady; not that many Veramaes in Chicago area.

Why are we only blaming ONE? The old lady was definitely at fault here but so were the parents. 6 yrs old and in the street and in low light conditions to boot? You can argue all you want but 1 ounce of prevention (NOT riding in the streets in low light/ no light conditions) would have also prevented this tragedy from occurring.

Btw, I live in that exact region (farther south by a couple of hours) and it is dark by then. It is low light conditions by 8pm in fact. NO 6 year old kid should be anywhere near a street-on bike or on foot- at that hour if there is passing traffic at all. (as compared to a dead end cul-de-sac)

Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

Date Sunrise Sunset

Sept 8 2012 7:20 AM 8:04 PM

Also where does the article say the boy was on a bicycle?

The old lady was definitely at fault here but so were the parents. 6 yrs old and in the street and in low light conditions to boot?

Funny, I didn't see in the article where it stated the 6 year old was out in the street. I also did not notice that it stated that there was no lights in the area. For all you know the child could have been playing on the sidewalk directly under a street light, or walking holding hands with it's parents when the child was struck, but don't let that stop you from making assumptions.

Very dark at 9 p.m. in McHenry Co., IL? And when, wondering, were you in McHenry Co in first part of September at 9 p.m.?

You're typing out your arse.

maureen,

"The child is never to blame."

OK so it NEVER EVER happens that a child runs out into the street (between parked cars or behind some other obstruction) chasing a ball and get nailed by a car? Who is at fault there, the driver? Maybe if the driver saw the child for the last five seconds but what about if the driver had only a tenth of a second? Ya, I know, blame the driver. STUPID!

It isn't dark at 9pm near Indianapolis. It doesn't get dark here until around 10pm.

Really? a 6 yr old has no business being out that late reguardless of lighting situation. Idiot. Had his parents been responsible parents, he'd still be alive.

I had the same questions. Why was a 6 year old out at that time of night? Where were the parents?

Where were the parents of that 6 year old...

Crossing the street along with him and his siblings. It's not the parent's fault that the old woman didn't pay attention to the stop light/sign, and people crossing. It's not the parent's fault that she missed everyone else and yet still managed to hit and kill this child instead of one of his sibs, or a parent. It's not the parent's fault that she didn't stop. It's not the parent's fault that the woman's family allows her to continue driving even though she is dangerous.

The family is not given a choice. I tried to call the authorities to take my mother's license. She was 85, on multiple drugs for cancer and a menace. There was nothing they could do.

Give a driver's test at 70, 75, 80 and every 2 years after that. There are measurable decreases in reflexes in the elderly and when you factor in drugs that they are all on (benign ones and stronger ones), it is a foreseeable problem. I also think you need to make it mandatory for doctors to report if they think someone should be reevaluated like they have to do in instances of child abuse.

1POV...I didn't see anything that stated he was with his parents and/or siblings, nor crossig a street. And everyone else, it doesn't say anything about him riding a bike, nor mention any stop sign/light.

I don't have all day to peruse every link and article, so I have to go by what the media reports and take everything with a (not grain) spoonful of salt. But it irks me when people infer things that were not stated in the article they are commenting on, unless they provide a link with more substantial information.

Michael Capone;

It's true that the woman should have stopped and stayed at the scene of the accident.

But people hit and run all the time. Why? Because they know that even though it was a pure accident,

if they hit a person, that person and/or family will sue in civil court. Ambulance chaser lawyers work on contingency, they fight tooth and nail to take all assets from the driver. That's why so many drivers run away when they hit, they are scared of being automatically blamed and punished. Lawyers will threaten them into paying a large settlement, stating that a sympathetic jury would likely award it to the plaintiff if it goes to trial. Lawyers make tons of money off cases like this.

Most likely, the woman ran because she was scared, scared of being sued in civil court for an accident.

I've seen this happen close up and have done a lot of reading on these cases.

Civil cases drag on for years, costly legal correspondence going back and forth, mediations, etc. Liability insurance pays out up to policy limits, but people will sue for millions and aggressively go after all assets including the primary home. People fear being left destitute.

You at least need to follow the link to the original local story if you want to know what you're talking about.

Yes, the little boy was crossing the street with his father, at least, as they were walking home from a family party/outing. How the woman hit the boy and not the father, I do not know. They were crossing at a stop sign, which the woman ran through. Clearly the old lady was at fault. She HAS no excuse, since she then took the car to a body shop to get it fixed.

I you go and read the source, it says that the child was with his father, and that they were coming from a party.

So stop blaming the parents. The parent was with his child. The child WAS NOT playing by himself or walking by himself at 9 PM.

And I blame 110 % the woman. When she said that she thought that she hit something, she should have stopped and inquired.

Age is not an excuse. In 2 days, there are stories about grannies refusing to obey a policeman and one refusing to follow the rules of the road. Way to go !!!

Because they are old, they think they can do whatever they want ?

Richard-even if they only saw the child for a tenth of a second-still means they need to stop. Doesn't make a hit and run ok if the child just darted out in front of them.

Maureen, you are right!

as for some other people who say "just take away her keys"...have YOU ever tried to take away a senior relatives car?

Not as easy as it sounds.....

You must not have children.

Either that or he has children who are subject to adult supervision.

@bettysturgeon

Not if there's an effin' Casino anywhere within a hundred miles

If it is a non school night and the kids are with their parents, 9 o'clock is not that late. You never know, it could have been they were coming home from a special occasion or from the emergency room, or any number of other reasons they were not already home. We have no idea the exact circumstance based on this account alone. Let's not jump to conclusions about the parents who just lost their kid. I can't imagine the horror they are going through....

Most likely the woman probably thought she'd hit a dog.

@Diana : the source says that the child was coming FROM a party and that he was with his father.

Besides, in which universe Betty Sturgeon, does a child or an elderly person must be in bed by 9 ???? Should we accommodate you and install curfews for everyone but a few : drunks? old? young children even with their parents in tow ? teenagers ? in case they would commit a crime. young ladies ? in case they would attract a rapist ?

So after 7 PM, nobody in the streets ?

Betty Sturgeon

I thought if you are (6 or 85), you were in bed by 9pm.

live on that schedule all you like lady. but you are pretty full of yourself if you think everybody else has to just because that's how *you* do it. /eye roll/

While I agree that once past a certain age people should have to take an annual test AND provide a statement from a physician to retain their driving privileges, I need to point out that taking a cab is not always possible. Out in more rural areas there either are not taxis available or you would have to pay double to have a cab come out to get you because of the distance between your home and the nearest town. I personally (though I am in my 40's and capable of driving) live 20 minutes of driving at 45 - 55 mph from the nearest town.

I started writing a negative response, but soon realized that your point is valid. My only addition would be that we should test everyone at all ages, and get ALL the incompetent drivers off the road, not just the old ones.

As an aside, you must be from a big city. Else you would know that there are no cabs in Woodstock IL. There are no buses either. It's drive or walk, and Illinois is a big place :-)

a bicycle ? a scooter ?

They do have a senior cab voucher program in the northern Chicago suburbs. But, sadly old people refuse to believe they have an issue with driving until something happens. 90 year old friend just lost his driving privleges because he hit the wrong pedal and totaled his car, fortunately no one was hurt. He still refuses to take the cab and relies on friends to drive him around. And in my community the transit system has little buses that will pick seniors up at their door and take them where they need to go.

I can't wait to get old enough to not have to drive, make car and insurance payments and pay for gas.

It's a sad situation. Why blame anyone. Neither of them should have been where they were when they were. She probably thought she hit an animal not a child. And she will have to live with that till she dies, which I bet will not be that far off. It will haunt her.

I have to strongly agree with folks who urged legislators to pass passing of on-road driving tests with each driving license renewal after, say age 70.... Agreed that a large percentage of people that age continue to be safe drivers, but at least it would, hopefully weed out the ones who shouldn't be driving because of serious physical and/or mental deficits, ie: poor vision, poor hearing, delayed responses, cognitive impairments, etc. I believe that NH had legislation of this kind in the past, but it was rescinded..... can't for the life of me fathom why ????

HeinrichKroll - thank so much for a practical post! Those of you who are maintaining that older people should not be driving fail to note that texting teenagers and young adults are as dangerous, or even more so, than senior citizens who drive. Heinrich is right...test everyone on a regular basis and take all of the dangerous drivers off the road.

ck - you can stop driving any time. You don't have to wait until you are old if the expense of driving is such a chore for you.

CK you can't wait for: not being able to purchase frozen foods, because the bus takes 1/2 hour or more to get you to your stop then you have to walk from however far it is. You can't wait for: not being able to purchase a weeks' worth of food or heavy items, because you can carry only what you can physcially carry in ONE trip. You can't wait for a grocery store to offer to bring the groceries to YOU for a mere $50.00 additional. You can't wait for a cab to cost you $20 each way IN the city so that you can get to the mall to purchase Xmas gifts for your loved ones. You can't wait to have trouble ecrossing the street because no one will stop for pedestrian right of way on a green light. You can't wait to pay a minimum of $4.00 each way and each TIME you use the "senior" or "handicapped" bus on a limited retirement/SS budget. You can't wait, to not be able to hop in your car and head for wherever you need to as sson as the need arises. You can't wait, to have to rely on OTHER people's schedules, and be told NO when you're out of food in the fridge and need a ride to the store. You can't wait to completely give up the ability to go ANYwhere at night unless a friend drives you. (no buses and for smaller towns, no cabs after 5) THIS is what people who can't drive face in America.

NO we shouldn't give them a license to drive because of that loss, but don't kid yourself on the "excitement" there. I'm legally blind, I don't drive, my MOTHER however, in her mid 70's has MUCH worse vision than I do, and the SAME doctor, who REFUSED to allow me to have a driving exception, gave one to her. It is HORRIBLY scary riding with my mom and telling her "MOM the light is RED, STOP!" "MOM there's a motorcycle in the cross lane WAIT AT THE STOP SIGN! DON'T GO YET!" MOM there's a STOP SIGN and you just ran it! Very fun. how the HEdoubletoothpicks does THAT rate? you know what? there are even 2 states I can get a driver's license in. BOTH are chock full of elderly people so the rules are bent for the ELDERLY, which allow many legally blind to drive also. Independence loss in a country that does NOT have affordable mass transit is a BAD trade-off and is why the police turn a blind eye, and the issuing agencies do too.

Since Child Protective Services haven't arrested the parents or removed the other children from parental custody, I'm gonna hazard a GUESS that it's NOT against the law for children to be out at 9 p.m. and a SECOND guess then that it's VEHICULAR HOMICIDE when you hit a person with a vehicle (k, that wasn't a guess, it's from me working in the courts) whether you leave the scene or not, depending on the circumstances. " Neither malice aforethought nor intent to kill is required." "thousands of people" are NOT let off every day when they kill a person with a vehicle. Not those under the influence, not those on drugs, not those who are on medication that may affect their driving, not those who drive on suspended licenses, not a PERFECTLY sober, good vision person, and vehicular homicide doesn't have to be someone you know, nor someone you MEANT to kill, It can be an accident.

this is VERY much an issue in a nation where the majority of people are over 60. testing should be done WAY before that, when it's known that vision changes before the 40's.

Good grief, the kid was with his father! The father saw his son getting hit! They were coming home from a party! I think the older drivers who are so quick to ask about why a 6 year old was out at nine pm and complain about younger drivers texting are in denial about their own diminished capacities. I think both (texters and impaired senior drivers) are a clear danger to me on the road.

My Grandpa is 86 and still has his license; but he doesn't drive because he is afraid that he possibly could cause an accident. Some old folks know their limitations. Unfortunately public officials know that they will be at risk of losing votes for starting up an initiative that tests Seniors' driving abilities.

My Grandpa takes responsibility for himself and is aware of his limitations, too bad many others his age do not.

This is a tragedy. According to one of the first articles in the local paper: The boy was walking behind his father and a sibling. They left a party and were walking to their car. It was dark and raining hard that night. The 83 y/o woman thought she hit a branch. She was in the hospital after the accident for something non-related to the accident. She did turn herself in when she was discharged from the hospital.

I have been around the area that this accident happened, but not the exact spot. The parts were I have driven were all country roads. I would not expect to see people crossing the street in those areas. I am stating this to give people an idea of why she didn't think hit the little boy and why she could have thought she hit a branch.

I do not believe she is a menace as some others have stated. I do agree the older you get, you should be tested yearly. I work in the medical field and have for a long time. It is very SCARY to know who is behind the wheel and they don't care. I have seen people that have very poor reflexes and can't read a piece of paper in front of them but they can drive. Driving is a right not a privledge. We all need to take responsibility while we are driving. I drive a lot for my job and they are people texting while driving around 80mph, weaving in and out of lanes...now that is a menace!

Brave, and thoughtful. Thank you.

Perhaps you should have left that decision up to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Scales, The DMV of each state may be different, but where I live they don't take the license away easily and the doctors do NOT help (they will lose patients as the elderly in the community will tell each other to not go to Dr. so and so because he told the DMV that Harry wasn't fit to drive anymore). The best I have been able to find is a Dr. who strongly recommended that my mother not drive "until all her testing was finished" (and she very clearly has early onset of dementia with visual changes). It is up to the family or caring friends to take the car away and that is really a hard place to be in. Just getting POA and a healthcare proxy in the state I am in is nearly impossible and I had to jump through hoops.... all to protect and care for my mom. But the state doesn't want to take the rights of anyone away (the right to hit and kill someone, the right to give all their money away to telemarketers, the right to allow strangers into their home to rob and steal from them....), so it is up to the family to try to negotiate all this WITHOUT help from the state. At least this is the case where I live and it is very frustrating when trying to protect the one you love from themself IF they begin to decline mentally. My state does require a written test and an eye test after a certain age, but not a driving test. The eye test does not include visual-spatial relationships which are impaired in dementia and critical to driving...just a simple "can you read the eye chart". Kudos to Patter123 for doing what has to be done, and may my mom not be angry at me for the rest of her life for taking her car away before she injured herself or someone else.

Richard - Really? Mentally challenged? What the hell is wrong with you? Patter123 did their friend and community a favor. I'm thinking there was probably a pretty good reason why they asked for the keys, and why the keys were turned over.

Patter123 - So thankful that you and your friend made a good decision.

Wow Richard. Way to be a total sandy vagina there. Yo is short for year old. It's pretty standard for most things, if you're that anal retentive can we borrow that tight @ss of yours to shove some coal up there so you can squeeze out a few diamonds later?

Way to be a huge a@@ Richard. Yes, I do know how to spell that - A — S — S.

Based on your comment history though, I'm not surprised. You're obviously an angry troll who lives to post hate-filled comments and threaten physical violence against people you will never, ever meet. You must be miserable.

It's against the law in Minnesota for the DPS to make a requirement to take a drivers test solely due to age. If I remember correctly, the law says that the DPS can require re-testing whenever they feel necessary, but the age of an individual cannot be any part of the reason for the re-test. I'm not sure if they require vision testing, Wisconsin requires it for everyone (not just over a certain age). Of course if the person at the licensing desk is helping them cheat, it's kind of pointless to do the test isn't it?

gollie,

And just what the hell has that to do with anything relating to this article? Apparently YOU must be one of those non-union 6 year olds.

@Richard, because the elderly do not want to take a driving test where they will probably fail. REally, the DMV should have some computerized test that rates response time, spatial accuracy, and night vision before reissuing licenses. I'm glad my mother refuses to drive at night anymore...and she used to drive like a bat out of hell.

I'm sure you meant "Golly" didn't you Richard? Or are you one of the mentally challenged individuals you referred to earlier?

Pugiron

Hope the worthless senile old mummy is slowly ground under a car tire until dead, then all of her family is sprayed with her remains.

you have a nasty attitude.

...but the correct attitude. I'd beat that POS into bloody pulp...and THEN run her over..slowly, so she feels the maximum amount of pain.

Crying shame, an 85 year old that fled the scene after hitting a pedestrian - a young one.

Can none of you read? Pesimist - you are at least the third person to describe this woman as 85 years old. She is 83 years old. That is clearly stated in the article. No wonder this country is falling behind everyone other country in the world. BTW, you can't spell, either. It's pessimist, not "pesimist".

debchbum,

And I would beat a POS YOUR age into pulp if they did the same thing - and don't tell me that they never do things like this either.

Pugiron, You're not just nasty but a true psychopath. It's scary as hell to think I may unknowingly cross your path when you may be pissed over some little nothing.

I'm 65 and agree that older people should be periodically tested because I'm well aware that my driving skills aren't what they were. For years I haven't liked driving at night and only do so if I am familiar with the area. That being said I also feel that you should be 18 to get a drivers license. My son had three minor accidents between 16 and 21. I've never had one.

lots of them on the roads. They have trouble seeing and they are on meds. I expect that old lady did not know she hit the boy. If she knew and ran off, she needs to be in jail. The tax payers would provide room and board for her and no one else would be at risk.

I'm wondering if she may not have realized she hit the child considering darkness, location, vision capacity.

Also, possibly like the belligerent lady who got hauled out of her car by the police officer, she may have become overwhelmed and unable to rationally decide the most appropriate next step - as in stop.

Not making excuses for her. Just considering all possibilities. We hear about drivers of all ages who claim they thought they hit a pot hole or a deer. We hear about people of all ages who panic and flee out of shock and panic.

Oh, for people who think her family should "just take her keys": it is not legally easy to do.

... they are on meds.

What about all the people who are not senior citizens but who are driving while under the influence of alcohol or other illegal drugs? Stop denigrating seniors. If you are lucky, you might live long enough to be one some day.

Jean3.......

Because she is a citizen of the greatest country on Earth, has a licensed automobile, is a licensed driver, and wanted to go somewhere. No report of her driving through the child's bedroom, where he should have been.

Scales67,

Beautiful!!! But then again younger people NEVER have accidents now do they.

Actually, Bobbbsox, He was with his father... Where he should have been at the time of the when coming back from a family function... In a crosswalk.

People around here speed all the time, we have lights out on a busy street with an Interstate off ramp that people come flying off of all the time. An elderly lady was crossing said street in the crosswalk that is in front of the building she lives in the middle of the day (3pm) and was struck by a hit and run driver. This was nearly a year ago and she is still struggling to come home thanks to this POS driver. The good news is that due to quick thinking witnesses, the SOB was found and arrested.

Glo 85

Was she bouncing from guardrail to guardrail? Her version of 'nightblindness' seemed to only prevent her from seeing 6yr olds in the highway at night. Is this juvenile nightblindness? Animals in the road at night get runover.Ten foot tall men in the road at night get runover. The lady panicked and reacted very poorly to the situation, and did not stop. Had she stopped and tried to get help, as she should have, the focus now would be where it rightfully belongs. When a cow in the roadway is hit by a car, the authorities and the driver's insurance company search out the animals owner, and not to console him for his loss either.

Until there is EVIDENCE, both your comment, and his, are off base. As of right now, all we have is a heartless bitch, who killed a child and drove off.

I think it more likely she had night blindness and may not have even realized that what she hit was a child. She may not even realize she is blind. That is not something that hits you in the head like a bat. It creeps up on you slowly and you don't know it. I have night blindness. I have no idea how long I suffered from it before I hit something (a dog, I think) during a trip to take my daughter-in-law home after dark one day. I voluntarily no long drive at night because now I know.

kevin,

Nice critizism but until we have EVIDENCE that she is a "heartless bitch" - your comment is off base as well.

how about doctors approvel letter for the ederly.

not correct. You can get your license renewed by mail, nothing but your money is required.

New York requires a certified statement from an eye doctor saying the driver passed the eye test requirement for driving if renewing by mail, or show up at the auto bureau in person to demonstrate that they can pass the eye test.

alumette:

Bullpucky ! You are required to have a picture that is current at the time of your license being issued, on your license. Since the picture must be taken by the folks issuing the license, your physical presence is required.

Vietban

The picture on my drivers licence is the same picture from 16 years ago. I always renew in the auto bureau and have had that same picture on 3 renewals now. The only difference is my hair is a little thinner and my mustache is now grey instrad of black as in the picture.

Not true in all states Viet. In Texas license renewal is every 4 years. You only have to have your picture taken every other renewal. You can renew by mail, in betweeen.

Same here in Washington. I just renewed my license through the mail. So, same picture for 8 years.

Jungle Jimmy Yes, and how often should neglectful parents/keepers of children be recertified? Just suppose a law was rushed through requiring children under 7yrs old not to be in the roadway on Saturday nights after 830pm. The child would still be alive because his very attentive parents/keepers would have known he did not legally belong in the roadway after 831pm on Saturday nights. They just did not know about Saturday nights. This law is needed now.

eraVet,

Incorrect - you can get your license renewed by mail WITHOUT having your picture taken. As long as they have a picture of you on file for your old license, it can and is able to be renewed both by mail and online. At least as far as New York State is concerned.

How do I know - I just renewed my NYS license BY MAIL last June. Couldn't do it online because I needed to have an eye examination because of my being over 65. But if I didn't need one, I could have renewed by online.

VietNam Era Vet...bull pucky? You typed bull pucky? I love it man, well said brother! Me, 1969-72' (Army) I Corps mostly, where you?

Vietnam Era~ You can renew your license via computer and they use the old picture. Anyway, you can in Colorado if none of your information has changed.

bobbbsoxx2w - I think you're missing the point. Having a drviers license is a PRIVILEGE. It is not a right. In order to deserve that privilege, you must be able to show you are competent to operate a vehicle safely. The argument here is how we as a society ensure there are fair methods in place to make this determination for all ages.

Thankfully, we do not live a society where our government passes laws on how we rear our children. Are you seriously equating the passage of laws around ensuring only safe drivers are on the road to laws on when parents are allowed to let their kids out of the house? My suggestion to you is, move to China, where they have an abundance of laws which regulate the family.

It's possible that she thought she hit an animal. Not an excuse but a possible explanation for why she didn't stop and took her car to the body shop. I personally believe that once you hit 70 or 75 you should have to provide a doctor's approval to continue driving as well as annual driving tests. Some people who are 85 are just fine driving and some should have had the keys taken long ago.

If she hit something large enough to damage her car, she should have stopped. If she wasn't sure what she hit, she still should have stopped. Period. Evidently the damage to her car was extensive enough to make the body shop suspicious but not her? I believe she knew exactly what she had hit and didn't care. Once I hit a dog, I stopped immediately. The dog was alive so I took it to a vet. At least I cared enough to check and see what I hit, but not her. Shame on her, no excuse at all.

The reason she didn't stop to help was because she was unable to walk!! I live in an area with apartment blocks of elderly. I see them every day shuffling with their walkers to their cars. If they can't lift their feet to walk, think they can slam on the brakes?? Everyone worries about eyesight, there are many other factors that these people should not be driving. I blame the woman's family...where are they? Hopefully, she loses her license and car!

I do sympathize with the fact that rural areas do not have cabs, buses etc. But either family drives her, or she moves to an area that she doesn't need a car. I drove my mother for years to the store, Dr appointments etc. rather than allow her to drive.

And yes, parents need to take some responsibility also. A 6 yr old has no business playing or riding a bike near the road, at that time of night.

Marty

The little boy and his future was in the hands of his keeper/parental units. They chose to make it possible for him to be in the roadway at 930pm on a Saturday night and his best judgement put him there. Suppose a young adult, that had been out being a young adult on a Saturday night, had hit the child, that is the future that would have been ruined.

dementia ? or simply a human being who does not care about anyone but herself. Maybe she could not avoid the kid but the fact she did not make any effort to help and be responsible is very troubling.

If you have Alzheimer's/Dementia , you should NOT be driving. No one is beating up an elderly because she's old, it has to do with the actions concerning the hit and run. Also, I think any human being knows that hitting and KILLING a child would cause a loud enough noise to cause anyone with SENSE to pull over and determine the damage. Unless that boy magically got up and walked away, the least she had to do was pull over and examine the scene to make sure no one was hurt or nothing was damaged. I can tell when my car hits the smallest of potholes and pull to the side to check out my bumpers. Please don't pull that "because shes old" bull.

Exactly. Stupidity of letting a child be in the road,unattened, on a Saturday night. It was the weekend. Luck of the draw put the Lady there, neglectful parents/keepers put the child there. Why weren't they there to watchover him has he waited for the 'lucky' driver or ANY driver to show up?

Blame the victim? Classy.

Your comment, bobbsoxx2w, makes me think you keep (kept) your children tied to you at all times? The story does not state that the child was alone, or that he was in the street. Nine PM is not late on a Saturday night for a child, evidently, in your mind weekends are only for old people? Why do you insist on blaming the poor kid who died, or his family, who might have been just feet from him when he died? You are making excuses for a woman who not only hit the child, but tried to cover it up!!! You can not hit something that big and just NOT KNOW!!!

Hey bobbsux, the boy was crossing the street WITH HIS FATHER after leaving a party. They were crossing at a STOP SIGN. You are an idiot.

I'm fine with that as long as you mandate testing of EVERYONE. You need to check out your paper's section that details accidents and see the ages involved and other factors. Mandatory jail for texters too? I have seen KIDS driving so erratically that other cars oncoming had to swerve out of the way. The kids were just singing and dancing in the car seats and not paying attention. Jail for them too? Mandatory testing also?

Stupidity knows no age limits.

And if you want to get technical about skills: 16 is too young for polished skills of driving a 2 ton weapon, especially when distracted by friends in the car. How about we save some lives and raise that age to 18?

Don't bash strictly due to old age. Bash on abilities and then every age can be considered.

(p.s. I'm a retired firefighter who went to more car wrecks involving youth than old age. By a wide margin I might add)

Weather and lighting conditions are factors most state laws and/or driving manuals specify as reason to slow down, or not drive unless absolutely necessary. The driver is supposed to take these into consideration for safe operation of a vehicle. Pedestrialns do have to cross roads sometimes, and sometimes have to walk along the side of a road. It is a responsibility of both pedestrians and divers to do all possible to maintain safety, but the heaviest burden is on the driver who is moving at a greater speed and in an assemblage of metal. You didn't say, but what you wrote seemed to suggest the boy and his familly shouldn't have been out because of weather conditions. Hope that isn't what you were wanting to infer.

It was a hit and run, and a little boy is dead, there is the fact. If you hit something, you can feel it. Stop and find out what you hit. There is always someone that comes up with an excuse for breaking the law.

His point being, she hasn't had her day in court. You are reading a news article and they aren't always accurate and you are ready to hang the old lady. He made no excuse for breaking the law. Learn some reading comprehension as well.