Death By Stupid
January 29, 2008
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Posted by Aubrey Turner
I’m probably going to piss off somebody (more on this below) with this post, but so be it. Here’s the background:
ROANOKE—A man and a 2-year-old girl were killed late Sunday when their vehicle was hit head-on by a car trying to pass in a no-passing zone, police said. The driver of the car was also killed, officials said.
The man’s wife was critically injured in the crash and remained in intensive care Monday, officials said.
The accident was reported about 9 p.m. in the 2200 block of U.S. 377, near Schooling Road on the north side of the city, police said.
The toddler’s name was not released, Roanoke police Capt. Robert Crawford said.
Joshua Adkison, 24, of Virginia Beach, Va., who was traveling with the girl, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Kristina Adkison, 24, also of Virginia Beach, was taken by helicopter to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, Crawford said.
Police did not release the relationship between the Adkisons and the toddler.
The driver of the other car was Rachele Mahanna Bowman, 29, of Southlake, who was traveling alone, Crawford said.
She was also pronounced dead at the scene, he said.
The accident
Police said the collision occurred as Bowman was driving south on U.S. 377 trying to pass a vehicle driven by Jolene Owen, 47, of Haslet.
Bowman’s car collided head-on with the Adkisons’ northbound vehicle, police said.
The two cars also struck Owen’s sport utility vehicle, police said.
Owen, who was alone in her car, was taken to Presbyterian Hospital of Denton, where she was treated and released, Crawford said.
For some reason, this one bothered me more than most accidents I hear about. Mostly I just ignore them, but maybe because I still drive this road from time to time, and I used to drive it on a daily basis, it hit closer to home for me. It happened on the north side of Roanoke, near the side-road that leads to the sand pit (or whatever it is back there; there’s also an old sign for some kind of subdivision there). This is just after the point where the speed limit drops from 65 down to 50 and as you enter the Roanoke city limits.
I don’t know if anyone else experiences the same thing, but each road (or section of road) has a specific “feel” to me, based on my perceived sense of safety (which is the result of a complex mental calculation that takes into account the condition of the road, the number and type of side-streets and entrances / exits, sight lines, and number of idiots per linear mile). This road (highway 377) gives me a strong sense of danger from 1171 (Flower Mound) all the way down to Keller. As I mentioned, the speed limit slows as you enter Roanoke, so you have to deal with a combination of impatient idiots who tailgate along with fairly strict enforcement by Roanoke (they like to hang out in the vicinity of this accident site and nail speeders who aren’t obeying the new speed limit). You have a (newish) subdivision that has lots of people pulling out into the road, then, just after it widens to two lanes each way, there’s the Wal-Mart—Home Depot complex (thank goodness they finally got a light at Marshall Creek, although this only seems to make it marginally safer, as idiots still dart out of Wal-Mart across both lanes of traffic). As if this wasn’t enough, then you have the intersection with 114. Finally, if you manage to make it through all of this, the road narrows again down to two lanes as you cross the bridge over the “old” 114 (there is no room for last-minute merging idiots here).
So, given all the above, what it appears we have here is an impatient (and now dead) idiot attempting to pass a driver who was obeying the speed limit in a no-passing zone and who has managed to kill a man and his child, along with severely injuring his wife.
As someone who tries very hard to drive defensively and carefully, this sort of behavior bothers me on an almost visceral level. I think perhaps this is because it represents a criminal selfishness on the part of these idiots. They are so wrapped up in their own desires that they forget that their actions have effects on others. I think that in general, people just don’t take driving seriously enough. I see people yakking on cell phones (generally indicated by a failure to control speed or failure to maintain a single lane), doing makeup, reading, tailgating, etc and it makes it obvious to me that they don’t understand that they’re at the controls of a potential death machine. The amount of energy involved in even a slow-speed crash is enormous, and it’s amazingly easy to get someone killed through a half-second of carelessness.
Anyhow, I learned a long time ago that making things personal while driving, or being in a hurry, don’t do any good other than to raise my blood pressure. I used to be the type to weave in and out of traffic, always seeking to get ahead. But after I calmed down and slowed down a bit, I learned that it wasn’t really worth it. The only place where that sort of driving makes any difference is on long Interstate trips. Anywhere else it just aggravates everyone. I now take pleasure in pulling up next to a speeding jackass at the next light, knowing that I’ve only arrived two or three seconds later, but much more safely and with much less hassle.
Finally, as I mentioned above, I’m probably going to piss someone off with this post. I’ve seen it in the past where someone related to the subject of my post starts Googling and finds what I’ve written. In the heat of the moment they fire off an angry missive to defend their relative’s honor and to hopefully get me to retract or take down my post (and get the incriminating evidence out of Google). My response to these situations is to break out the popcorn and post their missives, along with my response, because this just increases the relevance in Google and makes them look even worse. For example, this happened in the Lindsey Crumpton case, and with some vandals from Pilot Point. In this instance, unless someone can show me evidence that this driver did not pass in a no-passing zone, the I will stand by my assessment that Rachele Mahanna Bowman, 29, of Southlake, was a deadly idiot.
Update: Here’s a link to a video on WFAA that shows the situation in a fair amount of detail: link to video . Also of interest in that clip is an interview with the City Manager, who acknowledged that some of the intersections in Roanoke feel like “death traps.” I’m glad to see someone else feels the same as I do…
Categories: Random Ramblings
I count myself among the reformed jackasses (my wife might disagree with the “reformed” part) who are reasonably safe drivers, which is pretty incredible in itself, since I stupidly caused an accident -fortunately non-injury – only a year ago. So, my self-assessment may be over-generous, but at least my fear factor has been appropriately reactivated.
Unfortunately, a lot of (legitimate) safe drivers are reformed jackasses, and that means that there are a whole lot of just plain jackasses on the road who haven’t yet had the bejeebers scared out of them but lived through it to drive another day.
DPS is handing out those DLs as fast as they can collect the fee (not to mention the multitude of drivers who skip the formalities altogether), so there will always be idiots on the road. The only thing that will give you an edge is the gut feeling you described, i.e., that you are in an unsafe place. I have it every time I drive down that stretch of 377. There should be one of those portable electronic signs that flashes “DEATH TRAP” 24/7/365.
I agree about that stretch of 377.
I envy the German licensing system. Minimum age: 18. The process can cost over $2500 in US Dollars. The licensing is graduated (you don’t get to drive a sports car right after obtaining the license). Training is forty-five hours of behind-the-wheel instruction by a professional driver (here in the US it’s as little as six hours). The training often includes a study of vehicle dynamics on a road course, so that drivers can actually learn how cars handle—weight transfer, skid avoidance, lateral forces, etc. A combination of well-engineered vehicles, well-made roadways, extremely attentive drivers, and impressive driving training all conspire to make driving 100 to 125 mph in Germany safer than going half those speeds anywhere in the US.
I also visited Okinawa a couple years ago and the roads were just a joy to travel on (I couldn’t drive so this is as a passenger only). Visibility was excellent, the roads looked absolutely immaculate (it looked like every road had been completed the day before we arrived), large stickers on each vehicle told the story of the driver (amount of experience, level of power of the vehicle, number of accidents, old age), people were very polite, etc. Unfortunately that wouldn’t work here—the average main road had a 50 km/h limit.
Those killed included my son-in-law and my granddaughter who had just left my house in Keller.
They will be missed to an extent I can not express.
Doug,
It’s just a truly horrible thing to have happen to your family, and I’m very sorry.
—Aubrey
Thank you for your comments and I pray that no one else is injuried or killed on 377.
As far as TX laws to obtain a driver’s license, I agree they should be tougher. The way I understand, today a young person doesn’t have to take Driver’s Ed, their parents can teach them. Adults and illegal immigrants can get them as long as they pass the tests. There seems to be no sense of responsibility placed on those who are in control of moving vehicles. I drive an hour plus one way to work every day, so I am on the road in the DFW metroplex alot, mostly in the dark. I have experienced and have been afraid at times because of unfriendly drivers, their road rage, tailgating and other stupid acts. Life just doesn’t seem to be precious to alot of people on the road.
The naval man and his daughter were my nephew and grand niece. The had just arrived back in Texas Saturday morning. We, his side of the family (parents, brother, grandparents, etc), had not been able to see this dear little family before the accident on Sunday. Joshua was a very kind, gentle, loving soul and so very happy to be moving back to Texas. He loved his family, his Lord, his church, and his country. He was a big success in his family’s eyes and we are proud of him!!!
Hey Aubrey, why don’t you just take it down a notch? If you have seen the “reaction” from people in the past regarding your insensitive comments then stop. Here is a noble idea…don’t be so abrupt just because you can.
Have I touched a nerve, Derek?
Frankly, I think we’ve become *too* sensitive these days, and someone has to say the things that everyone else is thinking. This site is a combination of the stuff that I yell about while reading the news or watching TV as well as a few more well researched pieces from time to time in my areas of expertise.
If my insensitivity offends you, then perhaps you would find another website more to your liking? Nothing is forcing you to come here, so you should consider saving your ever-so-solicitous advice for someone else.
It is so important for us all to voice our opinions and Aubrey you are free to say what you want but you took this to a whole new gruesome level. How pompous of you to call my friend Stupid. This was an accident that claimed the lives of 3 innocent people. My heart goes out to the family that lost their 2 year old baby/ granddaughter and 24 year old son/husband. My friend in this accident was Rachele she was the most loving, giving and kind person – she would have never hurt anyone intentionally. She was just married a little over a year ago to the love of her life. Her heart was so open and filled with happiness towards others – it hurts to see a guy like you on the sidelines attach a horrible adjective to her name.
Let’s face it this accident could have happened to any of us. In our daily lives how many of us are in a hurry or looking down at our stereo or handing a napkin to our child in the back seat? It is time for us to start thinking about who is in the car next to us and understand that every decision we make in the car could affect way too many lives. I am so happy for you that you are a “reformed driver†and that each time you are on the road you may be potentially saving hundreds of lives. If you were trying to reach out to others and make a difference with your writing why did you talk so much about yourself? I am so sad for the families that have been affected by this tragedy – I turn to god and pray that each family is embraced by his love and grace and can be comforted.
Rachele is not “Death by Stupidâ€
Wendy,
Allow me to address a few of your statements.
First, I find it interesting that people always start with a platitude about “voicing opinions” and then finish the same statement with a reason why in this instance they don’t want to hear what I said. You came here by searching for “rachele+mahanna+bowman.” Why did you come here if you didn’t want to hear what people were saying? Did you really think that no one would find her actions irresponsible?
You also said:
it hurts to see a guy like you on the sidelines attach a horrible adjective to her name
Yes, I suppose it does. And I *am* on the sidelines. It’s just that the web lets my opinion be noticed by those involved (as you did with your search;), unlike in the past where they could be mostly unaware of people’s sentiments about the matter. It doesn’t change the fact that it was a stupid thing that your friend did, and I simply pointed it out. She may have been the nicest, most loving person on earth, but her irresponsibility still brought about the deaths of two innocent people. If *I* had done such a thing, I would fully expect someone to say that it was stupid. Because it would be the *truth*. Unfortunately, many people don’t want to hear it.
I am so happy for you that you are a “reformed driver†and that each time you are on the road you may be potentially saving hundreds of lives. If you were trying to reach out to others and make a difference with your writing why did you talk so much about yourself?
I’ll ignore the sarcasm and get to the “outreach” part of the comment… I’m not really interested in “trying to reach out,” at least with this post. I did make a subsequent one with much more detail about safe driving, that one could perhaps see as outreach. But then one might also just say it’s “pompous” of me to presume to tell anyone else how to drive.
Anyhow, this is just a site with one guy’s opinion. As I noted in a previous comment, this is the sort of stuff that I yell about when reading the news, etc. So if I may seem to “talk so much about” myself, well that’s the damn point of the blog.
I still stand by my opinion, whether you, or anyone else, likes it.
Yes Aubrey it is your opinion and you are entitled to it. I did the search because I did not believe she was gone and that others had been lost as well the morning after the accident.
Today I went to the burial of one of the most beautiful friends I have ever had in my life. I noticed your blog a week ago and it has been so heavy on my heart ever since. I am not angry at you for your opinion – I am angry I lost a friend and that 2 other wonderful people lost their lives in this tragedy. I wanted you to know who you were labeling. That is the point of your blog – for people like me to respond. At the end of the day Aubrey – I know by reading how judgmental you are and opinionated your postings are that I will never change your point of view.
I just felt in my heart that I needed reach out to you and let you know that there is only one judge at the end of the day and it’s not you.
I do in fact respect your right to talk freely and I appreciate you giving me a medium to express my opinion in return.
We will find out more tomorrow as the police report will be released, but this was not an “accident”
It was no different if this young woman had pulled a trigger and shot my son in law and granddaughter.
I don’t care how kind of a person she was, she killed two innocent people.
No different than a double homicide in my opinion.
She was more than stupid, she was evil.
Evil and stupid, yes. Criminally selfish fits best I think, as stated in the original post. The act speaks for itself. No amount of kindness or grace mitigates what’s been done.
I agree with Doug. This was no accident. Rachele was not simply looking down at her stereo or handing a napkin to her child in the back seat. Those are not the things you do when you decide to try to pass 3 vehicles in one sweep in a no-passing zone. It was a decision she made… she was doing something illegal by passing. I am certain the police report when released will show she was also breaking the law by simply driving that night. Another action that was a decision she made.
What year did this occur?
Dear Mr. Turner,
I have never posted a reply on a page like this before, but your comments and prelude to those comments (“I am probably going to piss somebody offâ€), really struck a chord. I am a friend of Rachele’s from long ago, and when I found out that she was killed, I wanted to find out as much as I could about what happened to her and to the other family who was involved. How horrible to read a posting like the one that you have put up. First of all, this accident was a terrible tragedy, horrific really. My thoughts and prayers have been with all of those involved over the past week. I am truly saddened and sorry for their losses. However, unless the definition of “accident†has changed recently, an “accident†is defined as “anything that happens in an unplanned way, especially when it causes injury or damage.†Had Rachele known the consequences of her actions, I must believe that she would not have make the terrible mistake that not only took her life, but the lives of two other innocent individuals. It was, in the very sense of the word, an “accident.†Unfortunately, terrible accidents happen everyday, and I do agree that we must learn from them. With that said, I do not think that we should be throwing rocks at glass houses, Mr. Turner. You, yourself said, that you have done your share of stupid things in the past while driving. I am sure that we can all share that same statement, and while some of us have learned from those mistakes, others have not. I am sure that although you have changed your ways somewhat while driving, you are not a perfect driver. We all do things that we shouldn’t at one time or another while driving, and then think, “Oh, I probably shouldn’t have done that.†But we are lucky, and fortunately we do not cause any harm… that time. Unfortunately, Rachele was not so lucky, and her accident had terrible consequences for not only herself, but others as well.
While I may have my opinions about the events of January 27, I do have enough respect for the families and loved ones of those involved to keep those opinions to myself. You, obviously, do not. I am not familiar with your other postings, however it appears that you have made it your calling in life to rub salt in the wounds of those who are in pain and who suffer deeply. That, Mr. Turner, is not an accident. It is deliberate. Shame on you.
I am not familiar with your other postings, however it appears that you have made it your calling in life to rub salt in the wounds of those who are in pain and who suffer deeply.
No, you are not familiar with my postings, and you obviously have not read any of the other comments on this post, or you’d understand the tenor of my remarks.
I will admit to only skimming your comment, but I will address the gist of your thoughts on “accidents” by saying that not all accidents are really that. Passing in a no-passing zone is not an accident. It is a deliberate act that endangers everyone. And in this case it caused the deaths of two innocent people.
As Aubrey stated, two innocent people died, not three.
And Julie, I’d like you to tell my daughter to her face that your friend was innocent in this whole matter, and it was just an accident.
Tell that to her face as you realize this young woman lost her husband and two year old baby.
Tell that to the hundreds of people of Cleburne that showed up tonight to show thier respect for Josh and Madison, or the hundreds that will show up tomorrow.
An accident basically means nobody was at fault…it just happened. Your friend killed two innocent people and just happened to die in the process. That’s not an accident.
Aubrey,
I’m very impressed that you can use grown up words and actually have a field of expertise. Which is still up for debate. You just don’t get it…Stop being so obnoxious. As far as striking a nerve, I’m pretty sure that’s what you have set out to do…how pathetic is that?
Here we go; I can’t wait for your response with some intelligent SAT words to throw me off. Why don’t you put your efforts towards something productive? Hell, get off the computer and start gardening or working out. Maybe you wont have so much built up anger.
Derek,
After your first posting I did some digging and discovered that you appeared to be posting from work and it appeared to be in a field related to Rachele’s occupation, hence I assume you’re a friend of hers. It would have been more honest of you to have disclosed this, rather than me have to ferret it out. But it certainly explains your issue with me.
I find it interesting that you’ve come to my site voluntarily and now you’re trying to give me commands about how to comport myself. I would remind you that this is my site, that I pay for, and that I use for my own purposes. I *will not* take orders or suggestions from you or anyone else about the subjects I write about or the way in which I write them. If you find this offensive, you are always free to hit the back button or close your browser window.
As for anger, it seems to me that *you’re* the one with some anger issues to work out. You also appear to have issues with people who are educated (hence your comment on “SAT words”).
Anyhow, knowing your relation to Rachele, I have cut you some slack. I will not do so in future. Future comments deriding my intelligence, telling me how to comport myself, or otherwise not addressing the topic at hand will be deleted. As noted in the comment policy below, your free speech rights do not extend to this blog, since it’s private property.
“Accidents” similar to this one are why I stopped riding my motorcycle and sold it last year. Doesn’t it bother the Rachele apologists (Wendy, Julie, Derek) that you can be the safest, most law-abiding, attentive, and conscientious driver, and have the latest safety equipment and construction in a new vehicle, and someone trying to save a couple of seconds by travelling on the wrong side of the road can snuff out your life or that of your loved ones in an instant?
Had Rachele survived somehow, she’d be facing Criminally Negligent Homicide charges right now. I’d be incredibly angry at a friend or loved one who had done what Rachele has done. I’m pretty angry now and I knew no one involved personally. There are traffic laws and then there are laws of physics. Rachele willfully tried to break both kinds. Did she forget there was oncoming traffic in the very next lane? I just don’t get it. This particular traffic law is not merely there as an annoyance to people trying to get to their destination ten seconds sooner, it’s basically an observation that there are only two lanes and traffic is going two different ways and it is not merely possible but HIGHLY PROBABLE that if you flaunt that law you’re going to cause a catastrophe. It’s too bad we don’t have black box recorders for people’s brains—I’d love to know where Rachele was headed and why she thought it was a good idea to use the other lane…
Driving on public roads is a priviledge – not a right. To have that priviledge, we agree to abide by the laws. When a driver willfully breaks or ignores the laws – that is not an accident. It is a choice. A choice that puts others in harms way. My son and granddaughter were killed by a woman choosing to do what she wanted without regard to others. Josh was a fine sailor defending this America. America is too full of self-centered “busy” people that have no regards for other human beings. Josh’s young wife is left without a family or home and his four year old daughter is without her father and half sister. I do not know Rachel. I know she had friends that are mourning her loss. But I hope and pray all that read make better choices, think of others before themselves, slow down and choose a life that glorifies our Lord and not themselves. Our hearts hurt beyond words and God will help us deal with the anger and loss.
The Police Report has been released but Ms. Bowman’s toxicology report is still pending. She is listed at fault for passing in a no passing zone.
And for those wondering, Josh’s toxicology came back negative. The hardest thing he had to drink that night was ice water.
Dear Lisa and Doug,
I am a friend of Rachele’s family and want you to know that we are thinking and praying for your families. This is such a tragedy and we are all hurting. Three young lives were taken and we will never understand why. I pray that all the anger will turn into prayers and we look to God for strength.
Three young lives were taken and we will never understand why.
Well … we might not understand the eternal timing, but we understand the cause.
This is for the Adkison family. I am a part of the Mahanna family, and I just wanted to share a poem with you that has helped me with this difficult time. I do not wish to start any arguments or make matters worse. Please just take this for what it is… a poem.
Little I knew that morning,
God was going to call your name,
In life we loved you dearly,
In death we do the same.
It broke our hearts to lose you,
You did not go alone,
For part of me went with you,
The day God called you home.
You left us beautiful memories
Your love is still our guide,
And though we cannot see you,
You are always by our side.
Our family chain is broken,
and nothing seems the same,
But as God calls us one by one,
The chain will link again.
Have the toxicology results been released yet?
Heather
Toxicology report came back at a .274
Over three times the legal limit.