Her Majesty Dogmad Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 This lady stopped her car to help some ducklings cross the road and 2 motorcyclists crashed into it and died. She's now facing life imprisonment. What a terrible situation to be in. I've done the same on a local road .... http://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/emma-czornobaj-found-guilty-of-causing-two-road-deaths-after-stopping-to-help-ducks/story-fnh81jut-1226962032337 A QUEBEC woman who stopped to help ducklings cross a busy highway has been found guilty of causing the deaths of two motorcyclists who crashed into the rear of her car. Emma Czornobaj, 25, had stopped her car in the left lane of a highway south of Montreal in June 2010, a court heard. She was trying to round up a gaggle of ducklings that had been wandering in and out of traffic when an unsuspecting 50-year-old motorcyclist slammed into her car at more than 105 kilometres per hour. Both the motorcyclist and his passenger, his 16 year-old daughter, died in the crash. A jury on Friday found Czornobaj guilty of two counts of criminal negligence causing death and two counts of dangerous driving causing death. She faces up to life in prison when she returns to court in August for sentencing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 What an odd situation. I suppose that when someone else had a crash as a result of trying to swerve to avoid the ducklings they would have had to charge the ducklings with negligence too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melzawelza Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 (edited) What an odd situation. I suppose that when someone else had a crash as a result of trying to swerve to avoid the ducklings they would have had to charge the ducklings with negligence too? I don't know, it sounds pretty negligent. If the motorcylist was traveling at over 100kms/h and it hasn't said they were speeding or anything like that it must have been a highway. It says she stopped in the left lane, which I assume means there was nowhere to pull over like most highways so she stopped in the actual lane. That's pretty negligent. Sad though, she meant well. ETA: oh, it actually says it was a highway, too. Edited June 21, 2014 by melzawelza Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Are You Serious Jo Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Sounds like she stopped on the actual highway lane and hadn't pulled off. She was negligent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raz Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 (edited) What an odd situation. I suppose that when someone else had a crash as a result of trying to swerve to avoid the ducklings they would have had to charge the ducklings with negligence too? Huh? What a strange thing to say, especially when two people are dead because the driver was obviously negligent. Edited June 21, 2014 by raz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gottalovealab Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 I understand her concern about the ducks, but wow, just stopping in the lane on a highway?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 (edited) Sorry guys I'm feeling a bit raw after dealing with a wildlife on roads situation yesterday that could have been better dealt with by the person that caused it. I thought she had pulled off th road, not stopped in the lane Edited June 21, 2014 by kelpiecuddles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 How sad for all concerned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Sounds like she stopped on the actual highway lane and hadn't pulled off. She was negligent. Yep. Very sad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_PL_ Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Sorry guys I'm feeling a bit raw after dealing with a wildlife on roads situation yesterday that could have been better dealt with by the person that caused it. I thought she had pulled off th road, not stopped in the lane poor little natives Yes I had to read the article twice too. What a tragedy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jed Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 How sad. In Aus. if you run into the back of another car, it's your fault. Obviously different laws there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempus Fugit Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Reminds me of a few weeks ago when I had to come to a dead stop on a local 80 km/h main road to avoid hitting a rat-sized dog that was running all over the road. As soon as I stopped it started running towards my car so I couldn't drive forward onto the verge without the risk of squashing it. Maybe I should have. BTW in Canada, the left lane is the fast lane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted June 22, 2014 Author Share Posted June 22, 2014 (edited) She did a very silly thing which caused a catastrophe but I don't think it warrants a life sentence, it wasn't premeditated and was an action borne out of kindness. Even some of the worst criminals/murderers don't get a life sentence. Edited June 22, 2014 by Her Majesty Dogmad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Anne~ Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 A definite tragedy for all concerned. I didn't click on the link as I had read the story on FB. It was a motorway and there was no stopping lane. The only room on the side of the lane was about 1m wide so her car was more than halfway across the lane still. The woman stopped so she could save the ducklings. She didn't use hazard lights or anything else to indicate a warning. I think it may have happened at night too. She made a HUGE error of judgement which resulted in the death of two innocent people. Father and daughter. The daughter was only16. I'm feel bad for the baby ducks but human lives should be counted as more valuable than a duck's life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Anne~ Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 (edited) Here is the Canadian published story. You can see the pic of the damage to the rear of the car and the lane she stopped in. http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/06/20/jury-finds-woman-guilty-for-causing-deaths-of-two-bikers-when-she-stopped-to-save-ducks-on-highway/?__federated=1 Edited to add image. Edited June 22, 2014 by ~Anne~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertie Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 (edited) Afaik, in Aus, you'll be liable if you brake suddenly for animals on the road & cause an accident. Edited June 22, 2014 by bertie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavNrott Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 I don't think it would have happened at night Anne. It's unlikely ducks would be wandering around at night. It was more than likely dark by the time the photo of the car wreck was taken. If she had time to get out of the car, leaving the door open and a witness saw her on the road bending over the ducks, her car must have been stationary for quite a few seconds. I wonder why the deceased motor cycle rider didn't see the car and have time to steer around it before smashing in to the back of it. What a tragedy. Two people dead and one kind hearted person who was trying to help animals and who had no intent of harming anyone now has to serve jail time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Deliberately stopping in the fast lane of a high speed highway when there isn't room to get the car off the road, and not even putting your hazard lights on, is incredibly negligent. I feel a little sorry for her but much sorrier for the relatives of the poor victims. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poochmad Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 It is sad, but everyone knows you don't stop for animals. However, easier said than done, because I've seen many people swerve or stop to avoid hitting an animal, including my husband who's an extremely careful driver. It's human nature to not want to hurt something and in the heat of the moment, you often don't think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixeduppup Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 i did something similar not too long ago and looking back i was very lucky. I wouldn't do it again. Too dangerous Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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