LAPD cop causes head-on collision, killing self and another rider

masameet

masameet

Rawr!
One of them being himself.

LAPD Officer Kent Alexander Carter, 60, was off-duty and riding his personal bike, a 2007 Suzuki, this past Sunday afternoon when for some reason he crossed the DY and rode head-on into Miles McCune, 24, on his 1999 Honda. Both riders suffered fatal injuries.

McCune was part of a group ride. His close friend, Anthony Mendoza, on a 2007 Honda, then struck Carter (I guess after he hit the pavement). Mendoza and Michelle Oelhafen, his GF riding pillion, were hospitalized with serious injuries.

Josh Murray, 25, who was riding in front of the group said they were not speeding.

"There was nothing in the road that Carter was trying to avoid. He came straight into our lane and I had to swerve to the right... then checked my mirrors to see the most horrific accident imaginable," Murray said.
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The OC Register includes a video of the wreck's aftermath in its story here. The quote from Murray was taken from the accompanying article on McCune.

California and the rest of the country sure has had some awful multi-motorcycle wrecks this year.

RIP Officer Kent Alexander Carter and Miles McCune and a speedy recovery to Anthony Mendoza and Michelle Oelhafen.
 
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Nonsequitur

Nonsequitur

An mac tíre agus fear.
Interesting thread title, for an off-duty officer to be primarily identified by his job and not the fact that he was just another motorcyclist/motorist... I wonder if he fell asleep while riding?

RIP Miles McCune and Alexander Carter, my thoughts and prayers to friends and family!
 
Bikerx260

Bikerx260

Combat Veteran
Nonsequitur said:
Interesting thread title, for an off-duty officer to be primarily identified by his job and not the fact that he was just another motorcyclist/motorist... I wonder if he fell asleep while riding?

RIP Miles McCune and Alexander Carter, my thoughts and prayers to friends and family!
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RIP riders, speedy recovery to the survivors.

That's standard operating procedure. Same goes for Military Police, when they do wrong versus any other soldier/sailor/Marine. Doesn't matter if they are on-call, off-duty, etc; those that enforce the rules have to live by them 24/7.

Unfortunately, for three innocent victims, he failed to do just that.
 
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mathydoode

mathydoode

Well-known member
RIP riders..

I know how friends and family are feeling right now. I pray that they can get through troubling times and that McCune and Carter are in a better place now.

Condolences to their family, to what they must be going through right now.
 
Karbon

Karbon

Hyper hoñorary
Bikerx260 said:
RIP riders, speedy recovery to the survivors.

That's standard operating procedure. Same goes for Military Police, when they do wrong versus any other soldier/sailor/Marine. Doesn't matter if they are on-call, off-duty, etc; those that enforce the rules have to live by them 24/7.

Unfortunately, for three innocent victims, he failed to do just that.
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This. It's the honor and dignity the Chosen Ones live by.

RIP riders.
 
Nonsequitur

Nonsequitur

An mac tíre agus fear.
Bikerx260 said:
RIP riders, speedy recovery to the survivors.

That's standard operating procedure. Same goes for Military Police, when they do wrong versus any other soldier/sailor/Marine. Doesn't matter if they are on-call, off-duty, etc; those that enforce the rules have to live by them 24/7.

Unfortunately, for three innocent victims, he failed to do just that.
Click to expand...

I don't agree with the practice, as both a Veteran and Police Officer, the implication in the title by identifying him as a LAPD Officer was that he was on-duty (as that is what was inferred by my wife, brother, and I when we read the title the first time). When I drive home I am just another motorist, except if I do something wrong? My screen name may be Nonsequitur, but that is what you are fostering, a non sequitur.

Nevertheless it is a tragedy, and my best wishes for those that were injured!

EDIT: For clarification I don't agree with the practice, there have been plenty of times where you can single out by profession but by saying "Off-duty LAPD Officer causes accident" in a way that does not imply he was on-duty or acting in an official capacity. The problem therein is that he was not representing himself at the time as a member of the LAPD while driving his POV.

I am interested if there will be any other insight into why he crossed over into oncoming traffic? Fatigue, poor operation, medical emergency, intoxication, etc...
 
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W

Wack

Flounder
For BARF, this thread has been pretty sympathetic to the rider who caused the accident. The usual lynch mob chanting "hang the rider" has been respectfully quiet. Has BARF matured, gained empathy and realizes that there may have been extenuating circumstances?
 
masameet

masameet

Rawr!
Nonsequitur, I debated putting in "off-duty" instead of "LAPD" in the title. Ultimately I decided to go with LAPD because the identification of Off. Carter's PD showed location (or at least close proximity). Doing so smacks of sensationalism, I grant you that, as it implies and a reader can infer he is on-duty. But to offset that notion, I added "off-duty" in the text to show Carter was not performing LE duties at the time of the crash. Also the LA Times story put LAPD in its headline. It was that story I read first (and I did wait some 4 hours before posting, hoping somebody else would post). So I think I'm not really that much out of line for doing so as well.

And according to a comment posted by a surviving rider in McCune's group, an off-duty EMT riding a Harley stopped to give aid, an off-duty nurse in a car stopped to see what she could do, and other motorists stopped as well -- one gave blankets for the dead riders and others prayed.

On BARF we can talk about laws we'd like to enact if we had the power to make it safer for riders; we can ridicule and scold riders for lacking good judgment and making stupid mistakes; we can discuss girls on R6's, the merits of Aerostich over Rev'It as rainwear; and we can quote the CVC and get advice from genuine LEOs like yourself. But then a California cop, albeit off-duty, kills himself and another rider and seriously injures a second rider and his GF (broken back) ... Pretty sobering story and powerful message to take in, yes?
 
Ironbutt

Ironbutt

Loves the anecdotal
My respects..

I don't want to split hairs and stray too far off topic but isn't it true; one no longer has civilian status after they're a 'sworn in'.. so that would mean you're an officer 24x7?



Nonsequitur said:
I don't agree with the practice, as both a Veteran and Police Officer, the implication in the title by identifying him as a LAPD Officer was that he was on-duty (as that is what was inferred by my wife, brother, and I when we read the title the first time). When I drive home I am just another motorist, except if I do something wrong? My screen name may be Nonsequitur, but that is what you are fostering, a non sequitur.

Nevertheless it is a tragedy, and my best wishes for those that were injured!

EDIT: For clarification I don't agree with the practice, there have been plenty of times where you can single out by profession but by saying "Off-duty LAPD Officer causes accident" in a way that does not imply he was on-duty or acting in an official capacity. The problem therein is that he was not representing himself at the time as a member of the LAPD while driving his POV.

I am interested if there will be any other insight into why he crossed over into oncoming traffic? Fatigue, poor operation, medical emergency, intoxication, etc...
Click to expand...
 
budman

budman

General Menace
Staff member
WhatsYourHandle said:
Geezers need to quit riding. Quit being selfish and delusional and go play grandpa.
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Well I am a grandpa and likely a geezer by your definition.. so I say young punks that don't know how a geezer can ride should not be say jack shit about it.

I think I know a few very fast capable geezer riders.. maybe Kenny Roberts would be qualified as one.. :shocker

Wait.. I am selfish and delusional.. never mind.

Godpseed Riders :rose
 
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