Stupid motorists, beware

[Doglips]

Got to love Sheriff Joe Arpaio he's always comeing up with some great ideas

Stupid motorists, beware
County to invoke law, charge for Cave Creek flood rescue

Holly Johnson
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 17, 2005 12:00 AM

SCOTTSDALE - The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office will invoke the state's "stupid motorist law" for the first time, after a Cave Creek man drove around traffic barricades and tried to cross a flooded street last week in his Hummer.

The driver, Paul Zalewski, 47, reportedly ignored warnings not to enter Creek Canyon Road in Cave Creek on Friday.

But "Hummers are made to float," sheriff's spokesman Lt. Paul Chagolla said. "Other people told him not to go in there, and he did it anyway," endangering himself and six passengers, including three children. advertisement




Zalewski was cited for reckless driving. If he is found guilty of the charge in Cave Creek Municipal Court, he will be prosecuted under the state's stupid motorist law, which was passed in 1995 and requires drivers to reimburse the state for the cost of rescues.

Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Travis Anglin said the cost of the 55-minute rescue could exceed $800, based on hourly rates for fuel and maintenance of the rescue helicopter, two employees inside the aircraft, insurance and any damage sustained during rescue.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is considering charging another Cave Creek resident, Jacqueline Goodspeed, 65, for entering a flooded area near 58th Street and Desert Hills Drive despite warnings from officers.

Neither Zalewski or Goodspeed have yet been charged, but Arpaio said Wednesday that he intends to "pursue the law" if they are found guilty of reckless driving.

"We basically have people who were told not to go around barricades, and they went anyway. It's rather stupid," he said.

But that doesn't mean stranded motorists shouldn't call for help.

"It's not worth dying over the possibility of getting a ticket," Arpaio said. "We want people to use common sense." With more strong storms expected to hit this weekend, more than 600 sheriff's volunteers are on standby.

After wet weather dumped two inches of rain over the Valley over the past week, the sheriff's posses had a record-breaking number of rescues: 21 people, including 7 children, and three dogs.

Wednesday the Sheriff's Office assisted the Phoenix Fire Department in the rescue of a man from a flooded truck near 91st Avenue and Baseline Road, near the Salt River basin.

"It's a very serious situation," Arpaio said. "We're predicting more flooding in the washes and rivers, but we're proactive. We're ready to go."

Water rescues involve painstaking precision by both pilots and rescuers; helicopters fly directly over stranded vehicles and airlift victims to safety one at a time. One skid rests and balances on the vehicle, allowing rescuers to scoop up victims, while the other skid hovers above the water.

Wet, precarious surfaces and the risk of electrical shock make the task a dangerous one for rescuers, Anglin said. And "every single time it rains, somebody does this.

"And it's always the same washes. If an H2 and a tractor-trailer and a front-loader can't make it through these washes, your car isn't going to."


Reach the reporter at (602) 444-6849 or holly.johnson@arizonarepublic.com.

[Oxford]

I like Sheriff Joe Arpaio's tactics. :nod: :right:

[Big Dog]

"Hummers are made to float" . . . ? Who the heck told the fool that? Criminal stupidity!

[Gyrene]

The Hummer H2 is no more made to float than the GMC Denali, or the Chevrolet (?), or the Cadillac (?) that it is made from. I do not recall that the HMMMV (is that right?) was made to float, except for maybe some special versions of it.

[Oxford]

Should have bought a VW beetle. Don't they float? :nod:

[BattleRifleG3]

The Chevy equivalent is the Suburban, the Cadillac is the Escalade.

[Oxford]

...and the military's equivalent is the "Duck." I rode in one across Table Rock Lake in southern Missouri when I was at Branson.

[Big Dog]

Military Hummers can be fitted with 'deep fording kits' using extended snorkels and exaust pipes - but they are still limited to the depth they can crawl thru. And a strong enough current or wave can still send it downriver!

After having 'sunk my truck' once in a forest road puddle (a DEEP puddle!), I'm very leery of crawling thru water holes. Took months for the tranny to cough up all the silt - after being completely flushed!

I'd love to have a Schwimmwagen, the WWII German amphibious VW 'jeep'.

[BattleRifleG3]

I've really wanted an amphibious vehicle. A road-legal one would be awesome. So far all I'm familiar with is the Argo.

[Thrawn]

Originally Posted by Gyrene

The Hummer H2 is no more made to float than the GMC Denali, or the Chevrolet (?), or the Cadillac (?) that it is made from. I do not recall that the HMMMV (is that right?) was made to float, except for maybe some special versions of it.

Actually they are supposed to sink, floating vehicles don't get traction.

[Doglips]

ANyone rember the old Gama Goat 6 wheel drive 2 stroke (yes 2 stroke) desel Milatary vechiel...it was sapose to "swim"....seen a few sink..but never swim.

As for this story....if these goofballs with too much $$ and too little brains tried to cross a river/flooded area flowing so fast they had to be rescued by helocopter....welp they need to pay for the choper ride....and I hope their insurance company denies their claim.

[Big Dog]

Yep, I bet that would be some expensive insurance, if it covers "acts of blatant stupidity".

[dhermesc]

I'd charge him with reckless endangerment for risking the lives of the minors that where in the "H2".

[Troy]

now open