Thursday, September 24, 2009

Madison Police Charge Man In Wreck That Killed Pregnant Woman, Unborn Child


MADISON, AL - The Madison Police Department has arrested a Bob Jones High School student in a deadly wreck that happened August 22. A woman who was pregnant was killed, and so was her unborn child.

Police have charged David James Mears with two counts of manslaughter. Mears, who is 16, is being charged as an adult due to the nature of the crime.

The wreck happened at the intersection of Wall Triana Highway and Gooch Lane, killing Cynthia Sandefur and her unborn child. Sandefur was in the third trimester of her pregnancy.

"We at the Madison Police Department want to impress to all drivers and parents of young drivers what a huge responsibility it is to operate vehicles safely on our roadways," said Madison Police Chief Larry R. Muncey. "It's not just your life you endanger, but others as well."

David Mears is out of jail on a $40,000 bond. No court date has been set. He is being charged with two counts of manslaughter because of the Brody Bill, which Governor Bob Riley signed into law in 2006. The bill is named in memory of Brody Parker, an unborn baby whose mother, Brandy, was shot and killed in Albertville. That crime happened on July 27, 2005. Police have not found the killer.

7 comments:

clintpatty said...

What did he do? I a city in Alabama finally expecting people to pay attention while driving?

clintpatty said...

She was a pedestrian?

Bello Velo said...

She was in another car. Not a pedestrian

Unknown said...

That figures if he she had been walking there would have been no charges filed. You are only accountable for the law if the victim is also in an a vehicle. Or should I say car because I don't think motorcycles are treated like cars when they are hit and killed either.

clintpatty said...

Why was he charged? Was he drunk? Or driving at a speed considered reckless? Or did they finally do something about cell phone drivers?

Bello Velo said...

Good question Clint, now if the pregnant girl was a pedestrian what would have happened? This is so fucked for everyone even the kid, I wonder if his parents thought about this before handing him the keys to his own car?

clintpatty said...

I don't know if this is a change or not. There was a guy on a bike hit on the Little Cove Greenway in Hampton Cove a while back, and the driver was charged. But witnesses had said that she was driving recklessly, like 100+. She lost control of the SUV and went across the grass median, across 2 oncoming lanes, and across another median to hit the guy. He didn't die but she was charged for driving like an asshole. If this kid was driving 80 on Wall Triana/Sullivan/whatever, then this isn't a new thing for the area. But if he was texting and doing the speed limit, I'm glad for the new precedent even if it started with a motorist.