NEWS: The Mercury - 21/02/2006 'Road victim on ecstasy'

[hoptis]

Road victim 'on ecstasy'
By CHARLES WATERHOUSE
21 Feb 2006

A NEW Norfolk man run over by a car in the town had been drinking bourbon and taken ecstasy, an inquest in Hobart heard yesterday.

The inquest heard the ecstasy could have given the man who died Jonathan Hackett, 25, a feeling of invincibility.

He died from chest and head injuries after being run over on Hobart Rd by a car driven by Peter Webb about 4.45am on Sunday, September 26, 2004.

Mr Webb told the court he suddenly noticed a dark object on the road one to 1.5 metres away and it was too late to take any action.

Evidence was heard Mr Hackett had been laying across the eastbound lane, near an entrance to Tynwald.

Kathryn Campbell, of Forensic Science Services Tasmania, told Coroner Steve Carey Mr Hackett had a blood alcohol reading of 0.208 and an MDMA reading of 0.2mg per litre of blood.

She said the ecstasy reading indicated the drug had been taken in the previous five hours.

Results of taking ecstasy included a feeling of increased confidence, alertness, a euphoria and, she agreed with Mark Miller, for the Police Department, a feeling of invincibility.

Truck driver Nicholas Bennetto said he had seen something on the road in front of him when driving a log truck about 20 to 25km/h on Hobart Rd about 4am.

He said he stopped the truck 8 to 10 metres away.

Mr Bennetto said the man had his face down, his knees raised to his chest, and his arms clasped behind his neck.

He said he was apprehensive about approaching him, fearing some sort of mugging but the man extended his left arm to brush him away.

"You can't forcibly remove people, that's why I rang police," Mr Bennetto said.

"In hindsight I wish I had dragged him off the road, he might be still alive."

Mr Bennetto said he reversed his truck, drove round the man and, while driving out of New Norfolk, telephoned 000 and spoke to the police radio room to report the incident.

He was surprised not to see police on the road, responding to his report, as he travelled toward Hobart.

The following day Mr Bennetto said he had heard a news report about the man being hit by a vehicle and made another 000 call to the police radio room because he was concerned someone might have thought he was responsible and also to report the details of a utility which had been travelling behind his truck on the night.

The inquest heard the same person in the police radio room took both 000 calls from Mr Bennetto and failed to register them.

Frank Ogle, the director of corporate services in Tasmania police, said disciplinary action had been taken against the man.

The action taken against him included counselling and being moved from radio despatch -- costing him income of about $10,000 a year.

The inquest continues today.

From The Mercury

 

[tiptop]

yeah its all the es fault dont worry about the stupid amount of alcohol in his system.

 

[Cazoom]

^^^i was thinking the same thing

It's ignorant to think that ecstasy was the main cause of this accident, which substance is it that numbs the senses and slows reaction time???

 

[Jwlst]

I lay down on the top of a speedbump once. After that, I tend to avoid alcohol a tiny bit more. (but not to much :D )

 

[tiptop]

she agreed with Mark Miller, for the Police Department, a feeling of invincibility.

i also thought that was amusing

 

[Ewok]

^^ There's bound to be exacerbation by the media reports but that doesn't excuse someone from driving on ecstacy. It's the same as driving drunk, totally unacceptable and something I thought people on here would be more informed about.

 

[peaked]

^^ I agree, but in this case it wasnt the driver who was under the influence, it was the victim who (for whatever reasons) felt the urge to lie on the road.

This whole article seems very corny. What would seem likely to me is that he passed out on the road just because he was so smashed and couldn't help it, but instead the writer decides to spin out a story about mdma making one feel "invincible" and implies that this was the reason for the victim laying on the road in the first place.

 

[toerag]

I can't say I've ever felt invincible on ecstasy. Maybe its just me, but I become more aware of things around me and become more cautious...heck I make all my friends hold hands when we cross a road not at pedestrian crossings, and make sure people hold the railings as they go down stairs, and so on and so on. I once even made my friend put his shoes on as we walked up the beach at 7am, afraid he'd step on a needle, when usually I walk up that beach sober ALL the time with no shoes on at all!!

I could not ever imagine I'd want to walk/sit on a road while on e.

Alcohol on the other hand, has seen me sit right in the middle of a road, just metres from a corner where cars usually tore around like the drivers life depended on them getting around that corner the fastest anyone ever has before. And thinking nothing of it. And not having a care in the world.

Theres a reason why I don't like alcohol as much these days!

 

[tiptop]

but i dont think you understand...mark milledr from the police dept said you feel invincible when you have e so it must be true. mark miller wouldnt lie would he?

 

[basix]

This article sucks, his blood alc lever was .208 but its obviously the ecstacy.

And Ewok your comment made no sense perhaps reread the article.

 

[Ewok]

^^ Shit sorry, I scanned the article and got confused with the names. Chill. But yeah, this article is definitely BS and alcohol has claimed another life on the roads.

 

[Fry-d-]

I'd be almost ready to blame the poor police response for this mans death. I imagine the truck driver is in a world of guilt also.

The blood alchohol reading is insanely high and you would probably blame that for someone falling asleep in the middle of the road but I'm not sure what 0.2mg per litre means in relation to MDMA intoxication.

 

[bikki_muncher69]

I'd be almost ready to blame the poor police response for this mans death. I imagine the truck driver is in a world of guilt also.

The blood alchohol reading is insanely high and you would probably blame that for someone falling asleep in the middle of the road but I'm not sure what 0.2mg per litre means in relation to MDMA intoxication.

Maybee they mean 0.2mg/kg instead of a litre.