Thread: Stupid Motorist
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Old 02-17-2005, 01:45 AM
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More info on that moron yutz that didn't follow the signs.

On a side note, feel free to email the writer of her transgressions. Her email address is at the end.

To email or contact other people who transgressed:

Main corrections email address for the Arizona Republic: correction@arizonarepublic.com

Complain about the stupid Press Information Officer to the Maricopa County Sheriff's office - 602-876-1000 or 800-352-4553. Ask for Lisa Allen.


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http://www.azcentral.com/php-bin/cli...rescue-ON.html

Motorist who ignored flood warnings may pay rescue costs

Holly Johnson
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 16, 2005 06:22 PM

SCOTTSDALE - A week of wet weather that led to record-breaking water rescues also may lead to possible charges under the state's so-called stupid motorists law.

The driver of a Hummer, Paul Zalewski, reportedly ignored warnings and went around barricades to ford floodwaters.

But "Hummers are made to float," said Maricopa County Sheriff's spokesman Lt. Paul Chagolla. "Other people told him not to go in there, and he did it anyway."

Zalewski, 47, 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 requires drivers to reimburse the state for the cost of rescues that could have been prevented.

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.

With more strong storms expected to hit the Valley this weekend, more than 600 Maricopa County Sheriff's Office volunteers have been placed on standby.

Since last week, sheriff's posses have rescued 21 people, including 7 children and three dogs.

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

The sheriff's office on Monday rescued a man from a flooded truck near 91st Avenue and Baseline Road, near the Salt River basin. And on Friday, seven people, including three children, were airlifted from a submerged Hummer H2 on Creek Canyon Road in Cave Creek.

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 descend to pick up victims, while the other skid hovers above the water.

Wet, precarious surfaces and the risk of electrical shock make the task dangerous 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."

Phoenix Assistant Fire Chief Bob Khan said rescuers are trained to anticipate areas that typically flood during storms, especially those bordering the Salt River.

"All the water heads toward the basin," he said. "The closer you get to the Salt River, the more problems we have."

A lack of helicopters makes city rescues problematic, he said. The Phoenix Fire Department currently uses military helicopters, as well as their own aircraft, to conduct mountain and water rescues. But with the number of rescues increasing steadily, often those resources aren't enough.

The sheriff's office uses its own helicopter, as well as one donated by a posse volunteer, to conduct rescues.

Zalewski may be the first Valley resident to ever have been charged with violating the stupid motorist law. Nevertheless Arpaio doesn't want to deter stranded motorists from calling for help.

"It's not worth dying over the possibility of getting a ticket," he said. "We want people to use common sense, be ready for the weather, work with our law enforcement officials and stay safe."



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