EDITORIAL A DIFFICULT DECISION FARMERS MARKET CRASH SHOWS NEED TO TIGHTEN STANDARDS FOR DRIVERS.THE felony manslaughter conviction last week of 89-year-old George Russell Weller George Russell Weller (born December 7, 1916) is a retired salesman from Santa Monica, California, who gained notoriety as the motorist in a fatal car accident, fueling a national debate on safety risks posed by elderly drivers. appears to have been a difficult decision for the jury to make. But certainly it was the right one. Ten people died and more than 60 were injured when Weller drove two blocks through a Santa Monica Santa Monica (săn`tə mŏn`ĭkə), city (1990 pop. 86,905), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1886. Tourism and retailing are important, and the city has motion-picture, biotechnology, and software industries. farmers market in July 2003. Whether a mistake or malice malice, in law, an intentional violation of the law of crimes or torts that injures another person. Malice need not involve a malignant spirit or the definite intent to do harm. -- we may never know which -- someone had to take responsibility.Now comes the hard part: The sentencing. There are some who feel that no one should escape punishment just because of their age. Others see no point; Weller's not likely to hurt anyone else. But what is clear is that state authorities must start grappling with how to better regulate aging drivers as the baby boomer baby boomer also ba·by-boom·er n. A member of a baby-boom generation. Noun 1. baby boomer - a member of the baby boom generation in the 1950s; "they expanded the schools for a generation of baby boomers" boomer generation creeps toward old age. Otherwise, there are sure to be many more tragedies like this one. |
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