The accident occurred on Hogansville Road just before 4:00pm Tuesday, April 2. According to authorities, Ann Burke was slowing to make a left turn onto Mobley Bridge Road. Two vehicles behind her also slowed. A dump truck carrying large rocks came up behind the three vehicles at a “high rate of speed”. According to reports, truck driver, Mark Lee Singleton, swerved left to avoid the vehicles and struck the Avalon as it was turning. The truck then overturned on top of the Avalon, possibly due to the heavy weight of the load.

Ms. Burke and Ms. Ritter were airlifted to Columbus Medical Center with severe injuries, including broken bones, head injuries, lacerations and bruising.

State Trooper Scott Jeter reports charges may follow an investigation. Alcohol and drug use are not suspected.

Investigators at The Murray Law Firm are questioning whether speed, distraction or weight were factors in this terrible incident:

• Was the truck driver speeding at the time of the accident? Were distractions, such as a cellphone or cab radio, factors in the driver’s failure to safely stop?

• Did the truck’s heavy load contribute to it’s failure to stop or cause it to overturn? What are the maximum height and weight limits for the dump truck load, as required by the truck’s manufacturer, owner and management company? Did the dump truck operator, owner, and management company adhere to these safety standards?

As it appears the truck driver may be at fault and facing criminal charges in this incident, Ms. Burke and Ms. Ritter may elect to hold him civilly liable for their severe injuries. Further, as the truck driver reported the weight of the load may have been a factor in this accident, additional claims may be made against the truck manufacturer, owner and management company, should it be found the truck was unfit to handle the heavy load being carried at the time of the accident.

Unfortunately, all too often insurance companies and construction companies are more concerned with limiting their financial exposure than providing victims and their families what they rightfully deserve. As such, Ms. Burke and Ms. Ritter should retain an experienced law firm immediately to ensure all evidence is preserved and their family’s best interests are protected. Photographs and an inspection of the truck will need to be retained immediately before any repairs can be made.

If you are seeking further information on this incident, we encourage you to contact The Murray Law Firm at 706.494.2800.

Renee McGrath, Youth Services Manager at the Nassau Library System and member of the 2012 Newbery Committee, joined us to share some of her experience preparing for the discussions that will take place in less than two weeks at the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Dallas. Everyone can take part in the excitement of the awards by watching the live webcast  of the press conference from their home or library (the webcast begins at 8:30am EST).

The discussion leaders – Ann Burke and Marybeth Kozikowski - did a fabulous job selecting a list of titles that reflect the kind of variety the Newbery Committee sees each year. Ann and Marybeth each facilitated a discussion group and were so appreciative that the librarians came well-prepared and ready to examine the books in the context of the Newbery criteria. Many thanks to all who came and participated – especially the brave souls who stepped up to introduce the nine discussion titles:

The answer is not wasting tax-payer dollars on more guards. We need to reduce the jail population to less than 6,000 from its previous high of nearly 11,000. Non-violent offenders should be sentenced to alternatives other than jail that actually benefit society. There are lots of things a sentenced criminal can do as community service other than just picking up garbage, including providing free or reduced services as an employee for the state in almost any job category. Mentally ill convicts, including addicts, should be treated not just jailed so jail does not become a revolving door. There is not even 1/4 the mental health services available to probationers or parolees that are needed. Guards should be required to have a higher level of training, not only in terms of judo, but also in recognizing and de-escalating violence due to mental illness, as well as not treating every refusal to do as told as voluntary and requiring force. Mentally ill are often confused and react better and more compliantly with “herding them gently” or backing-off and giving them space, instead of with brute force, which generally will be irrationally resisted. Women who have been raped or assaulted may go into flashbacks and not even realize where they are, as they are reliving in their mind the brutal attack. Guards need to be taught to control without brutality and foul language. This is not a good example. They should be teaching inmates how to resolve conflicts peacefully and civilly not escalate them to violence as the officers often do, because that is what they are trained to do.

Another internet writer stated: “Amen to that, Linda. Why are so many non-violents that could be on house arrest still in jail. And why does the judge get to say “this drug addict is not fit for rehabilitation” without even giving it a try? It baffles me.”

You have to understand Cook Co runs on patronage. You have to have large armies of uneducated workers who vote for you as a candidate, and bring out the vote by acting as poll watchers and bringing people to the polls, especially dead people. Sheriff deputies, Court Clerk staff, DCFS workers, IDOC staff, etc., fullful this role nicely.

To hire such a large army you need to make sure they take long lunches, do only half the job they could so you can hire two for every one employee needed, or campaign on public time. You make your payroll bloated with excess staff. You fire employees who are efficient. You remind employees that if they work to fast they are depriving another person of a job. You promote only those who enforce campaigning and fundraising efforts. You promote incompetents who don’t think for themselves, never questions “authority”, and are loyal to the patronage system.

In order to have lots of guards you need to deny personal recognizance bonds for non-violent (I-Bonds). You need to put people in jail instead of on probation. You need excessive sentences, particularly for drug and non-violent crimes. You need a revolving door of a corrupt parole system and no mental health or drug addiction treatment.

So you need lots of prisoners or you can’t hire lots of guards and keep complaining that you need more guards! That’s the way the machine works to keep the corrupt in office. Guards are used! They are coerced and manipulated and made to think that if they squeal by going to 2111 S. Roosevel FBI office and ask for a duty agent and then provide evidence of corruption, patronage, brutality, medical neglect, excessive force, and fraud, that they will lose their jobs! Guards are fools to cooperate with this corruption. They would have a better job, better working environment, better benefits, if they were trained properly, if they followed the law, and if 10 % of our tax dollars weren’t going into political campaigns, like (“Friends of Madigan) through illegal kickbacks (bribery).

Remember the guards are abused as much as the inmates because they work in crowded unsafe conditions, are improperly trained and encouraged to be sadists, foul-mouthed and vulgar, intolerent, and violent hotheads, and without proper mental health and drug addiction treatment the inmates are dangerous. Guards are simply crazy to keep voting for the same idiots who are USING THEM and demanding 10 % kickbacks (bribes) to their political funds like “Friends of Madigan”. We need a massive grass roots movement, including the guards to vote out of office these criminals including Stroger, Madigan (Lisa & Michael), Dart, the Daleys, Beavers, Burkes, Jones, Steeles, Lipinskys etc., and their puppets. Political office in Illinois needs to stop being an inherited oligarchy. We simply have to help the FBI and U.S. Attorney take down King Richard Thompson, his Lords Madigans, Daleys, Burkes, Beavers, etc., the Sheriff of Nottingham Dart (previously Sheahan), and his high executioner Alvarez (previously Divine).

Anyone who wishes to help me do this – citizens and officers alike – you can even help in anonymous ways – e-mail me at picepil@aol.com.