Trash Talk

Over the weekend a friend of Kerry and Scotty’s did a stupid thing. Billy attempted to evade police on a motorcycle. He ran at high speed through a residential neighborhood. When he got to the end of the street he didn’t realize until it was too late that the street ended at a driveway where there were parked vehicles. He crashed into one of them, doing all kinds of damage to himself as well as the bike he was on and the car he crashed in to.

My understanding is that his injuries are quite severe. He has a subdural bleed that is under control (for now), multiple thoracostomies in place to ensure his lungs stay inflated, a shattered right arm, and his entire thoracic cage is fractured. He is intubated and on a ventilator, and he has had issues with bleeding in his abdomen that required immediate surgery on his arrival to the hospital Sunday afternoon.

There has been a considerable amount of drama related to this situation. It was reported on the Union Leader web site and the story can be found here, along with approximately 120 comments from people who felt as though they had to weigh in on it. Not only are there comments from the general public, but there are considerable comments from friends and family members.

As I don’t know what really happened because I wasn’t there, I can only act on what I have been told as well as what I have read. Based on what information I have, I can’t say much. However, I do have some opinions about the situation as a whole that I would like to share.

First, regardless of what he did, Billy is in a very bad situation. His potential legal problems are the least of the things he has to worry about. While I’m told he’s getting better, this is the beginning. Second, I think once he does wake up hopefully he’ll realize what kind of a pickle he is in. He put an entire neighborhood at risk. And he could have hurt people, especially small children if they had been out.

On the other hand, New Hampshire has a “no chase” law. The police should not have pursued him, and from what I was told they were close behind when he crashed. This is not what was reported in the newspaper, however. If the opposite of what was reported is indeed what happened, this could bode poorly for the Manchester PD.

Regardless of the law, though, he shouldn’t have tried to evade police. And he shouldn’t have blown through that neighborhood at high speed. Neither of these was a smart act.

Probably the biggest issue I have, though, is with all of the people who don’t know Billy that made some pretty ugly comments about him in the paper. Those people don’t know him and all they see is the “thug” who did this. I can say from my own experience that Billy is no thug. Sure, he’s got a past. But he’s made a lot of effort to get beyond it. And he deserves better than the trash talk that he can’t respond to because of his condition.

My thoughts and prayers are with his family and his friends. And they are especially with Billy. I hope he can get through this.