On Monday, May 13, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, a male driver was pulled over in a McDonald’s drive-thru and charged under the Traffic Safety Act. The driver was observed using a cellphone while operating the vehicle on a public roadway. This violation comes with a hefty fine of $580 and four demerit points.
A Tesla driver, Carl Hunter, has been charged with vehicular homicide after his vehicle in autopilot mode crashed into a motorcyclist, killing him. The victim, Jeff Nissen, was pronounced dead at the crash site. Investigators say Hunter admitted to drinking prior to the crash but passed field and blood tests. They labeled distracted driving as the cause of the crash, as Hunter was using his phone at the time. Tesla offers a Full Self-Driving (Supervised) feature, but recommends drivers remain attentive and avoid complacency. It’s unknown if Hunter was using the trial or had paid for the service. Nissen’s sister urged drivers to put away their phones and pay attention to the road.
In a statewide effort to promote safe driving, New York State Police issued 18,375 tickets during their Spring Safe Driving enforcement campaign. The Hudson Valley region saw the highest number of violations, with Troop K leading in speeding, distracted driving, and move over law violations. The campaign aimed to reduce crashes and improve highway safety for all motorists.
Distracted driving crashes have significantly decreased in Ohio since the implementation of a new distracted driving law, with a 33% drop in the first three months of this year compared to the same period in 2023. The reduction is attributed to police officers being authorized to pull over drivers using their phones. Despite the positive change, the number of citations has skyrocketed, with over 2,000 issued in February alone.
In other news, lawmakers are working to prevent future presidential candidates from facing issues similar to those encountered by President Joe Biden regarding state deadlines. Also, a conservative Texas-based group claims credit for unseating four Republican Ohio state representatives in the primary election.
In economic news, Cleveland City Council approved additional funding for lakefront planning, and Chipotle Mexican Grill announced the opening of a new location in Westlake with a drive-through pickup lane. Cleveland-Cliffs executives expressed continued interest in acquiring U.S. Steel at a lower price.
On the legal front, Catholic Charities was ordered to pay at least $960,000 to the estate of a young boy whose body was found buried in his backyard while his mother received social services from the agency. A member of Cleveland’s Heartless Felons gang was sentenced to five years in prison for drug dealing.
In community news, area hospitals and retail stores are offering designated drug collection sites for National Prescription Take Back Day. A Cleveland woman died in a car crash after a white pickup truck crashed into her vehicle. An Akron police officer with a history of breaking department policy shot a teenager in April, raising concerns about excessive force.
Finally, Playhouse Square announced its 2024-25 Broadway in Akron Series lineup, and Pitbull will bring his “Party After Dark Tour” to Blossom Music Center in August.
