Retired Army Colonel hits and kills Colorado State Trooper, flees the scene, was DUI.

[Planter]

I'm having some conflicting feelings here. What the Colonel did was wrong, he should pay a price, but at the same time (and this is where the conflict comes in), this man gave 27 selfless years of his life to this nation, received an honorable discharge and retired.

Does this man deserve some sort of consideration for his service to his country? I don't think he deserves preferential treatment because of his position or rank and the Judge was pretty considerate in lowering his bond from $1,000,000 to $500,000 in which he bonded out and went home today.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_29134105/douglas-county-judge-reduces-bond-former-colonel-held

It's just hard for me to say throw the book at the guy and lose the key. I don't know his criminal record prior to this incident, but I doubt he has one, and none of the papers to my knowledge discuss any prior history of drunk driving or criminal history.

On the flip side, he killed a State Trooper, and 33 year old mother of an 8 month old little girl and wife to a husband who will never get to see her again, because he wanted to drink and drive. I'm saddened by the fact that an 8 month old little girl will never know her mama because some guy thought he was ok to drive after several beers.

Even worse, the guy not only hit and killed this trooper...he then fled the scene. Does 1 bad act, undo a lifetime of good deeds? And how does that translate into determining punishment?

I'm glad I am not the Judge in this case, because determining a fit punishment considerate of the man's service, but at the same time rendering a fair justice to the dead Trooper and her family will be no easy feat.

What are your thoughts SVTP?

original article here.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/colorado-trooper-killed-investigating-accident-35227117

A retired Army colonel struck and killed a Colorado State Patrol trooper with his truck as she was investigating a crash south of Denver, then fled before he was arrested on homicide and drunken driving charges, authorities said Monday.

Trooper Jaimie Jursevics, 33, died Sunday night on southbound Interstate 25 near Castle Rock.

Eric Peter Henderson, 52, who had served in Iraq and Kuwait, hit the trooper as she was using her flashlight to direct him to the side of the highway to see if he was driving while drunk, an arrest affidavit states.

A trooper who had been following Henderson's pickup truck told investigators he heard Jursevics scream and saw her flashlight fly through the air.

Henderson drove about 15 miles before he was arrested on charges including vehicular homicide, leaving the scene, careless driving causing death and driving under the influence. He was being held in the Douglas County jail on $1 million bond.

Henderson's daughter, Frankie Henderson, declined to immediately comment.

Eric Henderson refused to answer a detective's questions without a lawyer but seemed shocked, crying in the interview room, "'I killed a cop,'" according to the affidavit.

His passenger, Craig Whitehill, told investigators he had attended the Denver Broncos game with Henderson, who drank at least six beers while they were together. He added, however that nothing about Henderson's driving concerned him.

Whitehill said he fell asleep and was awakened by a "big thump," the affidavit says.

The Army said Henderson retired in June 2013 from the Space and Missile Defense Command at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs after a 27-year career in the military.

He was twice deployed to Iraq and four times to Kuwait, according to his military records.

Jursevics, a four-year veteran of the state patrol, was married and had a young child. Troopers lined up outside patrol offices in Castle Rock and saluted as a coroner's procession carried the trooper away.

Colonel Eric Henderson

Trooper Jaimie Jursevics and her 8 month old daughter

 

[svtfocus2cobra]

Hell no! He burns like the rest of us. He would have gave no consideration to a soldier that came before him in trial for the same actions. I don't even have to think twice about it.

What he did here just shows how poor of judgment he probably had as an active duty Colonel.

 

[truefiveo]

I'm having some conflicting feelings here. What the Colonel did was wrong, he should pay a price, but at the same time (and this is where the conflict comes in), this man gave 27 selfless years of his life to this nation, received an honorable discharge and retired.

The guy was dead wrong.....military service doesn't excuse a hit & run homicide, no matter who you are or what you did for this country.

He took an oath to uphold integrity in and out of uniform....he failed to do so.

 

[RedRocketMike]

I would provide no consideration when applying charges, as a juror maybe I would.

 

[James Snover]

Your view is predicated on the concept that all the good the Colonel did was not washed away, in an instant, by one act of evil. The way I see it, it was. You hit and run because you're DUI and don't want to deal with the consequences? Too damn bad, all his life's work, his reputation,all of it, shot down the drain. Wait until the Trooper's son grows up, then ask him if he wants to grant leniency to the dirt bag who robbed him of his mother. If the kid says yes, if the husband says yes, then i still wouldn't grant this dirt bag any leniency.

 

[Equalbracket]

No conflicting thoughts here. He got drunk then drove and killed a person, and he will pay for it, no leniency will be given. State Troopers in Colorado are much more well respected then the local police.

Too many vets feel entitled, and it's usually guys that didnt even see combat. I've noticed the ones that have, don't say a thing.

 

[ford fanatic]

No conflicting thoughts here. He got drunk then drove and killed a person, and he will pay for it, no leniency will be given. State Troopers in Colorado are much more well respected then the local police.

Too many vets feel entitled, and it's usually guys that didnt even see combat. I've noticed the ones that have, don't say a thing.

This. I say throw the book at him.

God bless that little girl who has to grow up without her mother.

 

[Planter]

Hell no! He burns like the rest of us. He would have gave no consideration to a soldier that came before him in trial for the same actions. I don't even have to think twice about it.

What he did here just shows how poor of judgment he probably had as an active duty Colonel.

maybe, maybe not. we don't know the man. it's hard to make that type of assessment based on some newspaper articles.

Perhaps the man's self-discipline has dwindled after being out of the military for a number of years, and he let his guard down. Perhaps, he just got caught up in the moment and let his guard down?

He screwed up for sure, but to criticize his active duty judgement as poor with no knowledge of his conduct in the military is pretty bold imo.

Your view is predicated on the concept that all the good the Colonel did was not washed away, in an instant, by one act of evil. The way I see it, it was. You hit and run because you're DUI and don't want to deal with the consequences? Too damn bad, all his life's work, his reputation,all of it, shot down the drain. Wait until the Trooper's son grows up, then ask him if he wants to grant leniency to the dirt bag who robbed him of his mother. If the kid says yes, if the husband says yes, then i still wouldn't grant this dirt bag any leniency.

interesting point of view.

No conflicting thoughts here. He got drunk then drove and killed a person, and he will pay for it, no leniency will be given. State Troopers in Colorado are much more well respected then the local police.

Too many vets feel entitled, and it's usually guys that didnt even see combat. I've noticed the ones that have, don't say a thing.

well the Colonel did serve in Iraq and Kuwait. I don't know what you base your comment "too many vets feel entitled" on?

 

[svtfocus2cobra]

maybe, maybe not. we don't know the man. it's hard to make that type of assessment based on some newspaper articles.

Perhaps the man's self-discipline has dwindled after being out of the military for a number of years, and he let his guard down. Perhaps, he just got caught up in the moment and let his guard down?

He screwed up for sure, but to criticize his active duty judgement as poor with no knowledge of his conduct in the military is pretty bold imo.

Well sorry to disappoint you if you thought there would be any sympathy for him. If you had been active duty longer and reported into and spent some time in some more units you would understand where I'm coming from. You see a shiny Eagle on his uniform and think he is God's gift to the military, but the sad fact is that a lot of the leadership in the military is just as sad as the leadership in our government. Poor decisions and actions like this are becoming more and more common amongst the leadership so this comes as no surprise. I doubt there's a single person I know that served that would ask for any mercy on this guy.

 

[cbj5259]

No leniency sorry. If it was the other way around and an off duty Trooper got drunk and killed a Colonel, people would be clamoring about how the Trooper should fry and that he or she should be held to a higher standard. Well...that Colonel should be held to that same higher standard. Sometimes a great career of service can be washed down the tubes by one stupid act.

 

[Planter]

Well sorry to disappoint you if you thought there would be any sympathy for him. If you had been active duty longer and reported into and spent some time in some more units you would understand where I'm coming from. You see a shiny Eagle on his uniform and think he is God's gift to the military, but the sad fact is that a lot of the leadership in the military is just as sad as the leadership in our government. Poor decisions and actions like this are becoming more and more common amongst the leadership so this comes as no surprise. I doubt there's a single person I know that served that would ask for any mercy on this guy.

You're probably right about if I had spent some more time in the military I might have a different viewpoint, definitely something I lack here. I just know how hard it is to advance a career in the military especially at the officer level from seeing friends and family run into roadblocks in their careers, so I guess I have a lot of respect for those who achieve such a rank. They were able to stand apart from others to get there and they did put in tremendous amounts of hard work, and perhaps some had a little luck and being in the right spot at the right time or got a favor from the good ole buddy system over someone else.

I'm saddened by the whole thing really. This guy throws away a distinguished career and his retirement, a trooper is senselessly killed, and a baby girl gets to grow up without her mama and a husband loses the love of his life. Trying to wrap my head around the whole thing and I can't.

It's just all around a really bad situation involving 2 people who did a lot of good in their lives and made sacrifices for their country...for it to end up like this just royally sucks.

 

[truefiveo]

You're probably right about if I had spent some more time in the military I might have a different viewpoint, definitely something I lack here.

Exactly!
Now that's a start Planter....

 

[Stanger00]

Retired Army Colonel hits and kills Colorado State Trooper, flees the scene, ...

Well sorry to disappoint you if you thought there would be any sympathy for him. If you had been active duty longer and reported into and spent some time in some more units you would understand where I'm coming from. You see a shiny Eagle on his uniform and think he is God's gift to the military, but the sad fact is that a lot of the leadership in the military is just as sad as the leadership in our government. Poor decisions and actions like this are becoming more and more common amongst the leadership so this comes as no surprise. I doubt there's a single person I know that served that would ask for any mercy on this guy.

I stand inline with your reasoning after being hardened and jaded by my own military leadership, I have zero sympathy for this guy who drove drunk and killed a person. If he were still overseeing a command and one of his soldiers did this he would have zero sympathy for them and send them directly to jail. He holds a higher standard and obviously he has poor judgment that has finally caught up with him and unfortunately it came at the cost of a human life that will reverberate in the lives of the motherless child, the widower and the family of this State Trooper.

Also, screw this dude hope he gets the maximum sentence of vehicle manslaughter. If he has prior DUI then upgrade that shit to murder.

Planter, military of any kind does not mean they should be given a break when they knowingly broke a law! Drinking and driving is not an accident or lapse of judgment.

 

[truefiveo]

I stand inline with your reasoning after being hardened and jaded by my own military leadership, I have zero sympathy for this guy who drove drunk and killed a person. If he were still overseeing a command and one of his soldiers did this he would have zero sympathy for them and send them directly to jail. He holds a higher standard and obviously he has poor judgment that has finally caught up with him and unfortunately it came at the cost of a human life that will reverberate in the lives of the motherless child, the widower and the family of this State Trooper.

Also, screw this dude hope he gets the maximum sentence of vehicle manslaughter. If he has prior DUI then upgrade that shit to murder.

Planter, military of any kind does not mean they should be given a break when they knowingly broke a law! Drinking and driving is not an accident or lapse of judgment.

Yea I bet this same Colonel has had to issue thousands of Article 15s and dishonorable discharges under the UCMJ as a commander.
Now the hammer of justice has risen over him and he needs to stand like a man of integrity and responsibility and accept his punishment just like his past military subordinates.

 

[Planter]

I stand inline with your reasoning after being hardened and jaded by my own military leadership, I have zero sympathy for this guy who drove drunk and killed a person. If he were still overseeing a command and one of his soldiers did this he would have zero sympathy for them and send them directly to jail. He holds a higher standard and obviously he has poor judgment that has finally caught up with him and unfortunately it came at the cost of a human life that will reverberate in the lives of the motherless child, the widower and the family of this State Trooper.

Also, screw this dude hope he gets the maximum sentence of vehicle manslaughter. If he has prior DUI then upgrade that shit to murder.

Planter, military of any kind does not mean they should be given a break when they knowingly broke a law! Drinking and driving is not an accident or lapse of judgment.

don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he shouldn't get any punishment at all here. I'm not for the guy getting off the hook scott free. That isn't going to happen. But I think we all know that most likely he will end up taking a plea deal for a reduced sentence and some leniency and I expect that he will receive it. There's no way his lawyer will allow him to take to this trial because he doesn't have a leg to stand on in terms of deniability or even technicalities.

criticize me all you want, but I have to be honest, if I were the Judge, I'd be willing to knock 5-7 years off a 30-35 year sentence for his service (but only if he had a clean criminal history prior to this and no prior alcohol related stuff), but that's about as far of a break as I'd given him. He's already 53. 30-35 years would have him getting out at 83-88 years old, with a 5-7 year break, still 78-81 years old. doubt he will live much longer than that. I'm not sure what the maximum sentence here is, but I'm sure it's 30+ at least.

if he has other alcohol related priors or criminal history..then no leniency period.

 

[Screw-Rice]

No way in hell does he or anyone get preferential treatment for getting drunk and killing a trooper and then fleeing the scene. Tell the troopers 8 month old kid that she doesn't have a mom and the guy who killed her was a vet, so he gets a pass on it. Not really surprised the op is trying to justify doing the wrong thing with backward logic.

 

[derklug]

Treat him the same as any other citizen, maybe let him have a 14" TV in his cell instead of a 12".

 

[Planter]

No way in hell does he or anyone get preferential treatment for getting drunk and killing a trooper and then fleeing the scene. Tell the troopers 8 month old kid that she doesn't have a mom and the guy who killed her was a vet, so he gets a pass on it. Not really surprised the op is trying to justify doing the wrong thing with backward logic.

nowhere am I trying to justify any wrongdoing. I'm of the opinion his military service counts for something in terms of some leniency but not getting off scott free.

If an act of giving up 27 years of your life to the service of your country doesn't count for anything anymore...then what does? :shrug:

 

[Screw-Rice]

nowhere am I trying to justify any wrongdoing. I'm of the opinion his military service counts for something in terms of some leniency but not getting off scott free.

If an act of giving up 27 years of your life to the service of your country doesn't count for anything anymore...then what does? :shrug:

You just justified his getting preferential treatment for doing the wrong thing!

No, serving your country does not allow you to get drunk and kill someone doing their job, and to make it worse, drive off as if nothing happened.

By your logic, I have some friends that have put in enough very rough years, they should be able to mow 2-3 innocents down.

 

[Planter]

You just justified his getting preferential treatment for doing the wrong thing!

No, serving your country does not allow you to get drunk and kill someone doing their job, and to make it worse, drive off as if nothing happened.

By your logic, I have some friends that have put in enough very rough years, they should be able to mow 2-3 innocents down.

wrong, I justified a "little" leniency for his 27 years of service. thats not justifying him doing the wrong thing.

but honestly, think back 25-40 years ago...military service was a very big thing and Judges often considered that in sentencing. why is it any different today? Why did military service mean something back then for it to be taken under consideration, but now it shouldn't be?