Missouri Bicycle News Article

VeloNews is reporting that the "road rage doctor" who slammed on the brakes in front of two bicyclists, causing serious injuries, will get five years in prison:

Christopher Thomas Thompson, found guilty of six felonies and a misdemeanor, has been in custody since his conviction in November. Following an often-emotional two-hour hearing Superior Court Judge Scott T. Millington sentenced Thompson to two years on the charge of assaulting cyclists Ron Peterson and Christian Stoehr with a deadly weapon and added a three-year enhancement because Peterson suffered serious bodily harm. The remaining lesser charges also carry prison time, but those sentences will be served concurrently with Thompson’s five-year sentence.

Prosecutors had asked that Thompson be sentenced to eight years for crimes mostly relating to a July 4, 2008 incident in which he abruptly stopped his car in front of two riders descending Mandeville Canyon road, near Los Angeles. Thompson was also convicted of misdemeanor charges relating to a similar incident that occurred months earlier, but did not result in injuries.

This case has been widely publicized both within California and across the nation.

According to the article, the court has been deluged with letters from bicyclists asking the court to give a sentence that emphasizes the severity of the crime and that will send a message to other drivers who may be tempted to engage in similar road rage.

More about the case in the LA Times.

Many more details in the VeloNews article.

Important parts of MoBikeFed's Vision of Bicycling and Walking in Missouri include improving safety for bicyclists and pedestrians, educating motorists about safe operation, and working towards traffic justice for nonmotorized users--including appropriate consequences for those who deliberately or carelessly injure or kill bicyclists or pedestrians.

Related:

News: MoBikeFed Editorial: Amendment 3 will affect Missouri's transportation future

News: Harkin "Complete Streets" Amendment fails; MO Sen. Bond speaks against

News: What will the proposed MO highway safety law do for cyclists? (Part 1)

Newsletter: Support MoBikeFed's Campaign for a Safer Kansas City

Newsletter: Press Release: Bicyclists and Pedestrians -- Light Up at Night (Oct 1, 2008)