Hit-and-run driver who killed Vancouver teacher was texting during crash

masterblaster said on January 26, 2010 at 8:50 AM

Despite what you want to say an accident is an unplanned event. I posit that many peole do text smoke and drive and hurt no one. (Me, no I don't) Saying it's not is Orwellian newspeak.

cybersleuth said on January 25, 2010 at 6:31 AM

A beloved teacher's life for a cigar smoking, amoral dbag? What an injustice the courts have done to all those who are affected by Gordon's death. a fine man that that worked his way through college, raised children (his and countless other people's) and to be cut down before he had the chance to enjoy his well deserved retirement is just so wrong. And then there's Antonio, who at 18 yrs old is facing a prison term, years of uselessness only to be set free to selfishly go about with his life and being of no value to anyone, including himself. What a collosal outrage! I bet Antonio has some stupid, pregnant chick somewhere on welfare procreating more little Antonios, too. The judicial system is a big joke on their sentencing. Five years? should have given him 25 years for his self-indulgent behavior. What is it with the court systems? Hope he meets up with a huge gangsta named Bubba who needs a girlfriend. Jeeze, Antonio, you just got out of high school, dude. Your life is messed up now

washcomom said on January 24, 2010 at 11:34 PM

@Jackattack - I was thinking he's going to get a "new education" when he gets to prison. The afterlife issue will come later.

ponderer said on January 24, 2010 at 2:40 PM

This is far from being an accident! This teacher was killed by someone who: 1. Was driving while texting. 2. Driving while smoking a cigar (I suspect he had more interest in the cigar than his driving). 3. Driving with a suspended license. 4. Two prior citations for driving with a suspended license. 5. One citation for driving without insurance. This guy is from the VERY shallow end of the gene pool...they should have put him away for far, far longer than five years and prevented from contributing to the gene pool.

corporatemom said on January 24, 2010 at 10:10 AM

Masterblaster - yes, an accident is an accident. HOWEVER, choosing to text & smoke a cigar while driving is NOT and accident - it is a CHOICE to practice unsafe driving. Premeditated choice to be unsafe. Lock him up for 25

already_voted_y said on January 24, 2010 at 9:50 AM

DEr derrr derr r eh he luks mesican he luks muslam better exercoot em derr derr GO VANTUCKY

jessec80 said on January 24, 2010 at 6:39 AM

Causing a senseless death would be enough to dissuade most people. Keeping him locked up out of public safety is pointless. Making him an example would not deter very many people. This crime happened before the texting law. It's only a story because it "proves" the new law is justified. The running part is the worst part imo. He should have stopped and excepted responsibility. elentzen, you are right. commenting on news stories is a not a place for thoughtful discourse. These people are not even close to a cross section of society, (thank god). "send him to afghanistan" "100 years" "government sponsored vacation"(my favorite) "eligible for social security on release" The problem is the comment text looks so similar to the actual story that the eye follows straight to them. KGW should divide the section and put a warning like "All logic is hereby suspended below this line." or "and now, even more shocking....what yahoos have to say about this story"

speakthetruth said on January 24, 2010 at 12:04 AM

Plea bargaining saves the state money, that is all. Glad that this oaf is young and the 5 years will put a hurt on him. Maybe when he gets out he will not only avoid cigars and texting while driving, but may use his own sad example to teach the younger folks.

nielg said on January 23, 2010 at 11:46 PM

five year vacation is better than a bike shoved up your gizzard

anticpc said on January 23, 2010 at 2:45 PM

For those of you who think his 5 years government sponsored conditional vacation is not too short, lets see how you would feel if the victim this SSOB killed is one of your family members. Just throw him to Afghanistan to have him disarm IED with his bare hands for our troops there.

elorentzen said on January 23, 2010 at 1:20 PM

jessec80, why are you here, then? nielg, always like your humor. This time blaming it on the victim is too much. I don't like bikes when I drive either, but come on!

nielg said on January 23, 2010 at 12:43 PM

my momma always told me DONT RIDE YOUR BIKE ON THE ROAD . He must have a poor teacher beacause he set a bad example for his students

graham said on January 23, 2010 at 11:44 AM

Give the guy 100 yrs ih jail. People with cell phones should be locked up for life if they kill someone

masterblaster said on January 23, 2010 at 11:22 AM

Look up the word "tsak"

masterblaster said on January 23, 2010 at 11:21 AM

An accident is an unplanned event. So, unless he planned to run the man over, it's an accident. Yes, paying attention to the tsak of driving would have prevented it. That said, I don't think five years is too short but I do think that that five years should be unpleasant enough to make him and all convicts think about what they did and how not to do it again.

jessec80 said on January 23, 2010 at 7:35 AM

5 years is not lenient for this type of offence. You just like complaining online and if you thought about it for more than an hour you might agree with me. If you're really concerned you could move to Texas where they put away the most people per capita.

waffleflaagger said on January 23, 2010 at 2:09 AM

Until texter -drivers are treated like drunk-drivers don't expect traffic related deaths and serious injuries to abate anytime soon.

whistleberries said on January 23, 2010 at 12:10 AM

Hmmm... Once again, we can thank the State of Washington Sentencing Guidelines Commission - those folks who gather in Olympia every now and then to eat lunch and play golf; and the reasoning impaired people in the legislature who pass crappola bills, and, the governor who signs the bills into laws. A sentence of only five years is insulting. With “Good Time,” he will only serve 40 months. A real sentence would mean that he would be eligible for Social Security upon his release, IF he had enough work credits.

darkknight said on January 22, 2010 at 10:33 PM

Okay, everyone, is there anyone who's afraid to kill anyone these days?

hooky said on January 22, 2010 at 10:13 PM

Slap on the hand, wonder what would have happened had he not got caught.

jimbodeenee said on January 22, 2010 at 7:29 PM

Pardon the typos above!

jimbodeenee said on January 22, 2010 at 7:28 PM

Guy like this are why the NO CELL PHONE/TEXTING law was passed. It is a sad state of affirs when you have to pass laws tomandate common sense.

jackattak said on January 22, 2010 at 4:40 PM

washcomom - It must be nice to have enough belief (however blind it may be) in a faith that you can walk around happily thinking that a magical cloud god is going to someday banish this turd to Hades. For those of us living in the real world, we want true justice and we want it NOW.

sallee said on January 22, 2010 at 4:19 PM

bennycannucci...I hope you are just being sarcastic.

elorentzen said on January 22, 2010 at 4:13 PM

My daughter's rapist plea bargained down to 4 years in prison. They cited the trauma a trial would have been. Bull!!!! The justice system is for lawyers and judges. Our Constitution was supposed to prevent persecution. Now it's all about manipulation and accommodation. Way broken and out of whack. Burglars and white collar criminals get more than dangerous offenders. I don't buy that religious "true judgment" stuff. Save it. If I could, I would slowly torture to death the SOB that raped my daughter.

sallee said on January 22, 2010 at 4:09 PM

Five years!?!?! That's all???

washcomom said on January 22, 2010 at 3:50 PM

It's a sad shame that a great life like this teacher's is only worth 5 years in prison. But the true judgement is yet to come.

miiwiijewel said on January 22, 2010 at 3:38 PM

Yeah, five years isn't long enough...his license was suspended at the time of the accident, too. He just lucked out. PS-He's got really creepy eyes...no kidding.

jackattak said on January 22, 2010 at 2:53 PM

An accident?!? An accident is when your tire blows out. He was texting and driving! Mr. Cellestine caused this. He killed an innocent man.

jackattak said on January 22, 2010 at 2:52 PM

This was no "accident" Mr. Cellestine. You were texting while driving, which means this had a cause. In this case, the cause was YOU. YOU KILLED. An "accident" would've been if your tire had blown out on your car (i.e. you can't control that) and your car swerved into the late Mr. Patterson. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I hope like hell your life is ruined forever as you've just ruined the lives of many, many people though your inattentive, reckless abandon.

bennycannucci said on January 22, 2010 at 2:45 PM

Ok folks- I'm sure he didnt hit him on purpose. Five years is plenty I'm sure. He's very young. The worst thing he did was flee. Maybe more time would be suitable if he had intentionally hit the man. RIP Mr. Teacher.

jersue96 said on January 22, 2010 at 2:43 PM

Thats great, pick your plee. That makes a lot of sense. This individual clearly states that he is wrong, remourseful, I don''t think so. He has made unsafe and unreasonable choices in the past. This Teacher is gone forever. In 5 years this creep will be back on our streets. No wonder this never goes away. What is the initiative for folks to obey our laws when we don't follow through properly convicting them. How sad.

el_buffer said on January 22, 2010 at 2:37 PM

5 YEARS? So this yahoo will get out in less than 3 if he has good behavior and have his ripe-ol' 20's to continue raising carnage and flaunting the rules. Mark my words, this won't be the last time you see Tony's mugshot on the telly. I just hope it's not your family member that this entitled moron next plows into.

shallowend said on January 22, 2010 at 2:37 PM

Smart1, I agree (Ok, we're both shocked). Since we've subdivided killings into murder and manslaughter (and that into voluntary and involuntary), the punishments rarely fit the crime. I think that anything that is voluntary negligence (texting and DUII fall into this category) should not be a mitigating factor, but should be evidence of "a depraved indifference indifference to human life" which should bring murder second degree or attempted murder (as appropriate). I know that prosecutors are probably saving Clark County a bunch of money, but I still think its wrong.

smart1 said on January 22, 2010 at 2:30 PM

5 years and that's it?