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Jul-31-2007 16:52printcomments

Downtown Salem Accident Kills Pedestrian

Police say the driver turned too wide for the turn lane and ran into victim.

salem police car
Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - The Salem Police Department investigated a fatal accident involving a pedestrian and a vehicle at 9:23 AM this morning.

The investigation revealed that victim, 77-year-old George Lester Bertoglio, was crossing westbound in the crosswalk on Center St NE crossing Liberty St NE when the accident occurred.

He was legally in the crosswalk and was in compliance with the crossing signal.

The driver of the 1988 full-size Ford van was 26-year-old Sean Hagen.

Hagen was driving eastbound on Center St and was turning northbound onto Liberty St NE when he turned too wide for the turn lane and ran into Bertoglio.

Hagen was operating his vehicle in compliance with the signal lights as well, but failed to yield to the pedestrian in the crosswalk.

Bertoglio was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Hagen was cited for Failure to Yield to a Pedestrian in a Crosswalk, Driving While Suspended, Driving Uninsured and Failure to Display an Operator's License.




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Neal Feldman August 1, 2007 4:58 pm (Pacific time)

This guy Hagen was driving so fast while making A TURN that his victim was knocked FLYING TWENTY FEET through the air. He was driving with a suspended licence 9any guesses what for?) and without insurance. H killed a man with his 3 ton death machine and all that happens is they take the vehicle (like he cannot get another) anf give him tickets to pay (like he has demonstrated any respect for the law so far. Hagen is a CLEAR AND PRESENT DEADLY THREAT to anyone and everyone who crosses a street. Yet he is out free as a bird. The idiot with a badge quoted in the S-J artivle Sgt Russ Morris claims that no crime occurred. Probably because it was 'just some old guy from UGM'. If Hagen had run over Kulongoski or Mayor Taylor he would be cooling his heels in the supermax as I type and we all know that to be true. This claim that he did notintend to kill his victom is irrelevant. The man is still DEAD because of this guy who should never have been behind the wheel. What about involuntary vehicular manslaughter? Isn't that a crime anymore? How is driving so fast around a turn that you knock your victim TWENTY FEET THROUGH THE AIR when your victim had the right of way not negligence, reckless driving or neglect of your duries of a driver? If this guy Hagen is no arrested and locked up for several years if just to make the world safe for pedestrians there is no justice and the 'law' is a sham to be ignored at will. I you can get away with murder you can get away with anything. But the cops will arrest a landowner for not painting over graffiti fast enough that they didn't put there in the first place. The cop in Oliver has it right... "The law is a ass.' Ah well...

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