What's your take on this? Man arrested after rushing brother to hospital

[kaorder1999]

ROANOKE - Roanoke police released dash cam video of a Sunday night pursuit that led to the arrest of a man rushing his brother to a hospital.

While police admit Raymond Smith was trying to do the right thing by his brother, they said he made a number of bad decisions. He was charged with a DWI and evading arrest.

Police said they clocked Smith driving 80 mph in a 60 mph zone. Smith, whose brother was having a heart attack, refused to pull over when authorities turned on their lights and sirens while following his speeding vehicle, police said.

Authorities said Smith then pulled onto the shoulder of the road of Highway 114, passing cars and traveling another nine miles before reaching his destination at the Baylor Regional Medical Center Grapevine.

"What we would have liked for him to do was immediately have stopped," said Lt. Jerihme Miller, Roanoke Police Department. "We have medics that could have been on site within one to two minutes. There was a local fire station nearby with paramedics and fire trucks, and we could have had paramedics assisting his brother and giving him life-saving treatment much earlier than nine minutes later."

Smith refused a breathalyzer. He was arrested and later bonded out of the Denton County Jail.

Gerard Smith remains in the hospital where he was treated for his heart attack. He is listed in fair condition.

[Bullaholic]

When it ain't your brother= he shouldn't have done it.

When it is your brother= drive first and answer questions later.

What if he would have killed himself or somone else?
That's answered by-What if his brother would have died waiting for paramedics?---might be a worse agony than death. The DWI part in this case does give me pause, however.

[venomous tat2]

the guy was more than likely scared to death and panicked and in that situation you are not thinking clearly and the DWI is more likely a result of him having to rush his brother to the hospital after he had been drinking somewhere . Sounds like he was not about to let his brother die waiting on some help. JMO don't know the whole story.

[95mustang]

He put his brother and may other people in danger by choosing to drive to the hospital instead of calling 911. Do I think he should be arrested for doing it, tough question. If he had not been drinking then no, but the alcohol put the risk much higher for his brother and everyone else that was driving on the road in his path.

[PPSTATEBOUND]

What did happen and what COULD have happend as the police like to point out are two totally different things....I'd trade a DWI for saving my brothers life any time. Thank you sir my I have another. Everyone involved is safe and thats all that needs to be thought about at this point IMO. Not the would could should things.

[PPSTATEBOUND]

nm.

[44INAROW]

Originally posted by Bullaholic
When it ain't your brother= he shouldn't have done it.

When it is your brother= drive first and answer questions later.

What if he would have killed himself or somone else?
That's answered by-What if his brother would have died waiting for paramedics?---might be a worse agony than death. The DWI part in this case does give me pause, however.

I agree... one of those - you gotta do what you gotta do..

[kaorder1999]

I would like to hear the whole story....where they were, why 911 wasnt called, etc. If Im at home (whether ive been drinking or not) Im calling 911 and NOT transporting anyone I think is having a heart attack. But thats just me

[ronwx5x]

Originally posted by kaorder1999
I would like to hear the whole story....where they were, why 911 wasnt called, etc. If Im at home (whether ive been drinking or not) Im calling 911 and NOT transporting anyone I think is having a heart attack. But thats just me

I'm with you on this. Common sense tells me call an ambulance. Ambulances can drive fast, even go through red lights and stop signs without getting in trouble.

Whether or not he was intoxicated makes no difference on what he should have done. If he had caused an accident with his erratic driveng, would opinions change?

[44INAROW]

Please allow me to play devil's advocate here (I have no idea the circumstances in the above situation)
say Bob and Joe are 14 miles out in the country fishing. They have been drinking but aren't hammered and are cleaning the fish at the hunting/fishing cabin (14 miles from town, no cell reception) all the sudden, Joe falls flat out on the ground- assuming it's a heart attack or stroke, Bob pulls Joe to the truck and hauls butt to the nearest hospital. Remember - no cell reception. Now, they get into town - should Bob stop at the 7-11 and call 911 or continue 3 miles to the hospital? I am curious to see the replies.. I am not condoning Drinking and Driving.. just playing Devil's Advocate

[95mustang]

Originally posted by 44INAROW
Please allow me to play devil's advocate here (I have no idea the circumstances in the above situation)
say Bob and Joe are 14 miles out in the country fishing. They have been drinking but aren't hammered and are cleaning the fish at the hunting/fishing cabin (14 miles from town, no cell reception) all the sudden, Joe falls flat out on the ground- assuming it's a heart attack or stroke, Bob pulls Joe to the truck and hauls butt to the nearest hospital. Remember - no cell reception. Now, they get into town - should Bob stop at the 7-11 and call 911 or continue 3 miles to the hospital? I am curious to see the replies.. I am not condoning Drinking and Driving.. just playing Devil's Advocate

I don't disagree with you in that scenario. However the incident in question happened in a metropolitan area with several hundred thousand people that had the potential to become additional patients. I honestly don't know if there is a write or wrong answer to this situation. Everyone looks at it different.

[lostaussie]

Originally posted by 44INAROW
Please allow me to play devil's advocate here (I have no idea the circumstances in the above situation)
say Bob and Joe are 14 miles out in the country fishing. They have been drinking but aren't hammered and are cleaning the fish at the hunting/fishing cabin (14 miles from town, no cell reception) all the sudden, Joe falls flat out on the ground- assuming it's a heart attack or stroke, Bob pulls Joe to the truck and hauls butt to the nearest hospital. Remember - no cell reception. Now, they get into town - should Bob stop at the 7-11 and call 911 or continue 3 miles to the hospital? I am curious to see the replies.. I am not condoning Drinking and Driving.. just playing Devil's Advocate

If Bob stops at the 7-11 he could call 911 AND get some more beer!!!!

[ziggy29]

Dang, tough situation. I feel bad for the guy, since he almost certainly had no intention to put himself in a position where he'd be drinking and driving. He made the wrong choice to not call 911 most likely, but that's hindsight and he easily could have panicked.

Still, he did it and he needs to be held accountable regardless of the circumstances presuming the police have more evidence than just a refusal to take the field sobriety test. Having said that, it wouldn't be unreasonable to consider the circumstances as a mitigating factor in the sentencing.

[44INAROW]

Originally posted by lostaussie
If Bob stops at the 7-11 he could call 911 AND get some more beer!!!!

now that's a thinking response

[lostaussie]

Originally posted by 44INAROW
now that's a thinking response

I'm always here for you