Another Local Rider Killed on 787, his friend charged

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link to story is here : http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S231217.shtml?cat=300

Latham man charged with DWI, Manslaughter in death of his friend

WATERVLIET - One man is killed and another is behind bars after a night of reckless driving. According to State Police 35 year old Darren Bianco of Troy is responsible for the death of his friend 36 year old William Patterson of Latham. State Police say witnesses driving on 787 about 10:30 p.m. Thursday say both Bianco and Patterson were driving recklessly with little regard for safety.

“[They were] engaging in unsafe driving behavior by weaving and crisscrossing back and forth in each other’s paths,” said Major Patricia Groeber.

Witnesses also say that at one point both men’s Harley Davidsons collided causing Patterson to lose control and crash while Bianco fled the scene. Patterson was pronounced dead on the highway. It wasn’t until 5:00 a.m. Friday morning that Bianco was found and arrested at his Troy home. He refused a sobriety test according to police, but later submitted to one by court order.

“We have information that they were drinking at at least one and possibly three establishments,” said Lt. George Port.

Bianco is charged with DWI, second degree manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident and driving a motorcycle without a license. He is currently in the Albany County jail without bail.

State Police say reckless driving by motorcyclists is not uncommon and is on the rise.

“It does highlight a problem where motorcyclists are taking chances with a motorcycle and obviously deadly. There’s not a lot of leeway,” said Major Groeber.

Police tell us that nationally while car and truck accident fatalities have declined, motorcycle fatalities are on the rise. The rate of deaths has more than doubling from 1997 to 2005.

As more motorcycles hit the highways every year, State Police have this advice: beware of your motorcycle driving capabilities and limitations, abide by speed limits and the traffic laws and always wear a helmet. They caution that the highway is not the place for daredevils.

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i heard that on the news last nite. very unfortunate

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IMO that’s not right, whenever a car driver makes a mistake and kills a motorcyclist, they get a ticket at best and thats rare. Now if it’s a biker involved he gets manslaughter. I know he deserves the charges, but then everybody should be charged with second degree manslaughter when a biker is killed, car driver or biker.

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disagree with you.

If two friends are in two different cars, and weaving in and out of traffic playing with each other, and are criss crossing each other paths, and they collide and one of them dies, they are sure as hell going to charge the surviving one with the same thing… especially if there is alcohol involved and the surviving guy flees the scene

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Thats nuts…i cant bealive they went out like that

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50% of all motorcycle deaths occur because of alcohol.

Guess which group of riders is notorious for riding TO bars and being in bars? Just like every steretypical movie, there are always Harley guys and gangs in bars, which holds true in RL too. They go out, drink in their groups, and ride back, which often turns to be fatal.

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and the other 50% is being stupid!

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I am the wife of the man that was charged in this. I have kept my mouth shut for way too long. The media and the DA has made my husband out to be some hardened criminal monster, and any new information has yet to be updated. This has gotten me so infuriated that I will be next contacting our lovely media.
In April 2008, many of the charges were DISMISSED by a grand jury…DISMISSED. The manslaughter in the second degree, driving without a license (he had a motorcycle permit, and all that were with him, had their license and was less that 15 ft away from him) and the charge of leaving the scene of a fatal accident and failure to report was reduced to leaving the scene of an incident and failure to report. He was only being charged with DWI and leaving the scene of an incident and failure to report.
His trial was this week and he was found NOT GUILTY on the DWI charge and GUILTY on the leaving the scene of an incident NOT ACCIDENT…and it was verified with PHYSICAL evidence that there was NO physical contact between the motorcycles,…and that the victim’s tread was 1/2 the legal thickness and were only 1/2 inflated which cause a FRONT WHEEL BLOW OUT. My husband’s BAC was 0.00 and no drugs of any kind were in his system, and conversely, the victims BAC was .187 and the urine analysis results were 2.01 and he also had high amounts of COCAINE in his system. The trial is over and this information is now considered public knowledge and this can all be verified. One of the state’s witness has been arrested and convicted of 3 DWI’s and 7 gang related assault charges which he served 3 years in SingSing for; also the other witness has 4 DWI and is serving 5 years on probation, both drivers licenses were revoked (motorcycle and automobile). My husband’s record was CLEAN.
He is being sentenced on 3/13/09 and is facing 16 months to 3 years…NOT 15-35 years that was orginally reported.
This is a TRAGIC event in both families, but the truth is not being known. I have not or will not state my opinion on this and I am not attacking any ones opinion, as everyone is entitled, but I feel that people are basing it on false information. All my motivation is to update the public on the facts.

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I am the wife of the man that was charged in this. I have kept my mouth shut for way too long. The media and the DA has made my husband out to be some hardened criminal monster, and any new informationhas yet to be updated. This has gotten me so infuriated that I will be next contacting our lovely media.
In April 2008, many of the charges were DISMISSED by a grand jury…DISMISSED. The manslaughter in the second degree, driving without a license (he had a motorcycle permit, and all that were with him, had their license and was less that 15 ft away from him) and the charge of leaving the scene of a fatal accident and failure to report was reduced to leaving the scene of an incident and failure to report.
His trial was this week and he was found NOT GUILTY on the DWI charge and GUILTY on the leaving the scene of an incident NOT ACCIDENT…and it was verified with PHYSICAL evidence that there was NO contact between motorcycles,…and that the victim’s tread was 1/2 the legal thickness and were only 1/2 inflated which cause a FRONT WHEEL BLOW OUT. My husband’s BAC was 0.00 and no drugs of any kind were in his system, and conversely, the victims BAC was .187 and the urine analysis results were 2.01 and he also had high amounts of COCAINE in his system. The trial is over and this information is now considered public knowledge and this can all be verified. One of the state’s witness has been arrested and convicted of 3 DWI’s and 7 gang related assault charges which he served 3 years in SingSing for; also the other witness has 4 DWI and is serving 5 years on probation, both drivers licenses were revoked (motorcycle and automobile). My husband’s record was CLEAN.
He is being sentenced on 3/13/09 and is facing 16 months to 3 years…NOT 15-35 years that was orginally reported.
This is a TRAGIC event in both families, but the truth is not being known. I am not attacking any ones opinion, as everyone is entitled, but I feel that people are basing it on false information. All my motivation is to update the public on the facts.

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Why didn’t he stop then?

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quoted for posterity

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:squint

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How did you find this forum and this post?

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Google has this forum as the 2nd hit when searching on the 2 names of the individuals involved. It’d be the first thing I’d do if I wanted to get my spin out there.

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nice :bow

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First off I want to say I absolutly hate the newspapers and media as well. For exactly the reasons you mentioned. Blown out of proportion, incorrect bullshit is all that is published.

BUT

WAS being the key word in the above statement. His record was clean, and now it isnt. If he has to look for a new job in 16-36 months he will be checking YES for a conviction. I do not need to state the obvious, in respect to you. This is more for the good people around here that associated with retards. Look at the people around you, they can and WILL drag you down. Your husband made a poor choice learning how to ride with these types of people. If he was as clean as you say he was at the time, then this boils down to being guilty by association. If I EVER find out I am riding with someone who is twice the legal intoxication limit, AND coke’d out of his mind. I am looking for the first road to turn off and away from this moron. I dont need to crash and die, and I want to keep my job, my pride, and my family out of the newspapers.

I wish you the best, and hope you all learn from the mistakes made.

As to the guy that apparently caused it… fuck him. If the above statements were true, it is one less piece of shit I need to worry about on the road, and in a bar.

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lol dude

rode?

really?

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HAHAHAHHA I even spell checked it in MS word! Thanks pal.