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Retired officer dies after being struck leading fu
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Retired officer dies after being struck leading funeral procession
Police said George Brooks, 63, was operating at 1998 BMW motorcycle west on West Liberty Street when he struck a 1995 Oldsmobile 88 driven by 30-year-old Anton Palmer (Photo: FOX19 NOW/ Lindsey Wopschall) Police said George Brooks, 63, was operating at 1998 BMW motorcycle west on West Liberty Street when he struck a 1995 Oldsmobile 88 driven by 30-year-old Anton Palmer (Photo: FOX19 NOW/ Lindsey Wopschall)
Brooks was ejected from his motorcycle and sustained life threatening head injuries (Photo: FOX19 NOW/Lindsey Wopschall) Brooks was ejected from his motorcycle and sustained life threatening head injuries (Photo: FOX19 NOW/Lindsey Wopschall)
Forest Park Police said George Brooks was with the force for 25 years and retired in 2005 (Photo: Forest Park Police Department) Forest Park Police said George Brooks was with the force for 25 years and retired in 2005 (Photo: Forest Park Police Department)
WEST END, OH (FOX19) - A retired Forest Park Police officer has died after being struck by a vehicle while leading a funeral procession on a motorcycle over the weekend, officials announced early Monday.
George Brooks was 63. He was with Forest Park police 25 years before retiring in 2005.
Brooks was hit about 1:30 p.m. Saturday on West Liberty Street near the intersection of Linn Street. A funeral procession was leaving from St. Mary's church in Over-The-Rhine and was heading to Spring Grove Cemetery.
He was driving a 1998 BMW motorcycle west on West Liberty Street when a 1995 Oldsmobile 88 struck him as the Oldsmobile driver, Anton Palmer, 30, turned onto West Liberty Street from Lockhurst Lane.
Brooks was ejected from his motorcycle and critically hurt. He was wearing a helmet. He was transported to University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
Authorities say Palmer was not injured and wore his seatbelt.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Alcohol and speed are not factors, Cincinnati police said. No charges have been filed, but the driver could face charges ranging from misdemeanors to felonies depending on the outcome of the investigation.
"He could be facing a charge of vehicular assault or aggravated vehicular assault," said FOX19 NOW legal analyst Mike Allen. "Vehicular assault is a misdemeanor and aggravated vehicular assault is a felony. It's easily aggravated vehicular assault if there are substances involved or the person is under the influence," Allen said.
According to Ohio Revised Code 4511.451, drivers "shall yield the right of way to each vehicle that is a part of a funeral procession." "Once the lead vehicle in a funeral procession lawfully enters an intersection, the remainder of the vehicles in the procession may continue to follow the lead vehicle through the intersection not withstanding any traffic control devices or right of way provisions." Each car should exercise due care to avoid colliding with any other vehicle or pedestrian.
Robert Grunn, funeral director for Grunn Funeral Home says many funeral homes hire retired or off-duty police officers to serve as escorts for processions. Despite funeral flags on procession vehicles, flashers and headlights and yellow lights for escorts, some drivers still ignore the law.
"Oh people just not realizing what is going on and they'll cut in," said Grunn. "The escorts will always go off to the side where traffic should not be affecting them but it does not always work that way."
Another accident occurred two blocks east at West Liberty Street and John Street about two minutes prior to the retired officer being hit. The driver of the final car in the funeral procession said he was rear-ended. No injuries were reported.
Police said George Brooks, 63, was operating at 1998 BMW motorcycle west on West Liberty Street when he struck a 1995 Oldsmobile 88 driven by 30-year-old Anton Palmer (Photo: FOX19 NOW/ Lindsey Wopschall) Police said George Brooks, 63, was operating at 1998 BMW motorcycle west on West Liberty Street when he struck a 1995 Oldsmobile 88 driven by 30-year-old Anton Palmer (Photo: FOX19 NOW/ Lindsey Wopschall)
Brooks was ejected from his motorcycle and sustained life threatening head injuries (Photo: FOX19 NOW/Lindsey Wopschall) Brooks was ejected from his motorcycle and sustained life threatening head injuries (Photo: FOX19 NOW/Lindsey Wopschall)
Forest Park Police said George Brooks was with the force for 25 years and retired in 2005 (Photo: Forest Park Police Department) Forest Park Police said George Brooks was with the force for 25 years and retired in 2005 (Photo: Forest Park Police Department)
WEST END, OH (FOX19) - A retired Forest Park Police officer has died after being struck by a vehicle while leading a funeral procession on a motorcycle over the weekend, officials announced early Monday.
George Brooks was 63. He was with Forest Park police 25 years before retiring in 2005.
Brooks was hit about 1:30 p.m. Saturday on West Liberty Street near the intersection of Linn Street. A funeral procession was leaving from St. Mary's church in Over-The-Rhine and was heading to Spring Grove Cemetery.
He was driving a 1998 BMW motorcycle west on West Liberty Street when a 1995 Oldsmobile 88 struck him as the Oldsmobile driver, Anton Palmer, 30, turned onto West Liberty Street from Lockhurst Lane.
Brooks was ejected from his motorcycle and critically hurt. He was wearing a helmet. He was transported to University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
Authorities say Palmer was not injured and wore his seatbelt.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Alcohol and speed are not factors, Cincinnati police said. No charges have been filed, but the driver could face charges ranging from misdemeanors to felonies depending on the outcome of the investigation.
"He could be facing a charge of vehicular assault or aggravated vehicular assault," said FOX19 NOW legal analyst Mike Allen. "Vehicular assault is a misdemeanor and aggravated vehicular assault is a felony. It's easily aggravated vehicular assault if there are substances involved or the person is under the influence," Allen said.
According to Ohio Revised Code 4511.451, drivers "shall yield the right of way to each vehicle that is a part of a funeral procession." "Once the lead vehicle in a funeral procession lawfully enters an intersection, the remainder of the vehicles in the procession may continue to follow the lead vehicle through the intersection not withstanding any traffic control devices or right of way provisions." Each car should exercise due care to avoid colliding with any other vehicle or pedestrian.
Robert Grunn, funeral director for Grunn Funeral Home says many funeral homes hire retired or off-duty police officers to serve as escorts for processions. Despite funeral flags on procession vehicles, flashers and headlights and yellow lights for escorts, some drivers still ignore the law.
"Oh people just not realizing what is going on and they'll cut in," said Grunn. "The escorts will always go off to the side where traffic should not be affecting them but it does not always work that way."
Another accident occurred two blocks east at West Liberty Street and John Street about two minutes prior to the retired officer being hit. The driver of the final car in the funeral procession said he was rear-ended. No injuries were reported.
Comments
We escort funerals almost on a daily basis and quite a few folks pay absolutely no attention. Many folks only look at what is immediately in front of them, instead of further down the road. As you fellow motorcy{elsewhere}s know, we tend to train ourselves to look further down the road, assessing possible threats, and you recognize many times when people don't even see you.
and that is exactly why after 50 years of driving i never had an accident..although would have been much diiferent had i not paid attention to surroundings ......like a lot of things...he should not have assumed...........pay attention ........
just a few seconds can change so many life's
Twice it says he struck the car; once it says the car struck him.
Most likely scenario, the cager turned left across him and his moto struck the side of the car.
Prayers for families.
When I drive I leave the motorcycle twice as much room as a car. My explanation is the fact that more than 1 factor, gravel, on coming traffic, and whatever they see and I can't. I would rather run over the bike than the rider. Extra room may give me time to avoid both. The scooter trash I know prefer to be called that, say it is not if but when you have to lay it down.
I have also seen organ donors ride past my house at 100 mph plus on 1 wheel and airborne at the crest of a blind hill. They usually wear no gear for that. No helmet, tennis shoes,tee shirt, and shorts.
In short Darwinian law at it's most obvious.
That's the second death leading a procession in the Cincy area in the past few years. Just lost a Firefighter last week also, fell down a elevator shaft evacuating a apartment building. He was going to retire later this year.
One of the men I work with is the local union president and will be attending this Firefighters funeral. He was telling my just yesterday about his fall and that he already had enough years in to have been retired. No matter how much experience you have accidents can still happen.