Hays County grand jury clears man in cyclist's death
10:33 PM CDT on Wednesday, June 13, 2007
By SHELTON GREEN
KVUE News
A decision by a Hays County grand jury is enraging a community.
Click here for item: http://www.kvue.com/news/top/stories/061307kvueraymond-bkm.4574b756.html
A Hays County grand jury has cleared a man who hit and killed a cyclist in Dripping Springs. An investigator with the Texas Department of Public Safety says the driver broke two traffic laws in the process, but he was never charged or even ticketed. Some are now saying the jury’s decision send out the wrong message.
Members of the cycling community in Hays County say the jury’s decision sends out the message that it’s okay to kill a cyclist, even when you break the law.
But their frustration pales in comparison to a widow who’s now a single mom.
Libby Raibestein
Adam Raymond
“I’m just stunned and angry and disappointed,” said Libby Raibestein. “It’s been very, very hard on all of us, not just my husband’s family, but my family.”
For the past several months, it’s been a mixed bag of emotion for Libby. Her husband, Austin optometrist Adam Raymond, was three weeks away from being deployed to Iraq when the unexpected happened.
Raibestein and her husband moved outside of Dripping Springs a few years ago from South Carolina because of the vast cycling community. The 36-year-old rode at least three times a week, going 20-30 miles on each ride.
Specifically he would ride out in that area on those back roads to avoid traffic.
According to DPS, on March 23, Raymond was riding his bike south in the 1800 block of Mount Gainor Road when he was struck by a pick-up driven by Bradley Danz. An investigator says Danz, who was heading north on the road, crossed into the other side of the road and hit Raymond head-on. DPS estimates Danz going 51 m.p.h. in a 30 m.p.h. speed zone.
“I think he should be held accountable,” said Raibestein. “I'm not asking for Mr. Danz to go to jail, rot in jail, but he could do something to help educate, he could do community service.”
A Hays County grand jury cleared Danz of any wrongdoing last week.
“The grand jury has made a decision in this case, and whether or not I agree with it is not relevant. The grand jury has spoken and we will respect their decision,” said Hays County District Attorney Sherri Tibbe in a statement.
Tibbe told KVUE that her office is going over other options regarding the driver who killed Raymond, but she wouldn’t specify what those options are.
Bradley Danz had no comment on this story.
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IS HAYS COUNTY NOW THE LEGAL COUNTY TO KILL CYCLISTS - MR SHERRIF YOU HAVE A LOT TO ANSWERT FOR, AS DO YOUR LOCAL COWARDLY JURIES WHO ARE HIDING THEIR SHAME AT THIS TIME!
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