# Hit-and-run bishop kills cyclist



## Chris S (30 Dec 2014)

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/12/2...onsible-in-fatal-hit-and-run/?intcmp=trending


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## Accy cyclist (30 Dec 2014)

Poor reporting to refer to the deceased by his surname,like he is the criminal here!


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## snorri (30 Dec 2014)

Accy cyclist said:


> Poor reporting to refer to the deceased by his surname,like he is the criminal here!


Also interesting that the headline declares the driver guilty. Why bother with a legal system when the press can do the job?
It's FoxNews


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## Cuchilo (30 Dec 2014)

Ive not read the report but I do hope this wont turn into lots of people bashing the bishop


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## glenn forger (30 Dec 2014)

She has a history of dui and being caught with grass paraphenalia.


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## Chris S (30 Dec 2014)

It's like something that would happen in 'Father Ted' - in fact I seem to remember in one episode he hit a cyclist and drove off. Life imitating art.


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## glenn forger (30 Dec 2014)

She is guilty of hit and run, that much isn't disputed.


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## glenn forger (30 Dec 2014)

Her first conviction she was three times over the limit and had thrown up down her shirt. They stopped the sobriety test cost they were afraid the bishop would injure herself. On this occasion, after killing a man the bishop drove to a building and went inside. It doesn't mean she hid anything incriminating.


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## Saluki (30 Dec 2014)

Wasn't this incident quite a while back? 10th, September 2010 according to the article. I read this elsewhere and wondered why they were reporting a 10 year old incident as news.


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## shouldbeinbed (30 Dec 2014)

Saluki said:


> Wasn't this incident quite a while back? 10th, September 2010 according to the article. I read this elsewhere and wondered why they were reporting a 10 year old incident as news.


Reads to me that it was the previous stop in 2010 when she was DUI and posessing drugs and too out of it to do the sobriety test. its taken her 4 years to graduate to killer.


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## Cuchilo (30 Dec 2014)

User said:


> What year do you think you are living in?


I know this one .


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## Saluki (30 Dec 2014)

shouldbeinbed said:


> Reads to me that it was the previous stop in 2010 when she was DUI and posessing drugs and too out of it to do the sobriety test. its taken her 4 years to graduate to killer.


As you were. I had read it incorrectly.


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## glenn forger (30 Dec 2014)

That's the vehicle she drove home in.


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## Accy cyclist (31 Dec 2014)

glenn forger said:


> That's the vehicle she drove home in.



Scary to think that it'd take something like a sledgehammer to make a hole like that,not a human's head!


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## Crankarm (31 Dec 2014)

I hope she burns in Hell.


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## Gravity Aided (31 Dec 2014)

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ma...th-baltimore/bs-md-bishop-20141230-story.html
her father was rector at Old St. Pauls', I believe. Also a bit of a boozer, according this article. We all have our problems, but this is unacceptable behavior. She just participated on a "Trail of Souls" walk for repentance and reconciliation (about the churches role in slavery in this country before the Civil War) . Must not have had much effect. I believe the US elects a new Presiding Bishop soon, so this probably won't be ignored, as the Diocese of Maryland also includes the National Cathedral and District of Columbia. This is not close to home for the National Episcopal Church, it is home for the National Episcopal Church.


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## glenn forger (31 Dec 2014)

Bishop Cook's sermon last month calling for accountability on the roads:

http://m.christianpost.com/news/god...ongregants-about-speeding-last-month--131859/


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## snorri (31 Dec 2014)

I would hope those who have covered up for her or turned a blind eye, and there must have been a few over the years, are feeling mightily uncomfortable right now.


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## Markymark (31 Dec 2014)

snorri said:


> I would hope those who have covered up for her or turned a blind eye, and there must have been a few over the years, are feeling mightily uncomfortable right now.


The church seem pretty good about turning a blind eye and not giving a sh1t.


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## Gravity Aided (31 Dec 2014)

We elect a new Presiding Bishop, I believe, this year. Something will probably get done about it.


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## ufkacbln (31 Dec 2014)

There was a satirical site a few years ago that interpreted the "signs" on the back of cars

IIRC the "fish symbol" was interpreted as "prepare to meet your maker"

Somehow a lot less funny given this case


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## Gravity Aided (31 Dec 2014)

I usually have this:





Fish thingy always makes me think of this:


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## Gravity Aided (1 Jan 2015)

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/obituaries/bs-md-ob-thomas-palermo-20141230-story.html
Thomas Palermo, a man devoted to cycling and his family. What a sad thing, that a man this talented has to die at age 41 and leave behind a family in this way. Abandoned after an accident while the Bishop Suffragan of Maryland runs away for 20+ minutes, when she should have been taking responsibility for her actions and her addiction, and bringing aid to the stricken.


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## Ganymede (1 Jan 2015)

Gravity Aided said:


> http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/obituaries/bs-md-ob-thomas-palermo-20141230-story.html


From that obit: "he was struck by a vehicle". No, he was struck _with_ a vehicle.

Very sad, he sounds like a great guy.


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## Gravity Aided (1 Jan 2015)

I guess he was involved in cycling sales and framebuilding before he was doing software work.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ma...d-fundraising-bike-victim-20141231-story.html
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ma...al-baltimore-crash-20141229-photogallery.html
http://www.bikemore.net/blog/bikemore-statement-on-death-of-thomas-palermo


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## Gravity Aided (3 Jan 2015)

It gets deeper, now.
http://www.getreligion.org/getrelig...ead-cyclist-and-the-meaning-of-above-reproach
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tim-gr...d-run-death-caused-female-episcopalian-bishop
https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2015/01/01/more-than-a-thousand-ride-for-tom-palermo-and-safer-biking/


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## glenn forger (3 Jan 2015)

I don't really understand that 2nd link Gravity. Are Episcopalians especially influential? The comments keep banging on about if it was a catholic bishop the press would be all over it. I don't really understand factional christianity. Fancy buggers.


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## Gravity Aided (3 Jan 2015)

Anglicans, without a monarch running the church. Not particularly influential, but a disproportionate number of wealthy and politically active people have been Episcopalian. Of 44 U.S. Presidents, 12 have been Episcopalian. I think they are making the point that the outgoing bishop is being considered as a candidate for Presiding Bishop, or Prelate, hence that this incident is being hushed up. Cyclists in the area are doing something about that, hence the thousand person ride, and the ghost bike. I think part of this also is that people in Baltimore see many things as a conspiracy on the part of the National Government across the bay. Also a great place for hardshell crabs, and other seafood.


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## glenn forger (9 Jan 2015)

manslaughter:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...420b1e-981c-11e4-8005-1924ede3e54a_story.html


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## Gravity Aided (9 Jan 2015)

It just gets better and better. Texting, driving under the influence, She just gave a sermon about the evils of speeding this summer. Leaving the scene of an accident is an offense as well.


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## Gravity Aided (9 Jan 2015)

I also see the church itself is investigating. I know Bishop Sutton had a closed door meeting with clergy over this recently. That was Tuesday.
http://patch.com/maryland/towson/maryland-bishop-episcopal-clergy-discuss-fatal-bike-crash-0


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## Gravity Aided (10 Jan 2015)

Now in custody of the authorities.
Charged with:
Felony vehicular manslaughter
Criminal negligent manslaughter
Failure to remain at the scene of an accident resulting in serious injury and death
Using a text messaging device that resulted in an accident
3 charges of drunk driving.
.22 blood alcohol level
Could be 20 years prison.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/bishop-faces-manslaughter-dui-charges-fatal-hit-run-28113034
http://www.wsj.com/articles/marylan...ter-charges-in-alleged-hit-and-run-1420823350


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## Gravity Aided (11 Jan 2015)

2.5 million $ bond
https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2015/01/09/bishop-heather-cooks-bail-set-at-2-5-million/


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## Gravity Aided (14 Jan 2015)

The Hit and Run Bishop has a new address.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/bishop-charged-cyclist-death-remain-baltimore-jail-28174290
.


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## jefmcg (14 Jan 2015)

I just googled it. There are approximately 20 women Episcopalian bishops in the US. Now one has killed a cyclist, and one has lost her husband in a cycling fatality.


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## glenn forger (14 Jan 2015)

I thought she might have got away with leaving the scene, cos she returned. In fact that act was cited in setting the bail so high. Flight risk. Bravo.


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## Hip Priest (14 Jan 2015)

Now that's one bishop I would like to kick up the arse.


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## Gravity Aided (14 Jan 2015)

Hip Priest said:


> Now that's one bishop I would like to kick up the arse.


In the Episcopal Church, I know of a few. Present one in my diocese is a bit of the alright, though. But the Midwest is a bit more conservative, and bordering on Anglo-Catholic.


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## Gravity Aided (18 Jan 2015)

A friend of the Bishop's from seminary has bailed her out.
http://www.courant.com/religion-and-beliefs/bs-md-ci-bishop-cook-posts-bail-20150116-46-story.html


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## KneesUp (18 Jan 2015)

Gravity Aided said:


> http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/obituaries/bs-md-ob-thomas-palermo-20141230-story.html
> Thomas Palermo, a man devoted to cycling and his family. *What a sad thing, that a man this talented has to die at age 41* ....



He didn't have to die. He died because someone - believed to be Heather Elizabeth Cook - killed him by striking him with her car which she was apparently driving whilst drunk.


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## Gravity Aided (23 Jan 2015)

National Episcopal Church, now being subjected to disciplinary proceedings by National Church in US.
http://www.christiantoday.com/artic...5m.bail.following.fatal.hit.and.run/46296.htm
Preliminary hearing is set in early February.


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## Gravity Aided (4 Feb 2015)

Drunk at her own installation as bishop?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...b8c5f0-ab4f-11e4-abe8-e1ef60ca26de_story.html


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## srw (4 Feb 2015)

Gravity Aided said:


> Drunk at her own installation as bishop?
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...b8c5f0-ab4f-11e4-abe8-e1ef60ca26de_story.html


That's not what the story says. She was (apparently, allegedly, possibly) drunk during the dinner to celebrate her installation, held two days before the installation itself.

And from my experience it's practically mandatory for Anglican priests to get drunk once in a while. The last time I was drunk was in the company of two of them and their husbands.

(Not that I'm alleging alcoholism against them, or making light of the Bishop's alcoholism.)


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## Gravity Aided (4 Feb 2015)

Hence the question mark.


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## KneesUp (4 Feb 2015)

The question mark reads as though you are implying that she was drunk at her installation - especially as no-one who had read that article could have been in any doubt that it is referring to the dinner two days beforehand.


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## Gravity Aided (4 Feb 2015)

Aware that such celebrations surrounding a religious event such as that constitute part of that event, and are part of the ceremony, see it as you wish. Yes, i have read the article, and I think it casts bad light on the goings-on in the Episcopal Church. Unfortunately, it also brings criticism on the Church for the above reasons. Many in the Church are following this. Many in the church have seen and heard what is going on, and the accusations levelled. I for one, do not have that experience with the Church. I should not have phrased the item in that way. But that is how I, for one, see it.


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## KneesUp (4 Feb 2015)

"Church in hypocrisy shock" is hardly a headline, regardless of what particular variation of 'God' they proselytize for.


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## Gravity Aided (4 Feb 2015)

Should not be that way, whatever form of God you believe in.


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## srw (4 Feb 2015)

Gravity Aided said:


> Aware that such celebrations surrounding a religious event such as that constitute part of that event, and are part of the ceremony,


No they're not. I read it as a private dinner. The installation ceremony is a formal religious liturgy involving the laying on of hands. This was a convivial dinner involving food and drink - apparently too much drink.

It doesn't cast a good light on the church, certainly. But it's not really hypocrisy - the episcopalians have never been particularly anti boozing.


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## KneesUp (4 Feb 2015)

srw said:


> it's not really hypocrisy - the episcopalians have never been particularly anti boozing.



Preaching to people about driving safely (which is kind of an odd thing for the church to be talking about anyway) and then drink driving is definitely hypocrisy though.


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## Gravity Aided (5 Feb 2015)

srw said:


> No they're not. I read it as a private dinner. The installation ceremony is a formal religious liturgy involving the laying on of hands. This was a convivial dinner involving food and drink - apparently too much drink.
> 
> It doesn't cast a good light on the church, certainly. But it's not really hypocrisy - the episcopalians have never been particularly anti boozing.


It was originally stated to be a pre-consecration dinner, then later recast as a private function by the Diocese of Maryland
"The timeline initially reported Sutton suspected "Cook is inebriated during pre-consecration dinner" Sept. 4, and that Sutton conveyed "concern to presiding bishop." However, the diocese changed its description Tuesday of the event to a "private dinner" and reposted the timeline to its website"
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/diocese-church-leader-concerned-bishop-drunk-28694465


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## srw (5 Feb 2015)

A pre-consecration dinner _is_ a private function. The change is probably because people like you have misconstrued it.


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## glenn forger (9 Sep 2015)

Former bishop who hit and killed cyclist while driving drunk pleads guilty to manslaughter
Victim’s sister-in-law calls for strong message to be sent to those who text behind the wheel or drink and drive

http://road.cc/content/news/163656-...led-cyclist-while-driving-drunk-pleads-guilty








At sentencing next month, prosecutors will ask for a sentence of 20 years with all but 10 years suspended, followed by five years' probation. By suspending half the sentence, a judge could impose the remaining term if Cook violated her probation, the terms of which would include installing an ignition interlock device in her car and continuing to attend counselling for alcoholism.


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## glenn forger (28 Oct 2015)

Seven years:

http://www.wbaltv.com/news/heather-cook-sentenced-in-cyclists-death/36090534

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ma...i-heather-cook-sentencing-20151027-story.html


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## Gravity Aided (28 Oct 2015)

Her attorneys wanted home detention. She may do three years, pending good behavior. Of course, then there's five years probation.


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## jonny jeez (28 Oct 2015)

Gravity Aided said:


> she should have been taking responsibility for her actions and her addiction,


I didn't see anything in the article that related the two issues, indeed I am not clear on whether she still is an addict...or ever was.

The report is written so badly, with an eye on sensationalism. It sets out the guilt of the driver from the get go, ignores the life and acheivements of the rider and then does a neat time travel piece leaving readers to assume her previous conviction was part of this awful incident.

All that it does is confuse and create the opportunity for incorrect opinions.

No wait...it's fox news right?


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## glenn forger (28 Oct 2015)

A rather better article:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks/bs-md-rodricks-1028-20151027-column.html


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