Man Who Caused Deadly Crash Was Text Messaging

Text messaging on a cell phone may have played a role in a crash that killed two rocket scientists in Cache County, authorities said. Reggie Shaw, 20, was messaging as he drove to Logan from Tremonton, and his last communication was sent just before his sport utility vehicle crossed the center line last Sept. 22, according to court documents. The SUV clipped a Saturn LS2, which then crashed into a Ford F-250 truck. James Furfaro, 38, and Keith O'Dell, 50, were killed in the Saturn while on their way to work at ATK Launch Systems Group. Read more

[Rivka Haber]

The cops have tried to charge him with the same charge two times already...the first time they tried to say he was changing a cd in his car, the second they tried to say he was just "talking" on his cell phone, now a year later, even though they have had phone records since last September, they are saying that he was texting? The State is just trying to make him a poster boy so they can get the new law passed, that's all. I have personally seen the phone records and they don't prove anything. Everyone is trying to make this guy out to be some sort of monster, when he really didn't even do anything. All of the articles that have come out on this story have been completely biased, they haven't even tried to contact the family for questioning. Mr. Shaw was unavailable for comment because he was on a 2 year volunteer mission for his church. All I ask is that people don't try and hang this guy before he gets a fair trial. Innocent until proven guilty is the American way! God bless America, and good luck to Mr. Shaw, I pray that justice prevails!

[Brittany]

Rivka Haber wrote:

The cops have tried to charge him with the same charge two times already...the first time they tried to say he was changing a cd in his car, the second they tried to say he was just "talking" on his cell phone, now a year later, even though they have had phone records since last September, they are saying that he was texting? The State is just trying to make him a poster boy so they can get the new law passed, that's all. I have personally seen the phone records and they don't prove anything. Everyone is trying to make this guy out to be some sort of monster, when he really didn't even do anything. All of the articles that have come out on this story have been completely biased, they haven't even tried to contact the family for questioning. Mr. Shaw was unavailable for comment because he was on a 2 year volunteer mission for his church. All I ask is that people don't try and hang this guy before he gets a fair trial. Innocent until proven guilty is the American way! God bless America, and good luck to Mr. Shaw, I pray that justice prevails!

I totally Agree on this! Stop making him look like a bad person! how many people get into car accidents everyday and someone dies? ITS A FREAKIN YEAR LATER! If it really was that big of a deal you should of tooken care of it a year ago when it happened! Alot of people die everyday in car accidents why are you making a big deal about this one? STOP USING HIM AS A POSTER BOY JUST SO YOU CAN PASS A NEW LAW!
Thanks! God Bless Reggie Shaw!

[Trisha Haber]

Reggie overall is a really good guy and doesn't deserve everything that he is being put through. He's suffered enough, especially as he didn't do anything wrong. Best of luck, Reg.

[Kate]

I don't think any of the family of the victims thinks he's a bad person, just that he made a bad decision. Two people are dead and all evidence points to Reggie. When he gets his day in court he'll be able to tell his side, but until then, realize that two brilliant men are gone and will never get to see their families again and never got to say goodbye. As much as you all think Reggie has suffered you should try being on the other side. Finding out that your loved one is dead because someone was too busy texting to watch the road is the most shocking and painful thing I think I've ever had to go through. He needs to be a man and admit what he did is wrong.

[Marie]

I just want to know what admiting to something you may or may not have done makes you a "man"? He needs his day in court and has the right to tell his side of the situation. I think this is also a good example to everybody to treat every day as if it were your last, part with your family and friends with loving words and deeds, you never know when your time will come! "Make your words soft and sweet, for you never know which ones you'll have to eat!"

[Brian]

I agree totally, And just becaues he's on a mission should'nt make a differts, HE IS GUILTY!!! And some good people dead. Take some resoposability and think of the dead people's family for one's

[Trisha Haber]

Correct me if I am mistaken, but isn't basic principle of the United State's legal system that everyone is innocent until proven guilty? As far as I am concerned, at least from a legal aspect, Reggie is completely guilt free unless a jury finds otherwise. My personal opinion is that he is innocent regardless of what is eventually decided, but that is beside the point.

What happened that night was a tragic accident. And I am sure Reggie, as well as the families and friends of those who lost their lives have suffered a great amount. However, running around and trying to find someone to blame isn't going to make it any better.

You say that "Finding out that your loved one is dead because someone was too busy texting to watch the road is the most shocking and painful thing I think I've ever had to go through. He needs to be a man and admit what he did is wrong."

If that is TRULY what happened, then yes an ommission of guilt would be in order followed by a very large apology. But the fact of the matter is that it hasn't been proven that he was in fact text messaging while he was driving. In fact, it has been over a year and a half and they still can't even get enough evidence to get this to trial, let alone convict him. So as far as the Justice Department is concerned - and therefore you and I should be concerned - Reggie is innocent. No matter how you feel about him or this case personally, those are the facts.

[Brian]

1.He kills two. second He go's on mission.
I think that Shaw Going on a mission or out of the state was a mistake. A vacation for two years?
The right to a speedy trial is every body's right in this case for the family's sake for the absent father.

[Trisha Haber]

Brian wrote:

1.He kills two. second He go's on mission.
I think that Shaw Going on a mission or out of the state was a mistake. A vacation for two years?
The right to a speedy trial is every body's right in this case for the family's sake for the absent father.

As far as you should be concerned, sir, he didn't kill anyone. Once again, I feel I must bring up the crucial point that people are innocent until proven guilty. Do you have the proof to convict him? Cause I mean, I'm sure the prosecutors who haven't been able to get this to trial would love you if you did. If not, you probably should stop saying he's guilty cause you really have no idea, do you?

A vacation? You seem to seriously underestimate the sacrifice that those who are on missions make. I can assure you that leaving friends and family that you love for two years, especially after having gone through such a horrible ordeal, is no picnic. But that is completely irrelevant.

And as for the right to a speedy trial, that is a right of the defendent, not the prosecutor. But for EVERYONE involved, lets hope if this goes to fiasco of a court case goes to trial that it will be speedy. Not just for those involved in this mess that should have never happened, but for the tax payers that are having to foot the bill for the prosection trying to prey on and make an example of a good guy.

[Margie]

I heard this story from my neighbor- a Utah Highway Patrolman last year. He said that the astonishing thing was that REGGIE KEPT TEXTING AS POLICE WERE ARRIVING AND DIDN'T SEEM ONE BIT FAZED THAT HE (COULD HAVE)CAUSED THE DEATHS OF TWO INNOCENT PEOPLE. This is a frightening habit that has cropped up, with usually younger people choosing to do it. My kids are CONSTANTLY telling me to be SURE not to text while I am driving. I have pulled over to talk or text many times. That what seems so important - sending messages about friends, etc.- can be so deadly is truly sad. This case should be a HUGE wake-up call. To those of you who "know him and he is a great person", BIG DEAL---great people can do wrong things, make poor choices, and use bad judgement. What a stupid, convoluted way of thinking. Five florida girls - all best friends - were killed by slamming into a truck. When they checked the driver's cell phone, there were several sent & received texts immediately prior to the crash. Sad.

[Trisha Haber]

It really drives me crazy that people keep commenting on how shocking it is that Reggie was texting after the car accident happened when he was waiting to be questioned by the police. He was contacting his family to let them know that he had been in a car accident. I don't see how it is "astonishing" that he was trying to get in touch with his parents after something so tragic. I'm sure that if you were in the situation, you would have attempted to get in contact with your loved ones also.

And I also don't understand how you can say that he "didn't seem a bit fazed." Do you honestly think that someone can witness the death of two people and not be fazed by the situation? You have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA the effect that this had on him and it is horrible of you - or your friend, even if he is a Highway Patrolman - to make any assumptions about it.

And you are right, so what if Reggie is a great person? He is, but that is beside the point. The fact of the matter is that this hasn't gone to trial, and Reggie hasn't been convicted of anything. So who are you, then, to automatically assume that he "caused the death's of two innocent people?" You are right about one thing: great people can do wrong things and use bad judgement. I'm sure you are a great person, but the only wrongful act and use of bad judgement here is you condemning someone you don't even know for a situation that you know nothing about. It is a "stupid, convoluted way of thinking" to assume that because you heard some opinions from a cop that you have any idea about what happened and are justified in and worthy to offer commentary.

[Margie]

I have MANY friends in Tremonton - I grew up there & graduated from Bear River. I probably know as much about this as you know...I'm merely voicing my opinion, which we are all entitled to do.

You need to know that my neighbor the UHP Trooper was present at a huge meeting where this case and others like it were discussed amongst law officers, traffic officers, court officials, etc. This is where he got the information about the Shaw case. The dangers of text-driving were being addressed at the meeting, and the attending officers gave THEIR view of what happened at the scene. THEY gave the report of Shaw's behavior, and all the information was disseminated, the whole point of calling the meeting in the first place.

True, I wasn't at the accident scene---neither were you. Actually, no matter what Shaw was doing, while doing it, he lost control of his car, crossed the center line and 'caused the death' of two people. If it was someone else's name here instead of Shaw, could you then admit the tragedy of the whole thing? What if your father had been killed--then would the driver have done anything wrong?

As I said, this should be a huge wake-up call for everyone. No one is attacking Shaw, people can have an opinion without passing judgment on him. We ARE entitled to our opinions, and because of freedom of speech, we can voice it in public forums such as this one.

[Trisha Haber]

I highly doubt you know as much about this case as I do. As you are getting your information from a UHP Trooper and small town public opinion (I've read the Tremonton Leader and the Logan Herald Journal), you probably know only the versions of the story that are being told to influence a law that the state of Utah is attempting to pass - and attempting to make Reggie the poster child for. Perhaps you should learn about all the politics that have gone into this case, the biased media accounts, and all the shady "legal" investigations that have occured throughout the past two years.

You are entitled to your own opinion, but maybe you should seek to learn ALL sides of the story before you formulate one. Remember that just because someone is in a position of authority doesn't mean that they know everything and are completely unbiased about the situation.

You are right, he did lose control of his car and cross the center line, which is something that he is going to have to deal with for the rest of his life, but he claims that he hydroplained on the road. Which clearly makes this a tragic ACCIDENT. He was not the cause of the accident, he was merely another victim involved. He may not have lost his life, but he also lost enough. You can dispute why he crossed the line, but the fact of the matter is that he is innocent until proven guilty. Which means until (and if) a jury comes back and says he is guilty, his story is the one you should be listening to.

As someone who believes in the ideals of the American Constitution - you clearly do judging by your statements about freedom of speech - you should have no problem presuming Reggie's innocence in the accident until that point in time, should it occur.

You ask if I would feel the same way if it wasn't Reggie that had been in the accident or it had been my father involved..absolutely! As a future lawyer, I firmly believe in the principles that our legal system was founded on. Innocent until proven guilty. And as a person who was raised through family and religion to be sympathetic towards all people who have been a victim to tragic circumstance, I would hope that I would have sympathy for everyone involved in the accident, not just for those that lost their lives. I would feel the same if it was my worst enemy who had crossed the center line.

As I have stated on many occasions, what happened that day was a tragic ACCIDENT. All involved were victims. Whatever your opinion on the matter may be, I hope we can all at least agree on that.

[Haber]

i am proud of you

we love you,
Uncle Atzmon

[Kate]

I'm related to one of the men that died. I don't think you realize that the families of the dead are not out to ruin lives. We're out for answers. I wasn't trying to say that Reggie is guilty, I just want some answers. If he was, and I'm saying IF, texting while driving, then I'm upset because it's something that could have been prevented. Just like I'd be upset if someone was drunk and caused the accident or goofing around with friends. I don't doubt that Reggie was shaken by the accident, it's got to be hard to go through that, but if texting was involved like the police believe then I feel he was being reckless. It's been over a year now, and I wish this whole mess could have been cleared up soon after the accident, and I hope every day that it gets resolved quickly. But I will admit it's been hard not to try and blame, because it will always hurt to have lost someone. I just hope this whole mess ends soon.

[Trisha]

If there actually was texting involved when the accident happened, I could totally understand you being upset. But again, nothing has been proved yet. So I think you should wait to pass any sort of judgement until the judge comes back with a decision.

Like you said, I hope - for the sake of EVERYONE involved - that this mess gets resolved soon. Dragging it out like this isn't helping anyone.

[Kate]

No, it really isn't helping anyone by dragging it out. And I know nothing has been proved, but I still hope that people learn from this whole mess that people should be more careful with their stupid cell phones. If text messaging was the cause, then I really think that ANYONE caught texting while driving should have to face consequences, not just people who cause accidents.

Bottom line is, I just hope this all gets cleared up quickly. It's not helping anyone to dwell on this.

[Interested]

Brian wrote:

I agree totally, And just becaues he's on a mission should'nt make a differts, HE IS GUILTY!!! And some good people dead. Take some resoposability and think of the dead people's family for one's

I agree with you. Reggie Shaw should not be allowed one more day of freedom. He is guilty and should be punished for his sin. He ruined at least two families and has blemished the church and Christ Jesus. He needs to pay for his sins like a man.

Everybody love Jesus and have a safe weekend.

[Trisha]

I am so sick of having to repeat this, but here it goes again: learn the facts before you decide to offer up an opinion. Otherwise you just sound like an idiot, and rightfully so.

And whoever this "interested" person is, the only person I can see blemishing the Church of Jesus Christ is you. Whether you think he is guilty or not, you shouldn't be condeming him. Read your own doctrine.."He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone."

Don't be hypocritical.

[myspacecomamiash ley]

I think everyone should just leave this in gods hands...pray for thier families and let god handle the situation from here on out....two men are dead and one in prison...leave it alone now, damn! Let their families grieve and move on! God know's what he's doing.