I think the grey pick up was another undercover LEO. Perception of speed on an approaching vehicle is always a topic of debate in a ROW crash like this. A vehicle turned left onto the cross street just before the victim entered the intersection, and the turning vehicle did not appear to be hurried. As for the exact speed, the majority of newer vehicles will freeze the speedometer needle in place when the air bags are blown. This is another area where CAN BUS systems come into play. While there would not be any skid marks, there would be yaw marks (where the tires drag under turning conditions), and shadowing (faint but readable drag marks left by the tires as the ABS locks and unlocks the wheels), and there are very detailed results from measuring these marks, vehicle weight, distance traveled from P.O.I., road grade and surface, and tire compound. Accident reconstruction includes mapping every thing, entering the readings into a system like ARUS, and getting very accurate findings. Even vehicle debris is logged and mapped, and can assist in speed and force results. Based on the distance it took the grey pick up to get slowed down and turned around, the distance the Tahoe traveled after impact, along with the speed it was still going once it hit the utility box, the fact that foot off the accelerator scrubs 10mph est, the yaw across the road scrubs another 15 mph, as well as the straight on impact into the Cube zapping at least 20mph right away, I would agree with an 80mph estimate. Both the Tahoe and pick up were traveling a speeds much higher than the posted 40mph. A crash resulting in fatality, where a vehicle was traveling 20 or more miles per hour over a posted speed limit, should result in charges. The exception being an emergency vehicle with visual and audible warning equipment, and operated with due regard to public safety.
From the victims prospective, based on the video. Doubtful the vic was trained in vehicle speed estimating. When checking cross traffic, it would be a reasonable assumption that there being a vehicle in two lanes at a proper distance, traveling at or near posted speed, would not reach the cross street in time to pose a danger. However, in this case, the video shows the Tahoe in the curb lane, and the pick up in the second to right lane. The pick up was just behind the Tahoe, which would give the victim (or any other reasonable driver, like the car that crossed left across the lanes) the assumption that both approaching vehicles were operating in a normal fashion, and pose little threat. The Tahoe was not a PPV, so it did not have the braking, or handling abilities of a Tahoe PPV, and was not suited for that kind of driving. There is no doubt, for me, after watching that video, that the driver of the Tahoe was operating his vehicle in an unsafe manner. The only debate I have is if the Tahoe driver hit the brakes before P.O.I. He sure did not attempt to swerve.
When I went through EVOC, and dignitary driving schools, we were taught to drive in a line, at least 2 car lengths apart, and never stack lanes, as this caused other drivers to become confused. Of course EVOC also taught never run hot in a vehicle not equipped with audible and visual warning equipment.
Neither the Tahoe or the pick up should have been running that fast. Sucks that a LEO is facing charges, sucks even more that the LEO killed an innocent person.
