Pedestrian killed by suspected drunk driver outside PIR
Quote selected text Published April 15th, 2008 in NASCAR News
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating how a suspected drunken driver fatally struck a 39-year-old Milwaukee woman Friday outside Phoenix International Raceway.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Heidi McCallister was crossing Avondale Boulevard south of Southern Avenue on foot with her boyfriend about 9:36 p.m. when a northbound 2007 Chevy pickup truck struck her. McCallister was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, where she died.
Deputies arrested Michael William Nagle, 48, of Phoenix, on suspicion of DUI. No other citation was issued because the woman was crossing mid-block, said Capt. Paul Chagolla, a Sheriff’s Office spokesman. NASCAR races were held Thursday through Saturday at PIR in Avondale.
A DUI patrol working in the city on Saturday arrested 11 people on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. Avondale police said the West Valley DUI Task Force arrested eight people on suspicion of DUI. Three were arrested for extreme DUI, or having a blood-alcohol content of more than 0.15 percent.
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What a shame that this guy gets off with just a traffic ticket when he killed a person.
If he shot her when he was drunk he would go to jail for 20-life but because he was in a vehicle he gets nothing but a DUI. What happened to vehicular manslaughter charges ??
I guess in the wild west you need to be in a cross walk to get JUSTICE…
Huh…. what the hell does it matter where she was crossing the street at the idiot was drunk.
Not to worry, I’m sure he’ll get what’s coming to him. There is no way that the police or DA will be able to not charge him with some sort of manslaughter. If they don’t, the public will be all over their tales until they do something. But then again, I could be wrong, they may just let it go, and if they do, they should burn in hell along with the driver who was drinking and driving in the first place. But we all know the dangers of drinking and driving and that it could potentially kill, so, with that logic, it should be no problem bringing up an attempted manslaughter charge, at the very least. He knew what he was doing before he got behind the wheel. Anyway, that’s my piece.
WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH NASCAR? I AM ASUMING IT WAS BECAUSE HE WAS AT THE RACES, BUT THERE ARE DRUNK DRIVERS EVERYWHERE WHETHER NASCAR IS
THERE OR NOT! WONDER HOW MANY DUI ARE GIVEN AFTER A NFL GAME GETS OUT!
The driver is dead meat. Maricopa County Arizona is the county that Joe Arpaio is the current Sheriff. He’s one bad-ass Sheriff. A very good man… but A VERY DETERMINED, TOUGH and POWERFUL Sheriff who is known for moral authority and repeatedly wins his re-elections with 80+% majorities.
He’s the Sheriff that had Mike Tyson in custody for 1 day a couple of years ago and dresses all his prisoners in Pink uniforms… and he’s tough on drunk drivers too…
Sheriff Joe Arpaio is a modern day equivalent of the legendary Sheriff Buford Pusser from McNairy County Tennessee during the 1960’s. I just can’t imagine this drunk driver going free from such an terrible incident ocurring in Arpaio’s jurisdiction.
There’s more to come about his story … i’m sure.
Is this the same Sheriff that Busch got in trouble with for the alleged drunk driving thing that Roush racing let him go for ???
Joyce wrote:
I heard about him when I went up there this weekend.
I thought it was pretty unique to have pink handcuffs
and uniforms. Supposably to keep the ‘toughness’
attitude out of the picture right?
I feel for the family and friends of Heidi. How a life so full of love and promise can be put by an end in a split second by a drunken fool. I do not think that it should matter that Heidi was not at a corner when she crossed the street. How many people do you know wait until they reach a corner before they cross a street ??!!!!
It is a giant reminder to cherish you family and friends, because they could leave us at any given moment. It is heart breaking to know that Hedi was vacationing in Arizona , just had gotten engaged while there, and then have her life taken away from her.
I do not know or understand why these things have to happen. My prayers are with Heidi and her family and friends.
I sure hope the offender in this case had more than a ticket to contend with. Hedi’s life was worth much more than a ticket. I am sure she would not want an eye for eye, a tooth for a tooth, but this person has got to learn a lesson for taking away a life of such a kind and caring person.
Everyone will be missing her, but I especially feel for her son and fiancee`
No excuse for drunk driving, whether there is a tragedy or not. Further, it is extremely unfortunate that this woman chose to cross the street not at the crosswalk, where lighting is generally optimized for pedestrians. An absolute shame that the circumstances enabled this terrible accident. God Bless this woman’s family and friends.
Where she crossed has nothing to do with her being killed. The fact remains, a drunk driver killed her because of his driving, not her walking…………… Period !!
If she had been in a crosswalk, he may have hit ten or move people and killed more than one person. He needs to answer for what he did.
Nothing can bring her back, but she was my daughter, mother, sister, this guy would not see the light of day again for his choice of killing weapons.
gonesouthern wrote:
Yes its the same sheriff he wasnt to tough on kurt busch.
The sheriff in this county is a nut job. He makes the inmates that live in tents wear pink to embarrass them even more. He’s a stand up guy. If his office has anything to do with prosecuting the drunk driver, expect the max. I feel sorry for the victim, her family and friends but you have to be aware of all the idiots leaving in a hurry to sit in traffic.