Connecticut Hit-And-Run: Honda Strikes Man, Leaves Him Paralyzed (VIDEO)

Connecticut police have released a shocking video showing 78-year-old Angel Torres being struck and flung in the air during a vicious hit-and-run incident. Torres' family and the police are hoping the video will lead to an arrest of the driver who sped off after leaving Torres critically injured.

Watch the video (from MSNBC):

Comments

[bliss68]

Let's not be so quick to judge or assume they don't care. Perhaps some are in shock or don't know what to do. It looks like it took about 30 seconds for someone to walk into street to help. And those other people maybe on cellphone or in store calling for help.

[PsychedCT]

I live just outside of Hartford, and I avoid the city's surface streets like the plague. The reason people didn't rush out into the middle of the street to help is because they were concerned that there would then be two, rather than one, dead or injured person out there. The people who witnessed this hit-and-run did the sensible thing... they called the police and waited for them to arrive.

Hartford is an unsafe city. It is not unusual to see cars chasing each other down residential streets. People are hurt or killed at an alarming rate in Hartford. While most of you will forget all about this video in a few days or weeks, those of us who live or work in Hartford will continue taking our lives into our hands every time we cross the street.

[SwingingFromCenter]

I don't know what's worse: THe fact that he got hit by what was probably a couple of kids being MORONS, or the fact that the people on the left saw it and kept walking for the most part, and the ones who stayed to gawk didn't even go out to help the guy.

[Travieso]

To all those who think that Conn. is so Blue. remember that Bush was born and raised mostly in Conn. That doesn't seem to blue to me.

[CEDobson]

I made an observation that I find really interesting. Those with comments (not verbatim) saying things like, a person can't stop traffic; they will get run over. "I can't this" and "I can't that," totally hit the nail on the head of what I was referring in my earlier comment. "Every man for himself" syndrome. Bunches of people were standing there doing nothing. It never occurred to any of them to lock arms and stand in a group around the injured person. If afraid of blood, it is at least doing SOMETHING. Teamwork - learned in kindergarten.

[gsikev]

The Words --- "Yes we can"

The Reality -- See Video

[mathme]

That doesn't even make sense.

[thicky]

Welcome to a life of fear in a totalitarian police state comrade!

Like in the old USSR and their satellite stooge states, any country that has more than a dozen secret intelligence organizations:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Intelligence_Community
nearly 2 dozen Federal police agencies:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Policing_in_the_United_States#Federal_police
hundreds of state and local police:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_and_local_law_enforcement_agencies
more prisoners per capita than any other country in the world:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incarceration_in_the_United_States#Incarceration_rate
is in effect an a police state.

In a soviet-style police state, any citizen, even if they have the best of intentions, who gets involved in any way with a police matter is playing with fire. They are increasing the likelihood that they too will be targeted and chewed up by the police/court/prison industry.

Once fear of the government eclipses normal human compassion, civilized behaviour vanishes, and the decaying society is eventually destroyed by its police-state mentality.

[meanpeoplesuck]

Good grief! Go back to your USSR.

[gifu]

Abaddon, swim a lil' deeper and you will see what he is saying.......meanpeoplesuck--==The USSR is long gone, for starters---dumbpeoplesuck, too.

[Abaddon]

What does your babbling have to do with this post. Seriously, I want to know.

[truthoutdotduh]

I think what he or she is trying to say here is that you can blame our society, or what it has become for the apathy, and the ways in which some people behave in our society. And I think it is a valid point to consider.

[UnknownSoldier]

I see where you are coming from, but I don't think we are quite there yet.

[ashabot]

People aren't "responding". They are standing on the sidewalk like the wimps they are. No one rushes out to direct traffic or help the stricken man. Pathetic.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

So many of the comments below are disturbing. And you KNOW who you are.

If you are one of the pathetic humanoids I'm referring to...

Please wear a sign around your neck that says,
"I am an asshole who wouldn't help you, so please do NOT help ME if I get hit by a car."

That would spare me a lot of inconvenience and possibly paperwork.

Thanks.

[Stagehnd1]

What people responding..???? They're just f$%king letting him lie there...They should have try to talk to him and tell him not to move, hold his head in place where it is....WTF!!!

[imajoebob]

"frozen statues?"

Time for an eye exam, bucko. First there's the woman on the sidewalk who appears beside herself, but then gathers her composure and hurries in the nearest business, I presume to call the police. Then there are the people who, once they achieve critical mass for safety, step out to check on the man. Most importantl is the arrival of the Hartford Police cruiser seconds after the incident.

Have you read any accounts of how many calls the HPD received? Do you know when the first call was received? NO. Do you know which, if any of the people you criticize placed a call? NO. Do you know anything about the area this took place? Do you know if it's near a drug treatment facility, or a psychiatric hospital, or if it's a pocket for homeless, often intoxicated older men? NO.

You don't know anything, except what the hysterical cable news anchors have been saying through their breathy, near-teary accounts (Contessa what's-her-face on MSNBC is unwatchable). And here you are making ignorant judgment of people and circumstance you know nothing about.

I'll bet you don't even shovel the sidewalk (or mow the lawn) for the 80 year old woman down the street. Hell, I bet you don't even know her name. And you're calling others idiot...

[speakeasy]

Blah blah, critical mass??? This wasn't a gang initiation. Just because the right wingers (or anyone else) are having a field day with this doesn't mean they're wrong and that you have to automatically disagree with anything they say. The man lay there for way too long as people just gawked. Just walking out into the road with your arms out would have been acceptable.

Ignorant judgement my ass! I made my judgement based upon my own experience in those type of situations.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

It takes 38 seconds for the first passer by to step toward the victim.

Thirty eight seconds. LOTS of people witnessing -- and HEARING -- the accident.

I'm sorry pardner. I am shocked that not a one is in the street instantly blocking traffic, and flagging down other passers by to assist. I would have. Would you?

That woman doesn't necessarily hurry ANYWHERE. My read is she is having a normal human reaction -- she is in utter shock.

"Achieve critical mass for safety." Riiiight. That should have tipped me off. Sheesh.

[Soundofthunder]

Thirty-eight seconds? Big deal. It took Bush SEVEN MINUTES to react to "WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!" in the nuclear age. I'll take anyone of those bystanders to lead this country over George "7-minutes" Bush.

SOT

[thesedarkages]

Hey man, they were slow. The guy could have been run over again. People should have gone to stand next to him and direct traffic while others called for help.

[UnknownSoldier]

I'm a New Yorker, and we have always gotten a bum rap in the media over being inhospitable, but this shocks me. At least 4 cars drove around the man I"m sorry but that can not be explained.

[robXdion]

The only way to fight this is with shame. That whole town needs to be taken to task by reporters like they did with WV and OH voters.

[AntonBursch]

My wife and I lived in Seattle for a few years before moving to the town we live in now.

In Seattle we were nearly hit a half dozen times walking on the crosswalk across the street and none of the people who almost hit us even slowed down.

A few weeks ago here in this small town, a little dog was running around scared on the highway and traffic, all traffic including trucks and buses, stopped immediately to make sure they didn't hit the dog. For at least ten minutes people were getting out of their vehicles and trying to help the dog. All of traffic was slowly moving to make sure they didn't hit the dog. And when we called 911... there had been dozens of calls already.

Big cities are way too disconnected. Small towns may not have as much to do as a city, but they have people who care about other people.

[UnbiasView]

Here's an idea, look both ways before crossing the street and you won't get hit. You never know what someone else is going to do so keep your eye out.

[wolfgangmo]

Here's another 2 ideas,

First, stop being, well, you.

Second, how about following the law? Or don't you believe in law and order.

[nobullshit]

You are a MORON! He was hit by a car that crossed the double yellow line illegally while chasing another car. NOT HIS FAULT YOU JACKOFF!!!

[doglove]

I live in Seattle, now and yes, it sucks. Another town without shame.

There are way too many hit and runs here.

[castlerider]

Hope they catch the sorry SOB.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

BOTH of em.

[TimmySlagle]

I'm not absolving anybody here,

But the guy was jaywalking. I know the two cars were passing in a no passing zone, and should have the book thrown at them.

But he WAS jaywalking.

Crosswalks are there for a reason.

[BEHM777]

I was taught that pedestrians have the right of way. Period. Especially when they are in the wrong. It is a mismatch, a car versus a human body. I am sure everyone of us has jaywalked at least once. I KNOW I have. God forbid you be run over because you cross the street as you have crossed it hundreds (or thousands) of times.

[Soundofthunder]

I live in Illinois. There is no pedestrian right of way law. All pedestrians have a DUTY to cross the street in a responsible manner. At a crosswalk or across from a driveway (this is considered a legal crosswalk in Illinois), somewhere that is a legally designated place to cross the street. In Illinois, if a car hits someone jaywalking and did not violate any traffic laws, the driver is guilty of NOTHING. Unless they flee the scene of the incident like these two dip shits did.

Pedestrian right of way laws are a menace to society. They teach people on foot to act as if a cone of absolute safety surrounds them at all times. Defensive driving and defensive walking go hand in hand. I should know. I've lived along the same busy street for decades. Never been hit, never had a close call because I assume all drivers are incompetent children. Better to generalize unfairly than end up road pizza.

SOT