Unbelievable.
Starting around 6:50 pm Wednesday, 49-year old Satnam Singh of Ventura allegedly went on a drunken rampage on that city’s Telegraph Road, leaving trail of victims in his in wake.
Five people were injured — including a mother and her 13-year old daughter riding their bikes single file in the bike lane. Tragically, 20-year old Ventura College student Nick Haverland was killed while riding his bike with a friend on their way to take their last finals, just three miles from the school.
A police spokesman said Singh was traveling westbound on his way home from his job in Santa Paula when the carnage began, first hitting the two women, leaving them with injuries including broken bones. He then fled the scene before plowing into a pickup stopped for a red light at Petit Avenue, injuring a couple and their 16 year-old son.
Once again, he kept going, eventually drifting into the bike lane to smash into Haverland near the intersection of Mara Avenue; a witness reports an extremely hard collision, apparently killing Haverland instantly.
Again, he fled from the scene, this time followed by a witness — possibly the friend Haverland had been riding with — eventually stopping at his home on the 100 block of Kennedy Avenue, just one block south of Telegraph.
When police arrived, Singh was still sitting inside his vehicle, which some have identified as a Hummer H3; the vehicle had significant damage, and police were unable to open the driver’s side door as a result. Singh refused to exit his Hummer, resulting in a 20 minute standoff.
Police eventually entered from the rear hatch and dragged Singh out; he was reportedly taken to Ventura County Medical Center for treatment of bite wounds from police dogs.
It’s just too bad that the drunken S.O.B. was probably too intoxicated to feel them.
Inexplicably, the police report identified the exact address of Singh’s home, almost inviting retaliatory attacks against the driver; like the other press reports, I’m refraining from posting it here or linking to the report for that reason.
I hope everyone has the sense to refrain from retaliation and let the justice system do its job.
Singh was arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, felony hit-and-run and felony DUI. The investigation is ongoing, and hopefully will result in adding murder charge for Haverland’s death.
The first collision could have been the result of a drunken error. But it’s difficult to argue that by the third collision, it was anything but an intentional act.
According to the Ventura County Star, Haverland was a 2009 graduate of Ventura’s Foothill Technology High School. His former principal describes him as “a great kid,” reporting that both staff and students are very upset by the news.
As an aside, Rex Reese emailed that Singh’s name is an anagram for Man Ass Thing.
Works for me.
One thing is certain. Life as he knew it is over for Singh.
Life for Haverland is just over.
My heartfelt sympathy to the family and friend’s of Nick Haverland, and best wishes to all the victims.
