Over the coming weeks and months, Kerry Wicks will be documenting the legal process when it comes to the hit and run of a cyclist in Larimer County. On June 14th her husband, Jeff Wicks was hit and left unconscious and bleeding on the side of the road.
Here is her latest post.
Here is the Coloradoan article: http://noconow.co/1tRXMOt
November 12th, 2014
Today was deeply unsatisfying. And I know why. As a woman, a mom, a daughter, a sister, a wife, I know what it means to be accountable. And Peggy Brown does not.
Once again, Jeff and I made our way to the Larimer County Courthouse, courtroom 3A, for Peggy’s hearing. Though, this day was a bit different. We knew we’d listen to the charges read against her, and had imagined what it would sound like to hear her plead guilty. (Peggy Brown pleaded leaving the scene of an accident — a class-four felony.)
Court proceedings dawdled on, and then ‘Miss Peggy Brown’ was called up.
To be candid, after months of recovery, and a summer that never was, I personally awaited hearing Peggy… ‘get it’. While I may be a bit of a dreamer, I did actually believe she would step up. After all, what being wouldn’t, given this chance, (minimally) to say sorry to the father/husband/son/cyclist/man she crippled?
The being of Peggy wouldn’t.
Here are a few Peggy Brown quotes from the hearing (in response to the Judge’s questions):
“I felt a crash, and looked in my rearview mirror…and saw the bike, and the rider…”
“I couldn’t find a good place to pull over”
“I didn’t know it was a felony” (to drive away) Um…because that matters?
“I was worried about confrontation from the people [at the scene]” (after she left, she drove a mile or so, turned around back by the accident…and left again)
We never heard a sorry. We never heard “I should have…” “I could have…” “I wish I had…”
It was a lackluster hearing. If anything, it seemed Peggy continued to play the impish victim—even sharing she was tired from the snowy drive in from Iowa. Yes, she is still driving these days.
I’m tired too Peggy. Very. And Jeff is exhausted the moment he wakes up each day.
I’ll reiterate. We forgive Peggy Brown for the accident. Bad drivers drive badly. Good drivers make mistakes. But, I had hoped and sought to hear some sense that she GETS what she did by leaving a dad to die on the road. Twice. But she truly doesn’t.
So, I now need to be at peace. Because I really can’t continue to hold all this.
And I know the cycling community, and indeed anyone that knows our family and this situation tends to want to have the ‘proverbial book’ thrown at Peggy. Her actions (and lack of action) warrant a 2-6 year prison term. We need you to know we feel this would be an ineffective and punitive punishment, and would love to have a hand in creating a new book to be thrown. My last update shared we’d like Peggy to do something.
In truth, we’d love to hear what YOU feel Peggy could do for our community. Please share this post and add your ideas. Please.
