Someone needs to be held accountable for teen's death

Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009

Calvert County is a peaceful, law-abiding community.

Check the crime report in this paper.

However, our police force conducts itself as if we are a bad community.

Check with any 16- to 25-year-old who has ever been pulled over. Multiple deputies will arrive on scene and you will be asked to have your vehicle searched.

Now in the wake of a terrible crash that stole the life of a beautiful young woman, we have Sheriff Mike Evans stating publicly that the officer involved "was responding as fast as he could and as safe as he would."

This is incredible when it comes in the wake of his accusation that it was the young lady's fault.

Now with the information from the crime scene — yes, it was a crime — it is clear that no one could have survived at that intersection.

You do not put the community at risk to come to the aid of a call.

You get there as quickly as possible, as safely as possible.

There is clearly a lack of training and leadership at the Calvert County Sheriff's Office.

To be so callous as to first blame the victim and then say that nothing was handled improperly is hubris, at the least, and malfeasance, at the worst.

Additionally, our state's attorney claims that this behavior was not gross negligence.

What is negligence? 115, 120 mph?

Granted it would take courage to bring charges against a deputy and this department, but that is what the facts call for.

A member of our community was killed by law enforcement and no one is being held accountable.

This law abiding community, and the memory of Rachael Campbell, deserve better.

Michael C. Sondberg, North Beach