Tucson man struck and killed by squad car identified

First off why would they put in the report that "he wasnt in a cross-walk?" This guy really needs to stop making excuses on why he hit Fleming. Pedestrians have the right of way always, and why would he say "he walked into the road in front of him" why would he walk infront of a car? I hope people arent forgetting what happened and dont forget who the victim is because theres a cop involved.

Does the term "Above The Law" ring a bell?

Joe Friday wrote:

Does the term "Above The Law" ring a bell?

Yea, but if the law is broken there is no above or below.

You seem to think that laws are created for you to have a better life or something.

Not happening.

Laws are created so "They" can better control you.

You steal a little and they throw you in jail, you steal a lot and they make you king, or in this day and age, they make you president.

Hold onto your seat, this ride is about to get a whole lot worse.

The police say the cop was Speeding. The big news story here is that it was too dark out, and that was the cause! They actually had a news crew at the scene the next night, filming two teens crossing at night, and how they could not be seen. They even interviewed them !
TPD needs an overhaul!!

Derek wrote:

First off why would they put in the report that "he wasnt in a cross-walk?" This guy really needs to stop making excuses on why he hit Fleming. Pedestrians have the right of way always, and why would he say "he walked into the road in front of him" why would he walk infront of a car? I hope people arent forgetting what happened and dont forget who the victim is because theres a cop involved.

Derek, thank you so much. This is my brother that was murdered by that police officer. No one has notified me about it. I found out by reading the Lawrence Eagle Tribune on Friday... 2 days after my brother was killed!

You're absolutely correct. Everyone keeps trying to defend this cop. Everyone wants to blame my brother. "He wasn't in a crosswalk." Yet, in the same breath, they say he crossed in an intersection. As far as I've always known, an intersection is a crosswalk, marked or not. And as I've read other comments from people who live in that Tucson neighborhood, the roads do NOT have crosswalks marked, and the lighting is poor, or none at all.

I am having nightmares picturing how he was hit... was his body crushed and broken, bleeding, eyeglasses flying off. He had NO family in Arizona, lived alone, and died alone. How much sadder can it get?

To add insult to injury, the investigatig sergeant, Tim Beam, asked Officer Timothy Coussens: "Are you doing OK?" Response: "Yeah for now."

How thoughtful! How are you doing? Let's give this murderer a pat on the back.... poor guy!

If it were you or I, we'd be in jail now, not on paid vacation.

Thank you so much, Derek. The man killed, Timothy Fleming, was my brother. No one from Tucson has contacted me to this day (Sunday). I had to find out about it from the Friday Lawrence Eagle Tribune... 2 days after his death!

My brother had a life, and it was taken away in a flash - for no good reason.

My heart is aching. My family is devastated. My brother did NOT cross illegally. My brother was crossing the street at an intersection, which IS a crosswalk, marked or not.

Why would an officer of the law be speeding through an intersection, especially if he couldn't see what was up ahead of him? I appreciate the thoughtful comments. People who say it was my brother's fault that he got killed are the lowest of the low.

I am having nightmares picturing how he was hit... was his body crushed and broken, bleeding, eyeglasses flying off. He had NO family in Arizona, lived alone, and died alone. How much sadder can it get?

The investigatig sergeant, Tim Beam, asked Officer Timothy Coussens: "Are you doing OK?" Response: "Yeah for now."

How thoughtful! How are you doing? Let's give this murderer a pat on the back.... poor guy!

Forgive double-response above. The first time I entered it, I got an error page. Sorry.

Cathy I am sorry for your loss. I use to be a trauma nurse and have seen many of hit pedestrians come in. I just moved here from Corpus Christi, TX. Since I have been here I have almost hit 3 people crossing the street. 2 have been at night and one during the day. The lighting in this town sucks. I was driving down St Mary's street one night after work and 2 girls were walking across the street on my left side with oncoming traffic, they thought people would stop for them but with the darkness and the lighting I had to swerve and miss them, good thing there was not another car beside me or I would of crashed. This has happened twice-where people just walk out in the road crosswalk or not and expect traffic to stop. I was always taught you wait for no traffic coming, then cross but this is the only town I have been in so far that you cross whenever you feel like it. I can understand how it happened. I wish Tucson would do something about the street lights. There is so many auto-peds (medical term) in this town!!!

Sadly, unless people yell and scream, my dear friend Timothy's tragic death will be forgotten and the killer will roam free to kill again.

Hello Cathy, I am so sorry for your loss...which was also my loss...and countless others here in Tucson. The truth about Timothy's not being in a crosswalk is that there is no crosswalk at that intersection...an intersection which has bus stops on each side of Broadway, eastbound and westbound. There is no overhead lighting in that section of Broadway, although it is an area with some foot traffic. Those two teens who crossed might be students at a charter High School which is situated close to the westbound bus stop. I suspect that this accidnet could have happened many many times in the past few years as dozens and maybe hundreds of people cross at that intersection each weekday....but few at 4:45 am.
And I suspect that the determining factor was the speed of the car that hit Timothy. Had The policeman been going slower, I think he could have avoided Timothy, maybe by inches, maybe by yards. Had he had his emergency response lights ON, Timothy would have seen him. Had he used his siren, Timothy would have heard him, but the police do not use those emergency lights and sirens unless there is true need...response to an emergency and traffic that needs to be warned/ alerted. And at 4:45 am, a siren on Broadway could awaken thousands of folks.

My friend Timothy taught compassion...with his words, with his courageous actions and with his attitudes. He was generous of spirit and heart. He was kind to all. He was a noble man with a determined purpose to love and serve a God who was kind and forgiving.

Timothy was crossing the street to catch a bus to catch another bus to go to the airport, to fly to Mass. to return to his friends Neal and Heather, who looked to him for help and care and love in responding to Neal's health crisis.

His loving friends in Tucson will keep Timothy in our hearts. He would ask us to find love, compassion and justice at the same time. It is possible. He spent his life in Tucson demonstrating the practice of love, compassion and justice. God Bless you.

Hi Cathy. I was a student at St. Hyacinth College and Seminary in Granby, MA. from 1987 to 1991. Tim had lived there and I believe he was working on his Ph.d at the time. Tim was down to earth and we both had our own twisted senses of humor! That's one of the reasons I liked him. As we got to know each other, I found Tim to be like the older brother I never had. I left the seminary, and had kept in touch with Tim. I last spoke to him about a year ago. Please accept my sympathies for the loss of your brother. I got married about three years ago, and Tim blessed the rings used in my wedding ceremony. I will always remember Tim when I look at my wifes and my wedding rings.

Jessica L wrote:

Cathy I am sorry for your loss. I use to be a trauma nurse and have seen many of hit pedestrians come in. I just moved here from Corpus Christi, TX. Since I have been here I have almost hit 3 people crossing the street. 2 have been at night and one during the day. The lighting in this town sucks. I was driving down St Mary's street one night after work and 2 girls were walking across the street on my left side with oncoming traffic, they thought people would stop for them but with the darkness and the lighting I had to swerve and miss them, good thing there was not another car beside me or I would of crashed. This has happened twice-where people just walk out in the road crosswalk or not and expect traffic to stop. I was always taught you wait for no traffic coming, then cross but this is the only town I have been in so far that you cross whenever you feel like it. I can understand how it happened. I wish Tucson would do something about the street lights. There is so many auto-peds (medical term) in this town!!!

Dear Jessica. It mus be very difficult seeing severly injured people coming into the trauma unit, and I commend you for this caring work you do.

From what I've read from the articles, and reading the many comments in different papers, my brother did not jaywalk. He crossed at the intersection. I have a feeling that even if he had reflective clothing on, the speeding cop would not have reacted in time to stop. People have written in that there are NO marked crosswalks there, so the intersection does count as a crosswalk.

Also, this intersection was where the bus stops are located. Police in the city should be aware of where the intersections are, as well as the bus stops, and should NOT be speeding through them. Where a car and a pedestrian are involved, the pedestrian has the right of way. It's only common sense.

Your point about the lack of lighting seems to be on many people's minds. I am appalled that the city of Tucson has not provided lighting, especially at an intersection, and esepcially where there's a bus stop.

Vince P wrote:

Sadly, unless people yell and scream, my dear friend Timothy's tragic death will be forgotten and the killer will roam free to kill again.

Dear Vince... It's so good to know my brother had good friends like you. Thanks. Cathy

Dear Mollie, Vince and Fran,

Your kind words deeply touched me. You'll never know how much it truly means to me. I now feel that Tim was not alone--as I had imagined--out in Tucson. And Fran, the same goes for the friends Tim had back here in Massachusetts.

Thank you for loving my brother. Cathy

Please the first rule of "Right of Way" is never INSINST on it .... and against a car ... a marked car.... yeah your gonna lose

I too was a friend of Timothy in Tucson. I will remember Timothy as a brave and couragous soul who touched many lives. He will always be remembered by myself. His passing has taught me not to take people I care about for granted. I am sorry, Cathy for your loss.
I have viewed having Timothy in my life for a brief time as one of many blessings. I truely see Timothy as an angel that was sent to teach, heal, and love. This is what he did in my life. I am glad a knew him and I will carry him in my heart throughout my life and my life's interactions.
Timothy, thank-you for your love and your huge heart that touched mine. I know that you will be around when your family or friends call on you. Timothy, you did a wonderful job on this earth.
I'll miss you. May you rest with God in peace and love. Your Friend Forver! Jill

I found this thread searching on the run over man's name.

I made finding out what happened a point after reading and talking to the reporter who merely quoted the police chief on lack of evidence to convict.

Only in the comments of that paper is there any info about civil traffic violations being pursued.

There is no article that I found yet, none in the local main paper here in Tucson, that reports the final results of the internal investigation.

I hope the sister realises time is of the essence if she wants to bring a lawsuit. Same for his friends etc.

The impact must of triggered the on board 'black box' to preserve a very precise speed, reaction time to brake, etc. record.

Are officers allowed to speed without objective criteria for cause or not?

Some comment claimed that two died recently in this way- I hope that's not true.

Even if the only recourse for determining speed is the officers answer to the question, I have not yet seen that reported. Was he given the fifth without having to take it formally? If so our Chief has discretion to relieve him of duty. He should have to answer the question- and do so sworn.

An outside our county investigat-or/ing_agency is needed. The municipal liablity should of made that the case from the first chance Pima County had to pass.

Either the pedestrian was trying to kill himself or the office was at fault.

P.S.

When searching to avoid having to signin to papers sites to read there articles use an engine that keeps a copy from there original indexing search and click on the link marked "cache"

YOu can also limit such searches to particular publications!

SUBJECT: most recent "tucson+Coussens" article and search link to find it

http://209.85.165.104/search?q =cache:9PsySRxy-lkJ:azstarnet. com/sn/85746/231355+tucson+Cou ssens&hl=en&ct=clnk &cd=13&gl=us
http://www.google.com/search...
This search link goes back only 90 days and other keywords would need to be used in the future.
I feel it's necessary to post this link as the topix link posted above by 'oboblogger' was to a tentative article, and since requires one to login to view.
The cache'd copy is currently at
http://209.85.165.104/search?q =cache:O9j_Pn2zHDIJ:www.azstar net.com/sn/hourlyupdate/229352 .php+tucson+Coussens&hl=en &ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=u s
with the final version at
http://209.85.165.104/search?q =cache:_CI5DbSGKnIJ:www.azstar net.com/sn/related/225255+tucs on+Coussens+Fleming&hl=en &ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=u s
and neither having comments enabled..