GUILTY MA - Earman Machado, 13, killed in hit & run, Taunton, 27 Dec 2007

http://wbztv.com/local/Craig.Bigos.Earman.2.619349.html
TAUNTON (WBZ) ― Prosecutors say the driver charged in the hit-and-run death of a 13-year-old boy in Taunton was text messaging at the time of the incident.

Earman Machado was riding a bike on the side of Poole Street just after midnight Thursday when he was struck and killed by a 1995 Ford Explorer. Police say the driver, Craig Bigos, lost control of his SUV while text messaging on his cell phone and did not stop.
and
A prosecutor said Friday that Bigos told police he thought he hit a mailbox, and didn't realize he hit Machado until the next day. (more plus pics at link)

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/12/28/man_charged_in_hit_and_run?mode=PF
Man charged in hit-and-run
Teenager on bike killed in Taunton
By John C. Drake, Globe Staff December 28, 2007
TAUNTON - A Taunton man faces arraignment today on charges that include motor vehicle homicide after he allegedly struck and killed a 13-year-old middle school pupil who was riding a bicycle early yesterday, police and prosecutors said.
Craig P. Bigos, 31, of Taunton turned himself in to police yesterday afternoon. In addition to motor vehicle homicide, he was charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and driving without a license, among other offenses.
Police did not identify the victim yesterday, but Taunton's schools superintendent, Arthur Stellar, said in a telephone interview that he was a pupil at Friedman Middle School who has at least one school-age sibling, a brother who attends Taunton High School. Several televisions stations identified the victim as Earman Machado. (more plus pics at link)

If he thought he hit a mailbox, wouldn't he have looked in his rearview mirror and seen a child down? :waitasec: I think he must have been on something or drunk when he hit the poor boy.

<A prosecutor said Friday that Bigos told police he thought he hit a mailbox, and didn't realize he hit Machado until the next day>

because, the moron was drunk...??? ya think...????

First of all this in NO WAY is defending the driver or saying WHY this happened. But why are kids out wandering at 12:28 AM? I know they're 13, but even when I was young and it was pretty safe, we would NOT have been outside on foot or bike at that hour. We might be AWAKE and doing stuff, but if we went out for some weird reason there would be an adult.

That is a good question, Malapoo. From the one picture that road didn't look well lit. I'm not excusing the driver either, but I'd like to know too.

Yes, the driver is at fault. Don't even get me started on cell phones and driving. Even if he THOUGHT he hit a mailbox, you stop and check or go back. I've hit "things" in the late night and I see what it is - thank God it's always been a rock, an already dead thing or a new pot hole, but the few times I've felt bump and not seen what it was beforehand, I find out right then and there. We have adults who walk at night on our unlit road and the idiots are in the edge of the road and dressed often in all dark, so you better believe I am careful.

I think it should be illegal to talk on a cell phone or text message when driving. You simply can't pay attention to driving when doing those 2 things.

philamena said:

I think it should be illegal to talk on a cell phone or text message when driving. You simply can't pay attention to driving when doing those 2 things.

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In California it will be in 6 months, unless you have a headset/Bluetooth device.

Malapoo said:

Yes, the driver is at fault. Don't even get me started on cell phones and driving. Even if he THOUGHT he hit a mailbox, you stop and check or go back. I've hit "things" in the late night and I see what it is - thank God it's always been a rock, an already dead thing or a new pot hole, but the few times I've felt bump and not seen what it was beforehand, I find out right then and there. We have adults who walk at night on our unlit road and the idiots are in the edge of the road and dressed often in all dark, so you better believe I am careful.

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I believe it's the law in most states that if you hit anything you are to stop, assess the damage, find the owner, etc. It is a "hit and run" regardless of it being a person or not.

Unfortunately, this time it was a person... and this idiot needs to pay for his stupidity and for killing an innocent person.

The boy may have snuck out of his house to see a friend and was riding home at that time.. 12:28am is way past bed time for a 13 year old.

From November 2008:

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/article/20081113/News/811130367

A New Bedford man who said he was driving and text messaging a friend when he accidentally struck and killed a Taunton teenager last year will serve 2½ years in jail.

Appearing with his lawyer Wednesday in Fall River Superior Court, Craig P. Bigos, 32, of New Bedford pleaded guilty to motor vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of an accident with death resulting...

As part of the plea agreement, Mr. Bigos' driver's license will be suspended for 10 years. He will be on probation for three years after his release from the Dartmouth House of Corrections.

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