Do State Representatives Get Special Treatment?

On Friday, August 13, 2010, Shane McCarthy was killed at 4:30 p.m. on route 111 in Alfred.  NH State Representative Laurie Boyce was driving the SUV which pulled out of Saco Road, Hitting Shane broadside, dragging his body under her SUV for 15 feet, ejecting his wife Lezlie over the hood of the SUV where she landed on the pavement with very grave injuries.  I came across this accident a minute after it happened and witnessed what I pray is the most horrific thing ever in my life because I do not wish to see anything like it again.  I did not know Shane, but, I wish I did, because after reading all the things people have to say about him, I would have loved him with my life.  I feel that someone needs to be his voice other than his family because I see all these people making excuses for Laurie Boyce, who has not made a written statement about the accident, nor has she said anything to his family.  Maybe re-election efforts are just too draining for her, or maybe re-election is more important. 

I see the news stations have run very little on this accident.  Why?  It is leading many of us to believe that this is being hidden, or swept under the rug.  And yes the paperwork has been forwarded to the AG for them to investigate/file charges.   Maine has a distracted driver law, was she distracted?  She must have been if she did not see that motorcycle coming from her left, so that she ran right into it.  It isn’t like it was a tiny little thing in the road like a chipmunk or something, for pete’s sake it was a Harley Davidson with two people on it, that is not something that is very small at all. 

Laurie Boyce is running again as a representative to the People of NH, Shane was a resident of NH, what about his voice.  My voice is now his.  There are things being said that people have spoken out about similar incidents about Laurie Boyce, where is the investigation into her?  Where is Shane’s justice?

It is also funny when some of her colleagues were contacted, they had no idea that this even happened, sounds kind of fishy to me.  Again politicians being treated with a different rulebook than the rest of us Americans. 

Sincerely,

Vicki Trudell

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This picture was taken the day that Shane gave his sister Heather away at her wedding.

Comments

[Heather (McCarthy) Finerty]

I am one of Shane's sisters...I can not express to anyone enough how outraged we all are that this woman has not even stopped for a moment, not even made a public statement about her accident. She has not even given the State trooper the written statement of what happened...as he requested... How could someone take a life and seriously hurt another and just go on...run for re-election??? what type of Rep is she? She took a life...She took a life!!! An accident is an accident, but when you have the history she has...it is more than an accident. many people have called and told the investigating officer that they had similar almost accidents...she should not be driving!!! Almost everyone I have spoken to has stated that she should not be driving and yet...here she is- tooling around-look what happened...she killed out brother!!! She killed Lezlie's husband, our brother, friend, nieghbor-and yet she continues She destroyed so many lives,and yet she is running for re-election!!!
. What type of Rep could she be, where is her moral character? What is her definition of what is right and wrong. People tell me , " oh she is such a nice person" are you kidding me? How nice of a person could she be with this behavior.....you tell me.
This should be in the papers...it should be all over the papers...who gave her her lic to drive...who said she could drive properly...What about the brain damage..Even the officer said she should not be driving!!!( He has filed the paperwork to revoke her lic.- but lets see if that indeed does happen) Is she getting special treatment because she is a State Rep or because she was married to a senator??? Gee, I dont know.
Tom Brady gets into an accident and it is all over the papers and the news, but when a NH State Rep kills someone...it is almost non exhistant...no one wants to investigate it.
Prove me wrong, prove to me that someone has the the ability to tell the whole story...the true story...the facts!!!
The people of NH have a right to know what the real story is. Shane has a right to have the truth, Shane has a right to have the appropiate actions taken against this woman. Shane deserves at least that!

[Joe B.]

This is a terrible loss...just horrible....My condolences to the family. Laurie Boyce is hardly a callous person. In fact, I suspect she might be pretty wrecked over it personally.

Not intending to excuse her silence or appearance of callousness, folks should also remember that this is 2010. I can tell you when I purchased my auto insurance, I cannot tell you how many times I was mailed some "informational documents" from the insurance companies telling me what to do immediately after an accident...nearly always, they say, "do not discuss the accident" do not admit fault and do not make a statement...Lawyers on Television and radio are never short on such advice, either.

The problem is that we as a society have become so litigious that when such horrible crashes costing human lives take place, many simply "lawyer up" How often is such advice followed by, "its the right thing to do?"

In the inverse, I think they initially did nothing because she "is" a state rep...But more so to gather all the facts so that any subsequent action wont look like a political ax was being ground.

[Michelle L.]

So Joe, you're saying that this "Rep" didn't offer her condolences because she was afraid of being sued? Really? Her money is more important to her than trying to atone for what she has done? THAT says a lot about who she is. I think the only reason she might be "wrecked" over this is because she is afraid it will ruin HER life. She is selfish and callous. She needs to do the right thing. Her silence is a good indicator of the kind of person she is. Shane was a good man and deserves so much more.

[With Condolences]

I am very sorry for the terrible loss but please be gentle on Laurie. She has surived much challenges in her life. Her disability has left her with difficulty with her motor skills. Her ability to communicate and walk would cause a lesser person to simply give up driving or participating in general society. Her courage is admirable. Laurie has also perservered through the her high profile separation and divorce four years ago. Laurie is a good and decent person, if she is getting special favors, it not by her request or knowledge.My deepest sympathy.

[Heather McCarthy Finerty]

TO: WITH CONDOLENCES: ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? HOW DARE YOU!!! Be gentle on Laurie!!! SHE KILLED A MAN, MY BROTHER, A HUSBAND, A FRIEND.
"Her disability has left her with difficulty with her motor skills. Her ability to communicate and walk would cause a lesser person to simply give up driving or participating in general society"
A more responsible person would have give up their lic to drive to protect others...
She should have left her ego at the door and given up her lic. to drive...our brother would still be alive.
Her divorce??? that has nothing to do with any of this. Because she overcame a terrible divorce...we should forgive the fact that she killed my brother, Lezlie's husband, and a best friend to many...does that really make any sense??? How dare you make excuses for a person just because she has had a difficult time. Shane has not had an easy life...he overcame many obstacles much harder than a public divorce...he had struggled and fought his way, but never ever would he have ever been above the law. Everyone has a story, everyone comes from some difficulty, but let me tell you...that is NEVER inteneded to be an excused to be above any law. To put her selfIshness above the safely of others was and is unfair. She should not be driving...How can you tell me or anyone else to be gentle on her??? How does her disabilities make it ok for her to kill my brother and to be gentle on her. Because she is a nice person, because she went through a public messy divorce, we should just let her continue on her path...run for re-election, continue to drive...just pretend she didnt kill one of the most loving and sweetest, people. Like she and her problems are MORE important than the life that she took???? WHO ARE YOU AND HOW DARE YOU??? My brother's life was and is worth every bit if not more than hers... How about the kind of person SHANE MCCARTHY was? Did you ever wonder how many people are morning him? How many people lives will never ever be the same because of what she did to him. How about Lezlie? She is physically hurt, in pain all the time...too many broken bones to even mention...let alone that she lost her husband...her best friend...and we are supposed to feel sorry for Rep Boyce!!! How dare you!!! WHO IS GOING TO FEEL SORRY FOR SHANE???? WHO IS GOING TO GIVE HIM SPECIAL TREATMENT????NO ONE...BECAUE HE IS DEAD!!! HE IS DEAD BECAUSE OF HER!!! SIMPLE FACTS!

[Vicki Trudell]

Joe, are you the same Joe that wrote back in one of the newspaper articles that this was "an honest mistake" If you are that certainly explains your post here.

Why don't you take a ride to the accident scene? There are Dig marks in the pavement where Shane's motorcycle was dragged across the pavement while it was on it's side with him draped over the top of it with the top of his body wedged under her SUV. And there are NO skid marks. I drove out of the road today that she drove out of, I looked to my right, I could clearly see vehicles of any sort coming from that direction for quite a distance.

Yeah, she is SO torn up over it she has pulled out of the race. Nope, looks like life as usual. I don't care what my insurance company says, or my lawyer, I would send my apologies to the family. That is being a caring human being. YES this has been a cover up through and through.

[Vicki Trudell]

Her disability has left her with difficulty with her motor skills. Her ability to communicate and walk would cause a lesser person to simply give up driving or participating in general society

Are you seriously kidding me??? A BIGGER PERSON WOULD GIVE UP DRIVING BECAUSE SHE IS A MENACE ON THE ROAD. I WILL FIGHT THIS TILL I DIE OR UNTIL SHANE SEES JUSTICE WHICHEVER COMES FIRST.

[Vicki Trudell]

You Laurie Boyce supporters will not defeat us, she defeated Shane's body, you will not defeat his spirit, or his memory. You will not defeat his family. We are united and we will guard Shane and Lezlie, we are together, we are one.

[Vicki Trudell]

The wrong person was one minute post accident on the scene. The wrong person has the memory imprinted on their brain. The wrong person wakes up at night with the vision of Shane imprinted on their brain. The wrong person can vividly remember every aspect down to the tiny trickle of blood on his right arm near his elbow. The wrong person remembers how his hand looks as if it were yanked off the throttle, as it was. That wrong person is me, because I am a fighter.

[Sarah L., RN]

Laurie Boyce obviously should not have a driver's license if she has difficulty with motor skills. A dearly loved brother, husband and friend lost his life due to Ms. Boyce's known "difficulty with motor skills". Driving is a privilege for those who are mentally and physically able to perform the tasks related to driving. If Ms. Boyce had done the honorable action and surrendered her license when she became incompetent to drive, Shane McCarthy would be alive today.

Ms. Boyce failed to yield to Shane McCarthy who had the right of way. Ms. Boyce killed Shane McCarthy. There is no doubt who is at fault in this tragedy. Ms. Boyce has also failed to apologize for or even acknowledge that she killed Shane McCarthy. No, Ms. Boyce is busy running for re-election. Ms. Boyce, shame on you.

[Vicki Trudell]

I should add when I pulled out of the road which Laurie Boyce pulled out of, I looked to my right and to my left. I had my husband with me and asked him to look right and left asked him if he could see the traffic coming from both directions, he stated yes very clearly, so, could I.

[Rick Olson]

Certainly, I can empathize with a family loss. My family certainly has had ours. And I can certainly relate to the outpouring of raw emotion, but attacking people is inappropriate and denigrates the person whose life was lost. Ms Trudell, your rant for Justice is troubling and volatile, for what its worth.

[Vicki Trudell]

Really Rick and where exactly could you tell me I am being troubling and volatile?

[Heather McCarthy Finerty]

Rick, I think you are sadly mistaken. You know nothing of what you speak...Vicki has been a voice for Shane.
How would you respond if you had witnessed what she had? How would you feel? How would you help?
Is it possible that you would do nothing, just nothing?
What exactly are any of us to think when NOTHING has happened to Rep Laurie Boyce??? How on earth do you justify her behavior? The day Rep Boyce ran over my brother is somthing you know NOTHING about...
Vicki is far from inappropiate and volatile...she is full of the compassion that Rep Boyce should be having...She has a heart and a soul...She has not denigrated Shane McCarthy at all!
Rick Olsen-you are wrong...for what it is worth.

[Mrs. BLH]

Forgive my ignorance, but I am from out-of-state, but native to N.H.
If this woman has disablitites, which some seem to question why she is driving in the first place, it might be her political party doing the 'hushing-up', if they are trying to keep their seats in the state house.
We live in a world where people are able to sleep with a cruel conscience - may God have mercy on us all!
My deepest sympathy to the family of Shane McCarthy. Keep fighting until justice prevails!

[RN to MSN Degree]

State representatives do get special treatment. It is because they do know a lot of people and have the great connections that most people do not.

[Heather (McCarthy) Finerty]

RN to MSN Degree, please explain what on earth you mean??? They dont get special treatment..it is because they have more connections???? I am sorry, but that is pretty silly. Of course they have more connections and they use those connections when they should not. They should not be abusing the connections they have...They only have them because of the job they were voted into...so again...of course they have specail treatment because of the special connections because of their job. Laurie Boyce has not rec'd the same treatment as anyone else...that is wrong. No way around that. Money talks as well as politicians...sorry.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Rick Olsen is one of the nastiest character assassins in Manchester. His calls for civility are hollow and politically motivated.