Lauren King
The Virginian-Pilot
©
ACCOMACK COUNTY
The Exmore police chief died in a single-vehicle crash Wednesday evening.
Police Chief Stephen Trader Elliott, 64, was driving on Route 609, a mile south of Route 178 in Accomack County, shortly before 7 p.m. when the front left tire of his 1985 Ford truck blew out, said Sgt. Michelle Cotten, a Virginia State Police spokeswoman. His truck ran off the road to the left, overturned in a field and ejected him.
Elliott was not wearing a seatbelt and alcohol was not a factor in the crash, Cotten said.
"We're all still kind of trying to get our heads around this, " Exmore Mayor Billy Moore said this morning. "He was very well-known, well-liked and well-respected. He was a fixture, an institution here."
Elliott had joined the department in October 1982, Moore said.
As the Police Department's six-officer staff deals with the news, Virginia State Police and the Northampton County Sheriff's Office are helping with daily duties, Moore said.
He described the town as being "like a family."
The news was just starting to sink in this morning and arrangements for Elliott had not been determined.
"I think the town has lost a person that was truly dedicated to the citizens here and he was a wealth of knowledge that is going to be hard to replace," Moore said.
The town lost another official last year when Mayor Jeter Guy Lawson, 49, died in a crash on the Eastern Shore. A 29-year veteran of the Norfolk Fire Department, Lawson ran a red light in June in Cape Charles and hit a truck. He also was not wearing a seatbelt.
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when will we learn
how many more of our neighbors and friends must die needlessly?
Folks, Please for the sake of your families and friends,
WEAR YOUR SEATBELT
Please
Sympathy but...
My deepest condolences to the Chiefs family, friends, and staff. That said the man died breaking the laws he was not only sworn to uphold but had his deputies enforce day-to-day. He was the Chief of Police and wasn’t wearing a seat belt. What a stupid way to be remembered for someone who lived an outstanding life and had an outstanding career.
Just a question
How many times have any of you drove off in your car and forgot to put your seatbelt on? I know I have atleast a couple times a week. It's not until I get down the road or pull into a store parking lot that I remember I didn't put it on. Were all human even if that someone wears a blue uniform they are still human and we all forget things even important things. The sad thing is that it cost him his life.
seat belts
I can't stand it!!! The fact that this man died is tragic. period. The fact that it is a NEEDLESS tragidy makes it even worse. period. Law enforcement officers are excempt from the law - but many if not most of the thinking, caring police chiefs make a department policy to wear seat belts while on duty. Off duty, the law says EVERYONE in the front seat must wear a seat belt. Stats are irrefutable - you are at LEAST twice as likely to die in a crash if you don't wear them. More likely to receive serious injuries etc. People that don't wear them are betting every day - with a handicap.
in other news
The Virginian-Pilot
© April 15, 2010
GLOUCESTER
"A 36-year-old man died this morning when he was thrown from his vehicle during a crash...was ejected from the Explorer and died at the scene...He was not wearing a seatbelt."
These are two tragic stories. Two things are for certain, in that neither was wearing a safety belt and both were ejected from their respective vehicle.
Cont. my comment
Not only do they need to be able to jump out of their car at a moments notice but if something were to take place and someone is shooting at them in their vehicle the last thing they need is to be trapped in a car trying to get out of a seatbelt. There are many other reasons for the lack of seatbelt use for a police officer on duty but these two are the most important.
That said.....this is not the place for such negative comments. This family is hurting over the death of their family member. Lets keep the negative comments to ourselves.
Poppycock!
This is a "No Spin Zone". So get off the "rationalizing". In most departments it is a standards violation to NOT wear a safety belt. It's understood the guy is dead, but nevertheless he was in violation of the law. If he wrote just one ticket for that violation, it was hypocritical. Or...is it "do as I say, not as I do"?
The Law
I'm so sorry about the lose this family has had. It's never easy to lose a family member but to lose a member that has dedicated his life to helping others makes it even harder. I pray that God will heal all of you.
To the readers making your negative comments about a man who was killed. First, the neg comments are ONLY because this man was an officer of the law and we all know that most do not like police officers for one reason or another. Of course you all love them when you are in danger and they come to your aid! That being said....Heres a little police 101 for you! Police Officers are exempt from wearing a seat belt because of the nature of their job. Now, what they do in their personal vehicle is another story. What happens to most is that they get use to not wearing one while at work (where they are most of the time) and when they get in their own personal vehicle they forget to put it on. It's no excuse to not wear it and they should always put one on in their personal vehicle but they are human and they do forget out of habit.
You may be asking yourself...why are they exempt?.....In their job they need to be able to jump out of their car at a seconds notice
The Law - Reply
While not accepting I do understand the "exemption" while on duty. From what I've heard and read the Chief was NOT on duty. When not on duty he is a regular citizen and MUST follow all the laws. Of course, I'm waiting for the rebuttal that he is "on duty" 24 hours a day.
Of course you are
waiting for a rebuttal because you are just like all others who do not like police officers! To answer your question and mind you this is from someone who knows.....yes, a police officer is on Duty 24 hours a day especially the Chief of Police. However, yes, he should have put his seat belt on while off duty. Again, no matter who you are Police or not we are all human and we all forget from time to time. sometimes you pay for it sometimes you don't. Just happens in this case he paid a rather big price for his mistake.
I'm sure you will never pay that price because you are perfect and I'm sure you have never forgot to put your seat belt on.