this is from the paper and case




Trial begins for man charged in street racing deaths
October 08, 2013|By George Houde | Special to the Tribune






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Testimony about a street race that reached speeds of about 100 miles an hour and “pedal to the metal” driving that ended in a fiery crash killing two people opened the trial Tuesday of a Bartlett man in Cook County Circuit Court.

Timothy Salvesen, 39, is charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident and aggravated street racing in connection with the Jan. 27, 2011 crash that killed Migdalia Bloch, 62, of Hoffman Estates, and Joseph Paliokaitis, 32, of North Aurora.

The trial is being heard in Rolling Meadows branch court before Judge Kay Hanlon. If convicted, Salvesen could be sent to prison for up to 15 years.

Prosecutors said Salvesen was the driver of a blue Subaru engaged in a race with Paliokaitis in the westbound lanes of Golf Road in Hoffman Estates about 7:40 p.m. that evening.

Paliokaitis was tailing Salvesen in a silver Jaguar sedan and trying to pass him as they raced from Barrington Road to just west of Bartlett Road on Golf, said assistant state’s attorney Mike Clarke.

Clarke said that just west of Bartlett Road, Paliokaitis passed a van filled with young women and infants from Maryville Academy and lost control, flipping end over end and smashing into the car driven by Bloch. Paliokaitis was ejected and his car exploded in flames, Clarke said. Salvesen escaped, he said.

Nycol Criss, the driver of the van, said she saw the silver Jaguar pass her on the left at 100 miles an hour in the oncoming lane of traffic, then fishtail and flip.

“I saw sparks, a little bit of fire and then it exploded,” she testified.

She said another car passed her on the right at the same time and at the same speed, but she could not identify the make or color. She said she stopped to call 911 at the crash scene.

“It was totally chaotic,” she said.

Another witness, Josh Nilsson, said he saw the two cars pass him on the right at a high rate of speed on Golf Road before they reached the stoplight at Barrington Road. He said he stopped behind the Subaru and was so concerned he took a cell phone photo of the car’s license plate in order to call police.

“I thought they were driving so recklessly,” Nilsson testified. “It was pedal to the metal.”

Nilsson said he tried to follow the cars but lost them as they sped into the night until he came up the scene of the crash and the fire. He stopped and got out of his Toyota Corolla to render assistance, he said.

“I approached and saw a man on the ground,” Nilsson said. “I checked for a pulse but there was none.”

Nilsson sent his photo in a text message to police, which led to the eventual charges against Salvesen.

 

This story is so tragic. Really sad to see deaths that where so easily avoidable. If anything it goes to show us that even when we think we are in control, that we are secure in our driving abilities, in a split second it can all change. I for one will never race on the streets again. I consider myself lucky and blessed for not ending up hurting myself and or others around me.

 

aas sad at it is there are many many more deaths every year from distracted driving. more just from phone calls and texting that racing on the street. So remember that. How many times have you had people come into your lane or driving down the freeway going way slower than traffic and having people swerve and have to go around them only to pass them and yep phone against their head or looking down at it instead of looking at the road. Another reason I now have a onboard camera running in my car all the time. yep go ahead and say I came in your lane, video says otherwise. no arguement

 

Best investment one can make in my opinion. Get a dash cam, avoid court and a whole lot of expenses.

 

Yep and at $150 plus micro sc card ill think youll start seeing more and more. The video is crystal clear day or night. I got a dod ls400

 

Poor Riski. I feel so bad for him and his family - he was so young. I understand the impulse of racing when you are challenged. I think after reading this it will be unlikely that I will ever race in the streets again. Luckily for me I live near a race track with a great drag strip that I use from time to time.

Edit - it looks like the driver of the Subie got two years of probation for his part...

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/2...ews/711089825/

 

A most chilling description of that fatal accident - I shuddered when I read it, and I shudder every time I think of it. The image of the STR fish-tailing out of control at 100 mph, smashing into the other car, killing Mrs Bloch, becoming airborne, flipping end over end, ejecting (a presumably unbelted) Riski in mid-air and exploding upon landing is etched in my mind.

Which of us can say we have never, ever been so tempted. But this story has cured temptation for all time. Too close for my liking.

 

20131104 130607 N - YouTube

a good investment

 

Sorry to (again) be harsh but this bothers me.

There's no 'poor Riski' or reason to feel bad for him. He consciously chose to initiate some street racing hoping to sucker someone else into participating. That's illegal, for very good and obvious reasons.

He killed someone else in the act. That's third degree murder.

If the event had instead been road rage and he'd shot and killed a bystander with a gun would anyone feel sorry for the shooter? No.

The other guy that went to jail in this case is just a guilty. Takes two to tango. If he had refused to participate, he wouldn't be going to jail and two other people would still be alive.

Off my soap box now.

 

Well said, Mikey. As a retired NJ State Trooper, this has bothered me too. I read some of Riski's posts on this Forum and also viewed his YouTube channel. Riski drove recklessly, putting himself and others at risk. His ego was completely wrapped up in his high performance car and bike, even posting a video shot with a POV camera of his bike speedometer hitting 160 mph twice during a drive to a gas station at night on a public highway. Pretty stupid and immature.

Not only did Riski's reckless behavior finally catch up with him, but it also caused the death of a completely innocent person. Yes, the mental image of him being ejected from his STR as it tumbled and smashed into the woman's car is horrific. But I see it from her perspective - what terror she must have felt in the final seconds of her life as that black STR rained its death and destruction down on her.

So please, those of you who think there is no harm or danger in street racing - take a lesson from Riski. Stop! Act out your need for speed on a legitimate track, and keep it there.

 

Perhaps this thread could be posted on the UK forum. A quick read through the thread below shows a child like penchant for ' having ' other marques whilst on the public roads, as if they were trophies.

http://www.jaguarforum.co.uk/f27/jag...ted-63360.html

 

Too busy txting while driving, hey it's an automatic so what's the problem?

Police are too busy lying to count.

 

+1 The UK post was pathetic. It's sad that little boys with grown up toys will put the lives of other people at risk. They've gotta learn the hard way. Tragedy and death can happen in a heartbeat, and it can't be undone.

 

Hey everyone, I will come back on and give details of what I learned from the trial in a few days and it will answer some questions Ive read in here.


As far as Tims delusional family member grapejam or whatever the name is...maybe if you and your family actually went to all the court dates you wouldn't be so confused in your facts/thoughts. He was the farthest thing from innocent and to say he didn't know what was happening and he didn't know a crash took place is the dumbest thing Ive ever heard. Tell him to sack up, man up, and take responsibility for his actions. Either way he will have to answer for his actions one day.


Also wanted to let you guys know Riski always wore his seat belt anytime I have been in the car with him. His car ripped open at the pillar between the front and rear drivers door in an L shape. Havent seen the actual car yet due to police hold still. I did see the pictures they showed in evidence during trial.


Like I said I'll come back and share details in a few days. Til then you all be safe out there and enjoy those awesome rides!
utryd2....Riski's Brother

 

This type of stuff belongs on the track or out in the middle of nowhere. If you want to risk your life at least be courteous enough to not take other people with you against their will. Very short straight line pulls on the freeway are one thing but swerving in and out of traffic at excessive speeds on a public highway is just unjustifiable and monumentally stupid.

 

No we haven't.

No disrespect, but some of us were smarter than that.

 

Well aren't you just a little angel

 

I have trouble with that post and a subsequent by him as well.

If he did this as a younger man got away with it so that he can now have two kids which make him more conscious of how wrong it is to do something like this then that's a fortunate education. But it doesn't justify aberrant behavior of folks in their youth.

If you're going to go fast then do it on a track or a deserted road where there's no possibility of injuring anyone else. Even so, NEVER race on a public road unless it's a sanctioned event.

 

It is possible that not everyone has street raced. Fortunate education..or just common sense maybe?

 

No "poor" about it - going by what I've read here and on the links he behaved like an idiot and is responsible for his own demise.

The only sad parts about it are the death of the innocent driver and the effect that is had on this idiot's family who are left to mourn their loss in the knowledge that he was a fool who caused the death of a stranger through his stupidity.

Street racing is for idiots - ask Hollywood "star" Paul Walker's friends and family