Return to Transcripts main page
Live From...
Congressman Was Speeding During Fatal Accident
Aired August 21, 2003 - 14:22 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: This is a case of how life can turn on a dime. Congressman Bill Janklow of South Dakota could face criminal charges stemming from a fatal accident.
A police report says Janklow was driving at 15 miles an hour over the speed limit when he struck and killed a motorcyclist, but not first time Janklow has been accused of having a lead foot.
Here's CNN's Aaron Brown.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AARON BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a small town funeral in a state of small towns. Cars going to the ceremony by the dozens.
What made the funeral far from ordinary was how Randy E. Scott died, in a traffic accident over the weekend involving South Dakota's only congressman and its former four-term governor, Republican William Janklow.
DAVE KRANTZ, SIOUX FALLS ARGUS LEADER: He himself characterizes himself kind of jokingly as a shoot from the hip type of guy who -- largely because his critics have labeled him that, but he generally uses that in a positive way, where he makes quick judgments.
BROWN: But prosecutors say one of those judgments was fatal. Janklow's car, they say, ran a stop sign on a county road last Saturday and collided with a motorcycle driven by Mr. Scott. Police say his car was moving at around 70 miles an hour.
Blood alcohol tests have been taken, the prosecutor said in an email to journalists, but no results have been released and even Janklow has acknowledged his tendency towards speeding.
KRANTZ: In 1999, during his State of the State address in January, it was actually a couple of paragraphs in that speech where he talks about his heavy foot basically, talking about how he wished he didn't do that, but it's just one of those things that happens, and made the comment that he hoped to God he never had to go to jail because of it.
BROWN: South Dakota records indicate seven accidents for the congressman over the past decade, among them, April 1997. His car slid into a state police command post during flooding. No injuries that time. In December of '93, he was involved in an accident with another motorist in Sioux Falls. No injuries again.
And 11 months earlier, yet another accident. One driver injured.
Because Randy Scott loved motorcycles, there were many in his funeral. As for the congressman, he is keeping quiet, waiting to see what prosecutors will do next.
Aaron Brown, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired August 21, 2003 - 14:22 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: This is a case of how life can turn on a dime. Congressman Bill Janklow of South Dakota could face criminal charges stemming from a fatal accident.
A police report says Janklow was driving at 15 miles an hour over the speed limit when he struck and killed a motorcyclist, but not first time Janklow has been accused of having a lead foot.
Here's CNN's Aaron Brown.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AARON BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a small town funeral in a state of small towns. Cars going to the ceremony by the dozens.
What made the funeral far from ordinary was how Randy E. Scott died, in a traffic accident over the weekend involving South Dakota's only congressman and its former four-term governor, Republican William Janklow.
DAVE KRANTZ, SIOUX FALLS ARGUS LEADER: He himself characterizes himself kind of jokingly as a shoot from the hip type of guy who -- largely because his critics have labeled him that, but he generally uses that in a positive way, where he makes quick judgments.
BROWN: But prosecutors say one of those judgments was fatal. Janklow's car, they say, ran a stop sign on a county road last Saturday and collided with a motorcycle driven by Mr. Scott. Police say his car was moving at around 70 miles an hour.
Blood alcohol tests have been taken, the prosecutor said in an email to journalists, but no results have been released and even Janklow has acknowledged his tendency towards speeding.
KRANTZ: In 1999, during his State of the State address in January, it was actually a couple of paragraphs in that speech where he talks about his heavy foot basically, talking about how he wished he didn't do that, but it's just one of those things that happens, and made the comment that he hoped to God he never had to go to jail because of it.
BROWN: South Dakota records indicate seven accidents for the congressman over the past decade, among them, April 1997. His car slid into a state police command post during flooding. No injuries that time. In December of '93, he was involved in an accident with another motorist in Sioux Falls. No injuries again.
And 11 months earlier, yet another accident. One driver injured.
Because Randy Scott loved motorcycles, there were many in his funeral. As for the congressman, he is keeping quiet, waiting to see what prosecutors will do next.
Aaron Brown, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
