Sunday, July 09, 2017

Four-fatality accident most visited post in Turner Report/Inside Joplin history, top post on three blogs

In the 14 years I have been blogging, I can't recall an event that has ever struck a chord with readers quite like that the four-fatality accident near Joplin on July 4 and the circumstances surrounding that event.

The original post on the accident occurred on the Inside Joplin blog and has received more visitors, more than 60,000 than any post on any of these blogs.

The accident also was responsible for the top post on the Turner Report this week, an examination of the previous traffic citations of McKay Harris, the driver responsible for the accident.

The number two Turner Report post, published Saturday, announced Harris' death.

The number one post on Inside Joplin Obituaries was the obituary of 32-year-old Ronni Ducommun, the nurse who died in the accident, while the number two obituary was that of the passenger in her vehicle Janet Ducommun, and the number four obituary was that of Alex Ashlin, the passenger in the other vehicle.

The nature of the accident, with multiple deaths and the involvement of alcohol brought on many comments. It was not an easy decision allowing comments on a topic like this, and right or wrong, I opted to allow comments, many of which were derogatory of the driver who initially survived the accident.

While there was much venom in some of the comments, it was an understandable sentiment considering how one horrible decision ended up costing four lives.

That being said, there were probably close to two dozen comments that I rejected. I can understand people needing someone to blame and the Highway Patrol arrest report indicates where the fault lied, but I cannot understand how anyone would have the lack of sensitivity to suggest that it would be better if the young driver who caused the accident died.

I have been a firm believer in the need to run anonymous comments, especially when people could lose their jobs or suffer other types of reprisal simply for expressing an opinion, but there are times when anonymity is simply a mask for saying things that decent people don't say and there are opinions that would be better left unvoiced.

The top posts for the week and links to those posts are featured below:

The Turner Report

1. Teen arrested for DWI following triple-fatality accident has record of Joplin, Neosho traffic violations

2. Teen driver in July 4 head-on crash that killed three others dies at Mercy Hospital

3. Court documents: Joplin man who beat girlfriend, knocked her teeth out, released on bond, assaults her again

4. RedBrick Pizza owner charged with 14 counts of fraud, failure to pay sales tax

5. Is the Joplin Globe truly the definition of fake news?

6. Thursday arraignment set for Carthage man charged with firing semi-automatic at girlfriend, narrowly missing 3-year-old 

7. Arraignments scheduled in Barry, Lawrence counties for substitute teacher charged with sexual contact with student

8. Update provided on Missouri flood recovery

9. State Treasurer: Missourians' income tax will be cut in 2018

10. Carthage man charged with shooting up home, nearly hitting three-year-old, pleads not guilty

Inside Joplin

1. Neosho teen charged with DWI following triple-fatality head-on crash near Joplin

2. Teen killed in two-motorcycle crash, two airlifted to Freeman

3. Joplin woman struck by vehicle while mowing her lawn

4. Highway Patrol DWI Arrests July 3-4

5. Search continues for Seneca teen missing one week

6. Joplin Police: Tell us when there is a man hiding in the bushes at Wildcat Park

7. 48-year-old Noel man charged with molestation, rape after librarians spot him making out with 14-year-old

8. Eight-year-old, six-year-old injured as child driver slams into mobile home, fence

9. Joplin Police Department Arrests July 3-5

10. Second person dies from injuries sustained in double-motorcycle crash

Inside Joplin Obituaries

1. Ronni Ducommun

2. Janet Ducommun

3. Emma DeGonia

4. Alex Ashlin

5. Danny Warren

6. Dalton Horn

7. Abe Davis

8. Randy Ruark

9. Kalei Gregg

10. Dennis Cornell

***
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