Byron Dorgan: “when Police Chief John Whetsel pulled up to the scene of a fiery car wreck, he never expected to recognize the charred…”

“when Police Chief John Whetsel pulled up to the scene of a fiery car wreck, he never expected to recognize the charred remains of a familiar vehicle. After receiving word that a highway patrol cruiser's 100-miles-per-hour pursuit of a fleeing motorcycle had led to a terrible accident involving several bystanders, Chief Whetsel hurried to the scene. Upon his arrival, Chief Whetsel quickly recognized his family's smoldering automobile and let out a long cry of anguish as he discovered that his wife and two daughters were the victims of this terrible accident. Unfortunately, 1995 statistics show that 40 percent of all high-speed pursuits end in accidents, causing needless death and injury to our Nation's families. I certainly understand the pain that Chief Whetsel endured. My mother was killed in a high-speed police chase on her drive from a local Bismarck, ND hospital. Eyewitnesses say that the speed of this chase was 80 to 100 miles an hour through the city streets. She died as the drunk lawbreaker fishtailed his pickup truck racing away from pursuing officers. She was a wonderful woman, and it was a senseless and painful loss of life. There are countless other tragic examples. In fact, there is an entire organization, called STOPP, dedicated to raising the awareness of the dangers of high speed police pursuits.”