It appears the driver accused of hitting and harassing cyclists on the Jamis-Hagens Berman cycling team has begun to defend himself in an online guitar forum.
The post, which appears to have been removed, was created at 8:43 a.m. by the user Skatterbrane, the name of the business Rodney Kinkade Jr. owns.
In the post, which TucsonVelo downloaded prior to the thread being removed, he asks for people to keep an open mind and not believe everything they read since it is only one side of the story. In the post headlined “My legal problems,” Skatterbrane wrote:
“I cannot comment on any details, pending trial. All I can say, what you read in the news and see on the internet, is not 100% reliable and certainly very misleading. I would never, have never and will never intentionally hit ANYONE with a car! In fact, other than self defense, not even with my hand!
I cannon tell my side of the story …….yet. One day I hope to. Until then please keep an open mind to other possibilities other than what you read an hear. “
After several posts by other users saying they will reserve judgment, he adds:
“Thank you. I really appreciate it. I have nothing against cyclist [sic], two of my brothers are cyclist [sic]. Another person very close to me was hit by a truck while riding a bike. I hope to clear this up, but it is possible that I go to prison, and that is scary. And no matter what happens, my meager means of making a living will most probably be destroyed.
Just do not expect me to answer any questions, I cannot even discuss this with my family. It takes a LOT of discipline not to.
I can now see firsthand what it is like not to be able to defend yourself while the news and “other side” can use public opinion as their advocate.”
Another poster mentions that he allegedly washed the car and says he shouldn’t expect support from the forum. In his response he alludes to a closed thread on the same forum about the crash:
I am not seeking support per se’. And, the “freshly washed car” is one of the items accepted as fact, and it is simply not true. I keep my car clean, and the last time it was washed was in early Feb. and has not been washed since! A garaged car seldom driven can stay pretty clean for a long time!
I wash my car in my driveway, not at any car wash!
I would have not posted anything about this, except simply to make a brief comment, in response to this closed thread on this subject. I had intended to simply post in the closed thread on this subject. I had intended to simply post in the closed thread.
Hopefully this thread can be closed and remain up as long as the other one remains up.”
Searching through the forum I could not find the thread he referenced.
Later in the thread he responds to critics.
“… I am not hiding. I am embarrassed, scared and depressed. I am complying with all the court’s orders. I am not guilty of the charges, nor am I the monster people would like me to be.
I emphasize with the person who was injured. I want to meet him some day. I am trying to put myself in their place to understand.
I cannot say they are lying until I hear what they have to say coming from their own mouths.
I know it looks bad for me, and I understand the anomosity [sic]. Most (no?) people commenting knows me personally. Mose of my detractors have never dealt with me directly. Most never will.
Take what you read with a grain of salt. As, I say, I hope that I can tell my side soon. The sooner the better. I am very anxious!
In his final post he says one of the cyclists involved asked him to make a public apology on their blog. He then says he is going to stop posting on the thread.
The final post appears to have been left at 11:17 a.m. before the post was removed.
H/T to the commenter who left a comment linking to the thread.
I took screenshots of the four page forum. Feel free to download them and read the entire thread. Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, and Page 4.
He is very anxious? Well, what a pity. Imagine what the cyclists must have felt like as his vehicle was bearing down on them.
And, one more thing, you have legal problems? Well, too bad. You struck cyclists riding lawfully and there were a bunch of witnesses.
Actions have consequences, sir. And, no, you are NOT the victim in this case.
The driver that hit me with his assault truck did not have a problem accepting the continuances for his actions. The driver that hit me even cared for me during the time it took first responders to arrive. I know were I am not ever going to buy a guitar pickup ever.
Oops I misspelled consequences. Legal problems? With antisocial behavior like that and the antipathy displayed in his posts I suggest he has morality problems.
“I cannot comment on the details of the case, pending trial………………….. with that said, I will now discuss the details of the case.”
@geraldo1 I’ll bet that there’s a local defense lawyer who’s tearing his/her hair out. Because you’re not supposed to be discussing your case hither and yon. After all, prosecutors and plaintiff’s attorneys know how to use the Internet too.
I read on one of the gear page comments, that in AZ a bike was hit while riding in the crosswalk, and the car wasn’t at fault because the biker was illegally riding in the crosswalk? Is it illegal to ride in the crosswalk? My understanding is that you can, and the car would be at fault if you are hit?
It is my understanding that this driver did not stop after striking the cyclists. And he wants us to consider him to be as gentle as a lamb? The fact that the driver ‘hit-and-ran’ is already a very serious aspect of the case, in my view.
Sorry, but this reminds me of the kind of convoluted explanation that another type of individual with rage/control/entitlement issues would likely say when caught: “But…but…I would NEVER hit her, officer. I just slapped her a little, thats all..”
Right.
It all looks rather damning, but he will have his day in court. Despite what we’ve been presented, he is still presumed innocent, like it or not.
It’s illegal to ride a bicycle in a crosswalk. You are supposed to dismount and walk your bike across. Additionally in Tucson it is illegal to ride on the sidewalk, even if there is no bike lane. The idea being that bike riders and pedestrians don’t mix well.
He always had a temper, no surprise.
@BACyclist
It’s not actually illegal to ride a bike in a crosswalk in Arizona according to an Arizona Supreme Court ruling in the 1980s. The city of Tucson has also issued a memorandum indicating that it is not illegal. There is no specific state statute prohibiting a bicyclist from riding in a crosswalk. However, just like with a pedestrian, if a bicyclist enters the crosswalk too suddenly before a driver has the chance to yield or stop the bicyclist may be found responsible (ie, at fault).
Matt Zoll
Pima County DOT Bike and Pedestrian Program Manager
His only hope is to have a station wagon full of nuns testify on his behalf.
He said in his post, “Another person very close to me was hit by a truck while riding a bike”.
I guess that should have been fair warning to these cyclists, as he has done this kind of thing before.
This guy was in big trouble a while back for refinishing and selling guitars as Brazilian rosewood Les Paul models that were an extremely limited (valuable) run by Gibson. If you search Skatterbrane Brazilian GibsonLes Paul I would think you could find the threads about it all over the place.
Thanks Matt Zoll for clarifying this I only wish more drivers were aware. I had read the Az state bike laws, and that’s what I had understood. Of course I always wait for the light to turn and proceed with caution, but still in certain areas of town they will look you in the eye and still try and run you over. At Golfinks and Craycroft, they will try and run over pedestrians as well, so walking or riding, you’re lucky to get through alive. It’d be nice to have an occasional cop there during rush hour to cite some of these people!
@Matt Zoll @BACyclist Unless, the bicyclist is riding the bike in crosswalk toward the incoming traffic, a friend of mine was pulled over for doing that because he saw another bicyclist doing the same thing before he did… for example going south then at red light, he turn left to cross the crosswalk then wait till green then go south then turn left to ride eastbound. the police told him to do the other way… arrive at red light and wait then cross at green light then stop there and turn and wait for green to go east. The police told him if he want to go the way he did that caused him to be pulled over then he will have to dismount and walk his bike on crosswalk.
All the lawyers & rich folks riding in the spandex shootout should lobby their buddies in the $100k club @ Pima Co. To work with res and get the needed bike lanes on southbound Mission Rd. Maybe get all the wealthy bike related non-profits & businesses doing “outreach” in the poor areas (the Res!) of town, rather than just riding through on expensive bikes. To me, all these crashes on Mission, are the have nots taking out frustrations on the haves. If you’re viewing this incident as “this guy’s the problem”, I would suggest a route through less poor areas!
It is about frickin’ time that someone brought this up. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, Kenneth. And before everybody gets all high and mighty about those fat folks driving in the big pickups down on Mission, ponder this: It’s what they’ve got. And, in very poor parts of this community, having a stylish rig is a way of saying that your life may suck like 1,000 Hoovers, but you still have a nice ride. Even if it’s a vintage rig that you have restored and maintain yourself.
I also agree with Kenneth on the use of quotes around the word “outreach.” It’s time to remove them and do real outreach. Not the kind that will burnish your college application or look good on the community service section of your resume. But the real kind. Ride your bikes over to a school in a poor part of town and help the kids learn how to read. Or pedal over to Habitat for Humanity and work with people who are pounding the nails to build a better community for themselves and their kids. Or just pick up the trash in your own neighborhood.
No. This behavior is this guy’s problem. It’s just simple bullying someone else in a more vulnerable position than he is and with the anonymity so common with aggression displayed from those in cars.
Except, thankfully, it didn’t work this time…and it shouldn’t work more and more.
I fail to see how riding a bike removes you from the public.
Has he run down more cyclists? He got arrested again
@friend Would you email me at tucsonvelo@gmail.com I’m working on a story and want to ask you a question.
Mike