UPDATE: Theresa Juva has a good write-up at LoHud.com. Report says the driver of the car is from Harrison.
This afternoon around school pick-up time a 10 year old fourth grader from Midland school was struck by a car near the intersection of Midland Avenue and Palisade Road. Sources have told MyRye.com the driver was a woman from Greenwich. The boy was taken to the hospital and released, apparently without serious injury.
Jim Amico, whose son Jarrid Amico was killed in a traffic accident on Midland almost four years ago, was arrested at the scene after an altercation with the Rye Police Commissioner. He has since been released. Amico has been a vocal and fierce advocate for pedestrian safety in the years since the loss of his son. In March of 2008, a student was struck by a car on Old Post Road while on the way to school, sustaining a broken leg.
When Amico recently released his new web site http://stopforjarrid.org/, he told MyRye.com "(The purpose of the site is) To get Jarrid's story out there and hopefully save the life of someone else's child. Knowing the pain that a tragedy like this carries I don't want anyone to ever have to experience what myself and my family go through on a day to day basis."
In a vituperative email sent to local officials after the accident, Amico stated:
"BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS!
WELL, I HOPE YOU ARE ALL PROUD OF YOURSELVES!! today at approx. 3:05 a 10yr.old boy from Midland School was struck by oncoming traffic at the EXACT LOCATION/ INTERSECTION where our son Jarrid Amico was struck and killed 3 3/4 years ago!
Is it still your PATHETIC OPINION that a STOP SIGN would do more hurt than good?
Thank You for the trauma you have inflicted on my family for having to relive this TRAGIC NIGHTMARE!!!
My wife has been home from the hospital all of 24 hours after undergoing surgery to remove breast cancer and this is what she had to endure this afternoon."
Pedestrian safety was one of the initiatives new Rye Mayor Doug French mentioned last night in his State of the City address.
Maybe this is a good time and place to reprint a comment of a few weeks ago.
Don’t like it?
Den come and git me cop’er.
From: Changing of the (Rye, NY) Guard – Dec 23rd 2009.
No Guard to Change I always thought Jimmy Amico was right about this police mismanagement issue and now I can testify to the terrifying results I witnessed firsthand this morning at my alma mater. This morning at about 7:45 AM I arrived into a scene of complete chaos at the intersection of Apawamis Avenue and Milton Road. Dozens of cars and trucks are snaked backwards in lines 20 deep from 4 separate directions and are trying to pass thru the intersection as dozens of high school students dodge among them on their way to school grounds. Motorists stop and start – some get trapped “in the box” at the intersection center – some act like saints, some like callous criminals – and everyone involved is at risk of seeing a fatal accident. Why? Because on one of the busiest and snow slipperiest school mornings of 2009 there is no on site traffic manager – AKA crossing guard – to prevent an accident and direct the flow of vehicles. I went immediately to police headquarters and personally informed the desk officer. It appeared to be the first notice the organization had that anything was amiss at Rye High. Mr. Culross – shame on you. We know you spend our precious municipal time writing bureaucratic job waiver paperwork solely to try and retain – at nosebleed rates – a police commissioner who cannot manage the most elementary personnel schedules and backup plans. In the “real world” – where Rye taxpayers earn their private sector paychecks to support this kind of mutated municipal managerial misfit – based on his continuing pattern of apparent negligence to duty and substandard performance this guy would be terminated. Taxpayers ask yourselves this question – how many more dead kids are considered acceptable statistically to absolve the failed crony politics of Rye?
To everyone who cares… I’m sure there will be the fair share of clowns with something negative to say about my actions.
I don’t need to explain myself to anyone and I have been instructed by my Lawyer to say nothing until my day in court!
BUT I will say this…remember as you read the comments from Lt.Verille (acting commissioner at the time) that he is the same man the got into a CITY OF RYE OWNED vehicle when the call came in about Jarrid being struck by oncoming traffic on Midland Ave.,and drove to Brewster to watch his daughter play softball while my son lay dieing on the street! Just because cops where a blue uniform with a shiny tin or where a tie as a detective does not mean they always TELL THE TRUTH!!!
THE TRUTH WILL PREVAIL!!!!
FTR – The email mentioned above – “BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS” sent to local officials was sent to the Otis Administration and in NO WAY meant for the French Administration.
“Safety crusader” Jim Amico arrested for a domestic situation this past tuesday night.
Two observations…
1) Despite the fact that the Journal News had a mention of this unfortunate development, there’s nothing in the Rye Record (yet?) nor is there anything in the Sound Shore Review that was released today. What’s more, I’m surprised to see that there’s nothing here in the JaysRye blog. Or not. Surely an item about Amico getting pinched (again) wouldn’t be nearly as interesting as the Pamela on Purchase blather that we were served this week. Whatever.
2) I know I’m not alone when I state that I’m really curious to hear from Jim on this development. It’s no secret that he’s been– despite a few fleeting moments of graciousness towards the RPD– an aggrieved and vocal critic of our police for years now. That said, it’s totally possible that this was a jam-job and perhaps he was targeted? Or perhaps he had it coming and it was overdue? I for one have no idea, of course– nor do I even feel that good about positing these questions– but Amico decided consciously or otherwise to make himself a fairly visible, always vocal public figure… and whether it’s reasonable or not, once somebody assumes such a station their achievements and/or failings tend to get noticed.
Myrye’s silence on this matter is what it is. I’ve given up guessing what motivates Sears– well, at least since the last election in which this site and nearly all of it’s commentary were fully devoted to 86’ing Otis. At this point who cares.
Bottom line– let’s hear from Jim Amico. Jimmy– what went down? What do you have to say about it? Just let us know.
And write it up using some of your crazy random CAPS since that’s how you roll.
Standing by…
Betty and the rest of the world,
I’m sure you understand that I can not fully comment on this until after my court date on Tuesday.
My lawyer wants to hang me as it is for the little comment I made to the LOWER than LOWER Journal News!
If you log onto the lohud blog under their article and read the comments you will see one from Maggie that says enough until Tuesday!
What happened between my wife and I is personal and should not have been made public by any means.
IT’S FAMILY BUSINESS NOT PUBLIC BUSINESS!!!
Unfortunately the RPD saw enough in the story to charge me, they had a job to do and did it.
MyRye,Sound Shore,Rye Record, in my opinion are doing the right thing…NOT STOOPING to the level of the Journal News & Channel 12!
There are some pretty nasty things being said about Maggie on lohud that are DISGUSTING and she doesn’t deserve it! I don’t know of a more loving and stronger individual on this planet than MAGGIE!!!
This is becoming really ugly for no reason,PLEASE just leave her alone!
This is PRIVATE FAMILY BUSINESS, it’s nice to see that at least the very local media outlets know how to respect that!!!
My family has been on a runaway train for 4 1/2 years…Jarrid, Maggie’s inability to work/function because of THE LOSS of her SON, Maggie battling CANCER, finances in the shi**er, my arrest in January, my advocacy, now this and every thing in between, we haven’t been able to take a breath in 4 1/2 years .
I would be more than happy to make a public statement if that would make you all happy, until then…
IF YOU DON’T MIND CAN WE PLEASE JUST BE LEFT ALONE!!!
I hope I didn’t disappoint you with the caps!
Jim, I agree that this type of news rally shouldn’t be a story. However, you are a high-profile person in Rye, and today, this is the type of incident that passes for news.
I respect your response and hope that all works out for you and your family.
HOWEVER (I’m doing caps in your honor!), I am disappointed that myrye.com has ignored the issue. Jay should not base what gets reported here on personal feelings. I’m guessing (and apologies Jay if my statement is incorrect) that if Steve Otis (or another “high-profile resident”)got arrested, that there would be a story here. This blog (to me) does not represent one person’s thoughts on Rye (although the name is MYrye, so maybe I am wrong!), but an outlet to discuss all that is Rye.
IMHO, this blog is akin to a newspaper, and Journalism 101 should be applied.
Thoughts?
Avg. Citizen,
LOL @ your honor of me in CAPS!
I fully understand and recognized at the time that I was becoming a high profile public figure, to be honest I’m comfortable with it.
I know I have some valid opinions and if being high profile opens ears then every child is better for it. I would sacrifice myself any day of the week if it meant keeping your child or anyones child SAFE!!!!
My every move under a microscope is a small price to pay for the safety of our kids!!!!!!!!
In the past I have been very vocal against the RPD and in my opinion at that time they deserved it. I might have approached it the wrong way now & then & hurt some feelings along the way but someone had to do it.
For those of you whom haven’t noticed I have not said one negative thing about the RPD since January!
They are cooperating with me and I am cooperating with them!
There are some officers on the force that refuse to get past some of the things that have spewed from my mouth and I am fine with that….we don’t have to like each other but we sure as hell should RESPECT one another!
As for Jay’s choice not to make this a headline (no longer needed since we are doing it for him) I agree with it. Not just because it was me but given the circumstances surrounding the arrest it is the correct decision.
My wife is really struggling with Jarrid’s death and battling cancer, throwing me to the wolves would include her and my daughter.
When you look at it from that perspective it is hard to argue with his decision, my family has been through enough and we welcome the respect that Jay and the other local media outlets are giving!