A Brooklyn woman who was typing a text message in her cell phone when she fatally ran over a deliveryman on his scooter will serve no jail time. You may recall the horrible incident: In September 2010, Nechama Rothberger, who was then 19, slammed into 53-year-old Tian Sheng Lin as he made deliveries in Midwood for Best China Restaurant. Investigators found a half-written text on her cell phone, and the Daily News reports that Rothberger eventually admitted to texting while driving.
Lin, who had emigrated to the U.S. from China's Fujian Province a decade ago, suffered severe head trauma and subsequently died from his injuries. Rothberger, now 21, agreed to a plea deal yesterday—she'll serve five years’ probation and 100 hours of community service. According to the News, this will involve "telling students of the dangers of distracted driving in a program called Choices and Consequences." See kids, you should always keep your eyes on the road, because if you carelessly kill someone, your punishment may involve public speaking.
Last July, Governor Cuomo signed a tougher law intended to curb texting while driving; the law made using a hand-held device a primary offense, and gave police officers the authority to stop and ticket drivers seen using a hand-held electronic device. (Previously, cops could only issue a traffic violation for "distracted driving" if they pulled over the motorist for a different offense.) At the bill signing, Cuomo was joined by Lin's family, which is suing Rothberger. "It could save lives," Lin's wife, Zhang Xiu Ying, said at the bill signing. "I think there's nothing I can do, but I do want to send this message."
