[Gator Lager]

idiot

September 25, 2006


Lane faces DUI manslaughter charges

BY J.D. GALLOP
FLORIDA TODAY


COCOA — With four attorneys by his side, nationally renowned motorcycle designer Billy Lane quietly turned himself in to authorities today on charges his blood alcohol was twice more than the legal limit during a collision that left a 56-year-old man dead.

Lane was arrested on charges of driving under the influence manslaughter, driving with his license suspended and driving under the influence with serious bodily injuries stemming from the Sept. 4 accident on State Road A1A, south of Melbourne Beach.

Gerald Vernon Morelock, a Sebastian Inlet park ranger from Melbourne Beach, was killed in the head-on collision between his moped and Lane’s pickup.

“At the time of the crash (Lane’s) license had been suspended,” said Florida Highway Patrol Spokeswoman Kim Miller of Lane, whose case has drawn attention from motorcycling enthusiasts across the country.

“He should have never been behind the wheel,” Miller said.

Lane’s blood alcohol level tested at .192, more than twice the state’s legal limit of .08, Miller said. Lane’s attorney issued a statement.

“We are currently conducting our own investigation of every aspect of this accident, including the blood alcohol level,” said Melbourne attorney Kepler Funk.

Morelock’s brother, Byron Morelock of Indialantic, praised the efforts to bring in Lane on DUI manslaughter charges. He described his brother “Jerry” as a friendly, fun-loving man who moved to Brevard from Ohio in 1984. “I’m relieved, but I had faith in the arresting patrolman, and I have faith in our legal system,” Byron Morelock said.

“(The investigator) kept in touch with me and said the investigators were crossing their t’s and dotting their i’s. I’m relieved, but it’s such a shame this had to happen. There are no winners in this thing. Relieved is the wrong word, maybe just that some of the tension is gone.”

Monday, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper led a handcuffed Lane out of the highway patrol’s Cocoa headquarters about 1:30 p.m. to a waiting patrol car.

Lane, looking disheveled and staring ahead quietly, was placed in the front seat of the patrol car then escorted to the Brevard County Jail Complex where he was photographed and booked into the jail. He was released within 90 minutes on a $15,000 bond, officials said.

“That does seem low, but unfortunately for us, we don’t set the bond,” Miller said. “We would like to see a higher bond, but it’s a standard bond.”

Lane will have to turn over his passport and cannot get behind the wheel as part of the requirements of his bond, Miller said.

Investigators said the accident happened after Lane, the custom chopper builder featured on Discovery Channel’s Biker Build-Off and Monster Garage, crossed a double yellow line to pass several other vehicles before striking Morelock’s 1983 Yamaha moped.

Lane had been drinking throughout the day, according to investigators. He was at Coconuts on the Beach Restaurant and Bar in Cocoa Beach earlier and left the popular nightclub and headed to Cheaters, another popular nightspot, where he had several other drinks, officials said.

Lane got on his motorcycle with a passenger identified as Erin Levens Derrick and rode to his business, Choppers Inc., on the 1200 block of U.S. 1 in Melbourne.

It was there at the shop that Lane and his passenger got into a black, custom-painted 2006 Dodge Ram pickup and headed toward his beachside home.

Later on State Road A1A, a two-lane highway that parallels the beach and cuts through a heavily residential area, Lane was spotted passing the double white line to speed southbound past three vehicles on the darkened road, officials said. Several of the other motorists told Florida Highway Patrol investigators that they saw a headlight in the distance belonging to the northbound moped ridden by Morelock. Investigators said Lane saw the light, then attempted to veer east when the pickup slammed head-on into the moped, killing Morelock instantly. The moped was destroyed, its mangled wreckage tossed 64-feet away.

Lane’s pickup rolled off the road, knocking over three palm trees and overturned into a power pole, reports show.

Brevard County Fire-Rescue paramedics arrived minutes later and found Lane, injured but conscious, still in the driver’s seat. Paramedics said they also smelled alcohol.

Both Lane and his passenger, Derrick, were taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne for treatment.

But at the hospital, Lane, still able to speak, refused a request from investigators to draw blood. Troopers then had to hold Lane down while a nurse took the blood sample, officials said. He went home the next day.

Investigators did not immediately file charges in the case, something that raised the ire of family members and motorcycle bloggers on the Internet. But agents — who described the crash scene as one of the worst they had seen in recent years — turned over Lane’s blood to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement laboratory in Orlando and asked that the case be given a priority.

“They actually put a rush on it and his blood alcohol actually came back twice the legal limit of .08,” Miller said. The deadly crash was also not the only run-in with traffic enforcement for the celebrity biker. In June, North Carolina Highway Patrol officers arrested Lane on drunken driving charges.

Police in that case said Lane drove on the wrong side of a two-lane road without a helmet. Lane refused a breath test and is due in court Oct. 5 for those charges, according to the Rowan County Clerk of Courts. His refusal to take the test resulted in his license being suspended for a year.

Miller said having a revoked license should have kept Lane from behind the wheel but apparently wasn’t enough to keep Lane from driving again.

Lane faces another court date, this time for the fatal Brevard crash.

“The police did the right thing and took their time,” Byron Morelock said. “It just goes to show that you cannot go around drinking and driving.”

[Madison]

What a turd. I hope he doesn't manage to weasel his way out of doing time for this.

[Mastrap]

What an asshole. There is no excuse for drunk driving.

[mac128k-1984]

Originally Posted by Madison

What a turd. I hope he doesn't manage to weasel his way out of doing time for this.

If he's rich (and we know he is) then he'll skate.

[Dark Helmet]

I refuse to read this news unless it is posted by Cody.

[Sky Captain]

The distilleries should be held accountable for their products killing people.
And I hope Lane gets sued into poverty.

[Gossamer]

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet

I refuse to read this news unless it is posted by Cody.

It's not celebrity news if Cody doesn't say it.

Originally Posted by Sky Captain

The distilleries should be held accountable for their products killing people.

That was a joke, right?

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet

I refuse to read this news unless it is posted by Cody.

HAha, made me LAWL, too.

-t

[Sky Captain]

Originally Posted by Gossamer

That was a joke, right?

No.
If gun manufacturers are liable for their products, distilleries should be held just as liable.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Sky Captain

No.
If gun manufacturers are liable for their products, distilleries should be held just as liable.

Right along the lines of California suing car manufacturers because of the pollution that cars create.

Only in America.

-t

[Sky Captain]

Originally Posted by what_the_heck

Right along the lines of California suing car manufacturers because of the pollution that cars create.

Only in America.

-t

Ugh. No kidding.

Not to mention this idiot being able to drive DUI, again.
Get a citation or better yet, kill someone while drunk in Germany.
We had an Airman hit and kill a motorcyclist while drunk in Frankfurt.
He got 3 years in prison. Here, they'd walk with only a fine and a "don't do it again".

[Gossamer]

Originally Posted by Sky Captain

No.
If gun manufacturers are liable for their products, distilleries should be held just as liable.

I didn't realize that gun manufacturers were liable. There is a difference though. If someone gets killed by a gun, the gun is doing what it was designed to do. If someone gets killed by a drunk driver, the alcohol is not doing what it was designed to do. And if you're going to blame the tool, you'd better blame car manufacturers too. See where this is going? People need to take personal responsibility.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Gossamer

People need to take personal responsibility.

The US justice system does NOT support that view. It's all about blameshifting. Whoever has the most money can shift the most blame and cash in. WTF ?

-t

[Sky Captain]

Originally Posted by Gossamer

I didn't realize that gun manufacturers were liable. There is a difference though. If someone gets killed by a gun, the gun is doing what it was designed to do. If someone gets killed by a drunk driver, the alcohol is not doing what it was designed to do. And if you're going to blame the tool, you'd better blame car manufacturers too. See where this is going? People need to take personal responsibility.

Oh, I agree, people should be personally accountable. 100%.

[Cody Dawg]

Post his WANTED mugshot, please.

Honestly, I know that area very well where he was killed. Sebastian Inlet is a beautiful area full of tide pools and is a great place to surf. From there up to Melbourne Beach and a little further north which is Indialantic, it's pristine and beautiful. Cocoa, where he was booked and taken to, is one of the armpits of Florida and I can tell you one thing, that jail in Cocoa had to REALLY be horrible because it's one of the poorest and dirtiest cities in Florida. Cocoa is at the top of Brevard county whereas Melbourne Beach is at the bottom. Sebastian Inlet borders on Indian River county and Indian River county is to the south. It's a beautiful drive - unless you're killed by a sicko who is drinking and passing on double lines.

All I can say is that he had to kill someone before he stopped drinking, apparently.

What an a$$hole of a person.

[Gossamer]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

Post his WANTED mugshot, please.

Honestly, I know that area very well where he was killed. Sebastian Inlet is a beautiful area full of tide pools and is a great place to surf. From there up to Melbourne Beach and a little further north which is Indialantic, it's pristine and beautiful. Cocoa, where he was booked and taken to, is one of the armpits of Florida and I can tell you one thing, that jail in Cocoa had to REALLY be horrible. It's one of the poorest and worst areas in Florida.

All I can say is that he had to kill someone before he stopped drinking, apparently.

What an a$$hole of a person.

Attention, everyone, it's okay to enjoy this thread now that it's received the official Cody Stamp of Celebrity News Approval™

[Cody Dawg]

Actually, we watch those shows. I just can't remember which show he's on or what he looks like.

The guy has the world by the kahunas and he ruins his life by drinking and driving and killing someone.

What a loser.

[Gossamer]

If I'm flipping through and see this on, I might watch it, but unfortunately I haven't had much time for TV since school started...I try to catch Mythbusters and Colbert every once in a while, and I won't miss The Office, but besides that I don't watch much.

[vmarks]

Local News

^^^ about the victim he killed.

Focus on him instead of the jerk who decides to drive on a revoked license.

[Gossamer]

Originally Posted by vmarks

Local News

^^^ about the victim he killed.

Focus on him instead of the jerk who decides to drive on a revoked license.

Wow, that really makes it hit home.

[Cody Dawg]

Good idea.

The guy was a child psychologist previously, was a great guy, a fisherman, and a musician.

As a kid, Gerry Morelock vacationed with his family at Sebastian Inlet every Christmas.

The family traveled from their Dayton, Ohio, home to the inlet for swimming and fishing. Morelock always said he would move to the Sebastian area when he got older. Not only did his wish come true, but he also worked there as a park ranger for the past seven years.

Gerald V. Morelock's life was cut short Sunday night when he was struck head-on by a pickup that was passing cars illegally on State Road A1A, police said. He was 56.

"He loved the Sebastian Inlet," said his brother Byron, a 52-year-old financial adviser from Indialantic. "We fished there with our dad. Being able to live around there and work there was the perfect heaven for him."

'It was too late'

Marilyn Howe, a Melbourne Beach resident, said she witnessed the accident as she made her way home from a soccer function for her two children. Howe said she was in the lead car that investigators believe Lane was attempting to pass.

"It was pretty dark but still lit up. I just saw (Lane's) headlights coming up in my rearview mirror," Howe said. "I also noticed there was a little motorcycle coming up and then a horrific crash. It was just horrible."

Howe said she went back to see if she could provide CPR to Morelock, whose body was sprawled on the side of the road near his moped.

"It was too late," Howe said.

Morelock's mother, Dolores Morelock, still resides in Dayton, along with his sister, Dawn, and her family.

"Gerry has countless loved ones here that are grieving his loss," Dawn Morelock wrote in an e-mail. "We all are in total shock and disbelief over the tragic accident that took his life. We will never forget him."

Fishing and music

Morelock spent much of his free time taking his 16-year-old nephew Sean snook fishing at the inlet and playing his guitar.

"He was good at fishing, but what I'll miss most is just seeing him and hanging out with him," Sean Morelock said. "He knew my friends and he would talk to us and give us advice."

While he played classic rock tunes a few times at the Sebastian Beach Inn, Morelock loved playing for those he loved. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas, Morelock would take his guitar over to his brother's home and strum all night for the family.

On Tuesday night, Byron Morelock began clearing his brother's home.

"He was a great musician, and, man, when I had to move about 10 guitars out of his house, it really made me sad."

[Gator Lager]

[QUOTE=Cody Dawg]Post his WANTED mugshot, please.

Cocoa, where he was booked and taken to, is one of the armpits of Florida and I can tell you one thing, that jail in Cocoa had to REALLY be horrible because it's one of the poorest and dirtiest cities in Florida. Cocoa is at the top of Brevard county whereas Melbourne Beach is at the bottom.


ah come on Cody. Cocoa ain't that bad. well once mind you, but it has gotten a lot better. especially since the land/real estate prices went into orbit. and I'm bias cause I live near by.
Cocoa Beach that is, not Cocoa


couldn't find his mug shot. do a google/image search.

[DigitalEl]

Even more disgusting is that somebody who made his living building bikes killed a brother on 2 wheels.

It's scary how easy it is to sleep in your own bed just a few hours after a DUI.

[rozwado1]

Cocoa is bad, and Coconuts is a bar where you go to get drunk, period. He shouldn't have been driving at all.

I know one of the medics that got sent out to the scene, and he said it wasn't pretty. An attorney friend let me know that he's going to be facing a well deserved 5-15.

[Frog6]

I've met Billy Lane and he is not a jerk or an asshole. He is very approachable, down to earth, and a nice guy. I do feel sad for Billy though because he is such a nice guy and not a stuck up celebrity. He really effed up and had alot going for him. He made a terrible mistake and now he has to face it. I also really feel for the victims family. Billy deffinately did the wrong thing and should be held accoutible for his actions 100%. From what I hear they are throwing the book at him and he is not receiving special treatment.

[olePigeon]

I hope he gets the death penalty.

[BIG BIKER MOMMA]

Originally Posted by Gossamer

I didn't realize that gun manufacturers were liable. There is a difference though. If someone gets killed by a gun, the gun is doing what it was designed to do. If someone gets killed by a drunk driver, the alcohol is not doing what it was designed to do. And if you're going to blame the tool, you'd better blame car manufacturers too. See where this is going? People need to take personal responsibility.

OK i have heard enough, we are only hearing what the cops want us to hear. What you guys are also neglecting to see is that Billy is taking the blame for his actions. I f he was not then why turn yourself in?!?!?!? On this same note if you all want to try to blame someone else for this action, it is not the distileries that need to be blamed, it is the bars that keep serving people that have already had to much to drink, or not having a policy in place to call for a ride for the people when they insist on serving them!!!!! There really is a simple training for all bar staff called TIPS that teaches you how to tell when to cut off your patrons, oh sorry that would mean that bars would lose money. never mind the fact that they may save a few lives.
I would really like to hear what Billy has to say for himself in all of this, but then again why should he. It would not do any good. All it would do is start more forums like this one bashing hime for everything he said! THink about it, this could have happened to anyone of us (maybe under differant curcumstances but still) and do you think we would have heard about it.....????.....NOT....

[KeyLimePi]

That post was a joke, right?

[Sky Captain]

This will never happen to me as I don't drink.(alcoholic beverages)
But I have been hit by a drunk.
As well as my Aunt and Uncle.
As well as my wife's grandad. He was in a coma for 3 months. Ans 2 years of recovery and physical therapy.

May Billy Lane rot in hell.

[chris v]

Originally Posted by Sky Captain

The distilleries should be held accountable for their products killing people.

What are you -- a g*dless communiss?

[mac128k-1984]

Originally Posted by Sky Captain

No.
If gun manufacturers are liable for their products, distilleries should be held just as liable.

What ever happened to personal responcibilties. In both cases (guns and booze) its the person who is at fault. Billy Lane chose to drive after he had too much to drink. Its not the bar's fault, its not the distributor's fault. Its not the distilleries fault. Its Billy Lane's fault.

Regardless if he's a nice guy, he killed a person with his actions and he has to pay

Your line of thought is absurd, what's next suing the farmers for growing the grain that went into making the alcohol or better yet sue lumber companies because they cut down the trees that were used to hold the alcholol.

[Sky Captain]

(it's called sarcasm)
And I'm glad to see how obserd everyone thinks that line of thinking is.
But that's how today's society thinks.
Everyone but themselves are responsible for their own actions.

[chris v]

"What do you have to say in your defense?"
"Society's to blame!"
"Well, we'd better arrest them!"

[zro]

Originally Posted by Gossamer

I didn't realize that gun manufacturers were liable. There is a difference though. If someone gets killed by a gun, the gun is doing what it was designed to do. If someone gets killed by a drunk driver, the alcohol is not doing what it was designed to do. And if you're going to blame the tool, you'd better blame car manufacturers too. See where this is going? People need to take personal responsibility.

Not that I disagree, but the alcohol was doing what it is designed to do. Which is to separate the brain from the rest of the world.

He's a guy that made a stupid mistake that had terrible consequences. Something everyone is capable of, alcohol or not, is a stupid, terrible mistake. It does not make anyone an asshole. Doing terrible things purposefully does.

[Gossamer]

Originally Posted by zro

Not that I disagree, but the alcohol was doing what it is designed to do. Which is to separate the brain from the rest of the world.

He's a guy that made a stupid mistake that had terrible consequences. Something everyone is capable of, alcohol or not, is a stupid, terrible mistake. It does not make anyone an asshole. Doing terrible things purposefully does.

But there are a couple more steps between drinking and killing someone, and firing a gun and killing someone.

[zro]

Didn't say anything to the contrary. Just pointed out that the alcohol was doing what it was designed to do.

[BIG BIKER MOMMA]

Originally Posted by KeyLimePi

That post was a joke, right?

YES SOME OF IT WAS A JOKE, BUT DONT YOU THINK IT IS ABOUT TIME THAT BARS START TAKING SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR HOW MUCH THEY ARE SERVING THEIR PATRONS?
AND
WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO HEAR WHAT BILLY HAS TO SAY FOR HIMSELF. I REALLY DONT THINK HE IS GOING TO TRY TO BLAME ANYONE ELSE FOR WHAT HE DID.

[Sky Captain]

He had his say when he turned the key to the ignition of his truck.
And his say ended upon impact.

[chris v]

Originally Posted by Sky Captain

He had his say when he turned the key to the ignition of his truck.
And his say ended upon impact.

Exactamundo. He made 2 choices, of his own will. 1, to drink too much, then 2, to drive. Our legal system exists to say that this sort of behavior is unacceptable, and there are consequences as a deterrent. He needs to be a man & own up. If one bar wouldn't serve him,another one would have, or he could have gone to a liquor store. You can't idiot-proof the world by trying to make servers to blame for serving. Sure, bartenders should use sound judgement, but to make them legally responsible for the subsequent actions of someone who chose to drink is just passing the buck. Next, the bartenders will be suing their bosses for hiring them, who will then sue their landlords for giving them the lease for the bar. Where does it stop?

[mac128k-1984]

Originally Posted by BIG BIKER MOMMA

WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO HEAR WHAT BILLY HAS TO SAY FOR HIMSELF. I REALLY DONT THINK HE IS GOING TO TRY TO BLAME ANYONE ELSE FOR WHAT HE DID.

Please don't yell (using all caps)

No I could care less of what he has to say. His actions have said enough. There's no execuse in this day and age to get behind a wheel and drive after you had too much to drink. PERIOD

Its not a "mistake" as some of the other posters have said. What about the person's family that now has to pick up the pieces because a drunk killed a man (be it someone's father, son, brother). Will they call it a mistake no, all that does is marginalize the true horrific consequences of his actions (by calling it a mistake). The man killed someone because he decided he could drive drunk

[zro]

So your claim is that he intended to kill somebody? That he set out specifically to end the life of another human being. That belief is very foolish on your part.

An action made based on poor judgement is a mistake whether the consequence be horrible or not.

And driving drunk does not guarantee that someone will die.

[mac128k-1984]

While I don't think he set out to kill someone, getting behind wheel cannot be easily dismissed by calling it a mistake. Buying skim milk instead of 2% is making a mistake, getting behind the wheel drunk was a conscience decision. That decision had a huge consequence - He killed a man.

Exercising poor judgment is not a mistake and by saying its a mistake it minimalizes the true cost of what he did.

[Mastrap]

Originally Posted by Sky Captain

He had his say when he turned the key to the ignition of his truck.
And his say ended upon impact.

Quoted for truth.

[Mastrap]

Originally Posted by zro

And driving drunk does not guarantee that someone will die.

That's not the point. Driving drunk significantly increases the chance of being involved in an accident. If drunk drivers would only do harm to themselves I couldn't care less. Unfortunately that's not the case.

[Zeeb]

Originally Posted by Frog6

I've met Billy Lane and he is not a jerk or an asshole. He is very approachable, down to earth, and a nice guy. I do feel sad for Billy though because he is such a nice guy and not a stuck up celebrity. He really effed up and had alot going for him. He made a terrible mistake and now he has to face it. I also really feel for the victims family. Billy deffinately did the wrong thing and should be held accoutible for his actions 100%. From what I hear they are throwing the book at him and he is not receiving special treatment.

He may not be a jerk or an asshole, but he is intensely self-centered. He knows about drunk driving like everyone else but still chose to get drunk himself and risk(and take) other people's lives for his own pleasure.

Also, why are we asking the government to hold people's hands when they drink too much? Neither the bars nor distilleries should be held accountable for the stupid actions of people. The only way a bar or distillery could 100% guarentee no one will abuse their products is to declare another prohibition. That worked out real well. People need to grow up and stop acting like children and expecting the government to be their parent.

[zro]

What of people who drive tired? Do you demonize them as well?

[Zeeb]

Originally Posted by zro

What of people who drive tired? Do you demonize them as well?

If you are in a condition where you can't drive, you shouldn't. If a person is so tired they find themselves nodding off to sleep while driving--but yet continue to do so--they are almost as irresponsible as a drunk. Though judging whether or not you can drive based upon how tired you are is more difficult than clearly knowing you shouldn't drive because you've had 8 cocktails.

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by zro

What of people who drive tired? Do you demonize them as well?

Yes.

[mac128k-1984]

Originally Posted by zro

What of people who drive tired? Do you demonize them as well?

Yes if they kill someone. If you get behind a wheel and you are incapacated either by booze, drugs, or fatique you are not making a "mistake" your gambling with somebodies life and its usually somelse's life. As others have stated its more difficult to discern if your too tired as opposed to deciding if the 8 beers you just banged down is ok enough for you to drive.

[zro]

It's more difficult to discern anything after 8 drinks. Everyone knows that alcohol impairs judgement. In fact, that's one of the first things it does.


I doubt your claims. If this Lane guy had merely fallen asleep there wouldn't be one of you hoping for him to burn in hell (nice christian sentiment, btw) or calling him an asshole.

Why not save that stuff for the people who do intend to harm others, instead? There's more of them than you think. Wasting such hate on an accident is fruitless.