After more than eight years of following the various issues surrounding citizens and others with cameras at emergency incidents, I think it’s safe to say this one is unique. Paul Pelton from Lorain, Ohio has been arrested for entering a wrecked car Monday, apparently to get close-up video of two injured teens. One of the teenagers was dead or near death. Making things worse, police say Pelton taunted the teens, calling them “idiots”. All of this occurred while others were trying to help the victims.
It appears police had a tough time finding any laws that were broken, but eventually charged Pelton with vehicle trespass.
If all true, it is clearly outrageous behavior. You would think the priority would be to help people before fire, EMS and police arrived. Going into the vehicle to harass the injured and dying, of course, is a new low.
That said, I think it’s pretty hypocritical of the TV reporter in the video above to act like it’s shocking that Pelton posted his video on Facebook and wanted to profit from the accident by trying to sell it to two TV stations. Let’s be adults and acknowledge that people and news operations have profited from the misfortune of others for as long as there has been news. TV stations still regularly buy video of fatal crash scenes and deadly fires from freelancers and the public. Some of those videos even show victims (but rarely dead bodies). It doesn’t matter whether we approve of it or not, it’s just a fact of life and has been for a very long time.
Save the outrage for what is really disgusting about this incident as reported: Someone failed to help another human being and instead apparently took close up video and taunted them in their final moments.
Kaylee Remington, The Morning Journal:
“In the video, the male makes comments that the boys were ‘idiots,’ and holds his cell phone so that he can film these two boys who were in medical crisis,” Lorain police Sgt. Buddy Sivert wrote in a news release.
Pelton opened the back door of the vehicle and leaned in and continued to take video, Sivert wrote. Pelton then walked around to the driver’s side and videos the driver and then returned back to the door that he opened and continued filming the two teens and the inside of the car, he wrote.
At no time did Pelton assist the victims or attempt to comfort them, Sivert said.
