http://www.katu.com/news/16997936.html

This guy was drinking and towing kids on an innertube with his truck. I don't understand how the judge could find this guy innocent.

The guy used bad judgment, but he has no doubt suffered enough. How is society served by sticking him in prison on top of his loss through his own bad judgment? Does prison increase judgment capabilities?

Was it actually proven that he was drinking? I don't remember hearing whether it was or not?

I agree with Deane. Stupid, yes. Bad judgment, yes. Criminal, No.

I'm sure he's suffered a lot and knowing that he was responsible for his daughter’s death is something he'll have to live with for the rest of his life.

All sorts of people guilty of bad judgment are in prison. And, I've been following this case and there were numerous links to drinking, and he has a past history of drinking. And the way things were handled after the accident indicate that he was trying to hide the fact he was drinking. I think the judge let him off easy. He killed a kid.

(deleted post)

The charge was vehicular homicide, which is a high standard to meet (homicide implies intent or extreme negligence). Had he been charged with vehicular manslaughter (a much lower standard) I think there would have been a guilty verdict. Blame the state for aiming too high with what they charged this guy with.

There aren't many things that enrage me more than a kid dying or being harmed at the hands of someone bad. ( Oh I could tell you stories of the plans I have hatched ). But there is no way I believe this dad was a bad guy in the same sense. He was a fool. And he knows it and I'd be willing to bet he doesn't need anything from anyone to make him never do it again.

That's just my opinion with pretty limited knowledge though.

Obviously it was a smart decision to have a bench trial.

So if you do something real bad, and you feel bad about it, you don't need any more punishment.

Yes he used bad judgement, and it got someone killed. Same as if someone drinks too much, and kills someone.