make WWAY your homepage  Become a fan on facebook  Follow us on twitter  Receive RSS Newsfeeds  MEMBERS: Register | Login

Video of Officer Matthews's fatal car crash

The video from the recently released dash cam of WPD Officer Richard Mathews's patrol car shows how quickly things happened two weeks ago when his vehicle spun out of control.

Disclaimer: Comments posted on this, or any story are opinions of those people posting them, and not the views or opinions of WWAY NewsChannel 3, its management or employees.

»

WHY

Submitted by Guest tb (not verified) on Mon, 03/09/2009 - 2:06pm.
In a way its not all the news fault you have to put some blame on the police department for giving and letting them show the video and if the police department didnt give it to them they wouldnt have it
»

WWAY at its best...again!

Submitted by First Responder (not verified) on Fri, 03/06/2009 - 10:08am.
This confirms why I no longer watch your news, your level of care and respect is only for your ratings. OUR local "TMZ", thanks again GREAT MOVE, Jon Evans(to WECT)
»

Ever heard of FREEDOM OF THE

Submitted by Holden Caulfield (not verified) on Mon, 04/13/2009 - 4:31pm.
Ever heard of FREEDOM OF THE PRESS!!!!!!!
»

You don't watch it, you just

Submitted by Jenn (not verified) on Wed, 03/11/2009 - 11:45am.
You don't watch it, you just visit the website right? It's not like the video shows the actual crash! Give me a break!
»

Sad, but honest

Submitted by Guest101 (not verified) on Thu, 03/05/2009 - 7:37pm.
I understand both sides of the story. It is the last moments of his life and that must be terrible for the family and friends. However, even though I felt overwhelming sadness over the events, after a while I realized that this video shows not his death, but really his life. He was doing what he loved in this clip and I think that is lost. Do we need to see this, probably not, but it isn't bad journalism.
»

WHY

Submitted by Guest tb (not verified) on Thu, 03/05/2009 - 1:27pm.
I understand how you all fill iam a fire fighter and he was in the brotherhood but people give the media slack my heart gose out to the family. i guareentee that they will be using that as a trainning video. people didnt yell when they released the video of the firefighters getting killed in charlston hell those videos are on you tube for gods sack please give the media slack there doing there job but i can agree they shold have waited a littl e longer before psoting it once again my heart is to the family. you all know just because firefighters and police officers are public services they are gonna give us a bad name when we screw up or make the wrong move
»

Just Asking ...

Submitted by Guest Baffled (not verified) on Thu, 03/05/2009 - 2:30pm.
What kind of education does a firefighter have to have?
»

A firefighter must have a

Submitted by Guesttb (not verified) on Mon, 03/09/2009 - 2:02pm.
A firefighter must have a high school diplomia and take over 30 classes to be come stste certified or go to 6month long acadmy same as LEO and maintain 100 tranning hours
»

duh

Submitted by Guestteacher (not verified) on Fri, 03/06/2009 - 1:31pm.
A public education, GED and of course affirmative action.
»

what difference does it make

Submitted by 1271 (not verified) on Wed, 03/11/2009 - 11:17am.
Since when did spelling have to do with fire fighting... as a fire fighter, I understand that no-one appriciates us until they need us...
»

What Difference Does It Make?

Submitted by Guest Baffled (not verified) on Wed, 03/11/2009 - 12:49pm.
Well reading directions and road signs. Of course what is reading or spelling when smoke leads you to the scene. LOL
»

what we are taught...

Submitted by Amy Smith (not verified) on Thu, 03/05/2009 - 12:35pm.
The officeer lost control of his vehicle and that is a shame, but he did what all drivers are taught to do. He avoided the box in the road. You never know what might be in a container in the street. We have all watched those specials on tv about somebody who ran over a box or bag in the road, only to discover it contained nails or something that would make you wreck anyway. He did what he should have, unfortunately he lost control of his car. Anybody who has been involved in a wreck knows how fast decisions are made and how fast it all goes out of control. I'm very sorry that any life was lost, my condolences to the family. As to the showing of the video: They are NOT showing the impact of the crash from the deceased officer's camera-that is how they are sparing the family. thanks.
»

SHAMEFUL

Submitted by Guest111 (not verified) on Thu, 03/05/2009 - 10:27am.
REMOVE THE TAPE! NO ONE NEEDS TO SEE THAT! THAT IS WRONG AND INSULT TO THE FAMILY! HOW DARE YOU POST THIS! IT SHOWS REALLY BAD JUDGEMENT ON THE MEDIA'S PART!
»

Re: SHAMEFUL

Submitted by Alyssa (not verified) on Thu, 03/05/2009 - 2:08pm.
How is it disrespectful when they don't show the actual accident? Just the actions leading up to the event are shown, it's not disrespectful to the family in the slightest.
»

Please Remove

Submitted by Andrew Barfield (not verified) on Thu, 03/05/2009 - 8:27am.
I agree with the comments below. Please remove this. Let the man rest in peace. This video and article has no journalistic purpose.
»

Totally agree! It was not

Submitted by anne (not verified) on Thu, 03/05/2009 - 10:23am.
Totally agree! It was not necessary for us to see this. We know he is dead and why he is dead, and it served no purpose to show it. It is disrespectful to all involved.
»

THIS IS WRONG! WHAT DO YOU

Submitted by Flash (not verified) on Wed, 03/04/2009 - 10:12pm.
THIS IS WRONG! WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF RELEASING THIS VIDEO.WHOEVER POSTED THIS VIDEO SHOULD TRY THINKING NEXT TIME!!!!!!!! RIP OFFICER MATHEWS!
»

dont hate

Submitted by palmerl49 (not verified) on Thu, 03/05/2009 - 12:25am.
its a sham that the man died in the crash my heart goes out to his family but the video of the crash will show cop what not to do when they incounter a cardboard box it the rodway just run it over you have a better chance of living rather than swerving to miss it and losing control of your car once agian my heart goes out to his family and fellow officers
»

He swerved to miss the box

Submitted by Guest123 (not verified) on Thu, 03/05/2009 - 10:24am.
He swerved to miss the box because it was to be used as evidence. Some guys had tried to ditch the drugs they had and threw them into the road. He wanted to save the evidence and lost control. It is not necessarily that he was speeding but he was answering a call fro help from another officer. So to all you who say he should have slowed down, how would you feel as a cop if your back up took their time to get to you? the one he was on the way to help could have been in danger for all you know.
»

Where are You Getting Your Information?

Submitted by Guest6869 (not verified) on Mon, 03/09/2009 - 3:42pm.
That chase never was on that part of Shipyard. Did you see a box being thrown at any point in the video from the patrol car actually chasing the suspects car? I have viewed it several times and I never did see that big white box thrown. It was just random debris lying in the roadway. The audio never even puts a box being thrown at that spot. I am sorry for the loss the department and the Matthew's family has suffered. I do believe however that the charges Ben David is persuing is a stretch. It is important to review department policy when giving chase to fleeing suspects. It could save the life of another officer or possibly an innocent bystander.
»

Set an Example!

Submitted by Tax Paying Citizen! (not verified) on Sun, 03/15/2009 - 11:47pm.
What everyones missing here is the obvious. The CONVICTED CRIMINAL should be punished to the full extent of the law! This needs to be done to set an example, if you break the law you will be punished and if during breaking the law someone accidently dies you will pay for it as well. He knew that continuing to run would possibly get someone killed! The unfortunate part is that the life that was lost was actually an upstanding citizen in the community. Now we, the TAX PAYING citizens will have to pay to prove this CONVICTED CRIMINAL is guilty. Now think if the CONVICTED CRIMINAL would have gotten killed during this chase... No money needed for a court case to prove a CRIMINAL is a CRIMINAL (again) and we would have one less CRIMINAL off the streets (actually there were three CONVICTED CRIMINALS in this car) of Wilmington and no one would be complaining about TV3 posting the video. All of our problems would be served. Now if we could just get back public hanging for taking someone elses life I think the crime rate would go down even more!
»

evidence?

Submitted by Das Weibstück on Fri, 03/06/2009 - 8:33am.
If that was the case wouldn't he have been stopping to retrieve it? Also who supposedly threw it on the street? There where no cars ahead of his vehicle. Normally boxes on the roadway are empty because they blew out of a truck bed. So what was in the box, has that been said yet? I thought you where not suppose to swerve to avoid things in the road when you are going at high speeds. Correct me if I am wrong.
»

Yes

Submitted by JohnRPublic on Wed, 03/11/2009 - 3:52pm.
Well said. I would love to know what was in the box. I'm sure WPD picked it up for evidence in their witch hunt, I mean trial
»

Star News flexing muscle

Submitted by JW (not verified) on Wed, 03/04/2009 - 9:33pm.
Great job Star News. Just what everyone (especially the family)needs less than two weeks after the tragedy.I know,I know, your protecting our right to know. Great judgment. Not!
»

You truley should be ashamed

Submitted by wwaylowlifes (not verified) on Wed, 03/04/2009 - 9:04pm.
You truley should be ashamed of yourselfs...I can't beleive that you would sink to the level of the other trash programs to air such a tragic accident. It totally shows your lack of respect for the Wilmington Police Dept and the Family of the officers involved.
»

I understand that the

Submitted by Wife of an Officer (not verified) on Wed, 03/04/2009 - 8:41pm.
I understand that the Wilmingtion Star News fought for the release of these video tapes but I figured that the television stations were above that. I guess I was wrong! As a wife of an Officer of that department I think that it is ABSOLUTELY ABSURD that these videos have be released. It could have been ANY officer in that accident or following behind. Now for the ones involved they have to see it play out on television. Don't you think that the Offifers who were directly involved in this accident relive it everyday and need something else to focus on. The whole community has suffered because of the loss of a GREAT OFFICER! Why must he be remembered by his death and the "Video highlights"?
»

WELL SAID

Submitted by GuestLOE,WIFE (not verified) on Tue, 04/07/2009 - 5:54pm.
WELL SAID
»