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93-Year-Old Man Dies After Driving Car Into Swimming Pool
- Posted on December 29, 2010 at 10:55am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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From KSAZ:
93-year-old George Hartman was a longtime Sun City resident and volunteer. He even coined the phrase the city is now known by — “Sun City is a city of volunteers” — that’s the slogan George Hartman came up with years ago. [...]
Monday night, Hartman was behind the wheel of his car when it plowed through his garage and into his backyard swimming pool.
Neighbors say he was all packed up and ready to move into a new condo.
Investigators don’t know if Hartman made a mistake driving or if he had a medical emergency.
Hartman leaves behind two dozen children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
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Govans56
Posted on December 30, 2010 at 12:28amHey, Warphead how old are you?
Report Post »powedj
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 7:36pmI would definately watch my self if I was walking in Sun City.
Report Post »frankee47
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 7:17pmhow very sad
Report Post »bookofwisdom
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 5:38pmI’m sure he will be missed. Prayers to the family. May God Bless.
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 4:38pmI’m so sorry for the loss of this wonderful man. The question asked here by a few : Why was he still driving? It‘s tough to take someone’s freedom away. Family & friends can often tell when it’s time & they must put their foot down & say, “No more”. Help is out there.
Report Post »Jack007
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 4:29pmI wonder if it was a Lexis? after viewing there new black on white TV ad I’ll never own another Lexis!
Report Post »SilentReader
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 12:29pmThe black streaks in the driveway indicates that something went wrong there and the car must have been travelling at an enormous speed to go right through that wall and into his pool. The neighbor said he never drives fast.
Will we ever get the answers to this? I doubt it.
May George Hartman rest in eternal peace.
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 12:41pmIt does look a little suspicious? Wonder what kind of a car it was? Toyota, maybe?
Report Post »Commonsensical
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 12:21pmUnfortunately, the first sign that a person is too old to drive is usually when he or she kills or maims someone or himself… there has to be a better way…
Report Post »Ray from Maple
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 7:01pmThe better way was offing himself.
Report Post »itsmyfirstday
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 11:47amMy prayers go out to the family…
Report Post »Nigel2
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 11:54amToday is the first day of the rest of your life:-)
Report Post »cessna152
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 11:11amWow… what an awful way to die. Not that there are any good ways… but man oh man, those doors are pinned shut.
Report Post »handsoffmystuff
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 11:42amI plan to be shot in the head at 100 years old…. by a jealous husband.
Report Post »cessna152
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 12:14pmhandsoffmystuff
Shot with a .22, .45 or .50 bmg caliber?
Report Post »texasfarmer
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 12:56pmOnly shot I’m going out with is Tequila.
Report Post »JustPeachy
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 11:11amHow sad. Prayers and blessings to his family.
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 11:23amA great loss to his community and to his family. Prayer go out to all.
Report Post »mtnclimberjim
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 11:10amWhat the hell was a 93yr old doing behind the wheel? Prayers to the family
Report Post »tobywil2
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 11:26amHe was driving, sir. At what age do you plan to quit driving? http://commonsense21c.com/
Report Post »pcrews1120
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 11:28amAgreed. Comes a time older folks should give up the car just for reasons like this. At least he didn’t plow into an oncoming car and take somebody else out with him.
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 11:29amThere is a guy a few houses down from me that is 101. He works 3 days a week and has no problem driving………. But across the street is a 20yr old that has dents in his dents.
Report Post »Carl McPherson
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 11:36amThe local news here where it happend is saying he was scheduled to go into a nursing home the very next day.
Report Post »It‘s taboo I’m sure to ask the question… “What was he willing to do to keep from being shipped to the nursing home?”
the_ancient
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 11:46amArbitray Age Limits, young or old, are worthless, you should be able to drive when and until you are proven incapable of such tasks.
My Great Grandma was doing her own yard work on her 15 acre home site until her death at 89 years hold, my Grandma, her daughter has to have in home 24/7 care because of her medical conditions from the time she was 65 (close to 80 now but she is very very ill)
Age is meaningless, Maturity, and ability are what matters
Report Post »Warphead
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 11:58amAt age 55 everyone should have to have a yearly test to determine their ability to drive. Not just the usual test but one designed to test reaction time and decision making. I am very sorry that the poor man died. This “sounds” like he was the victim of a very common mistake that older people make when driving. They accidentally press the accelerator thinking they are pressing the brake. Unfortunately their mind doesn’t realize the mistake in time. Their reaction time is severely diminished by their age and therefore cannot react in time. I’m not trying to be mean here; it’s just a fact of life. It is going to happen to us all. This could have just as easily happened in a parking lot where there are many pedestrians present. It’s bad when a poor old guy dies in an auto accident. It’s a tragedy when he takes others with him. I would not want a 93 year old surgeon operating on me unless I knew absolutely that he was in sufficient control of his faculties. I wouldn’t want to be driven around by a 93 year old either if he had not been tested. I can say this; I would rather be tested yearly than to have to live the rest of my life knowing that I killed someone because I could no longer drive safely. A person goes to jail if they drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The penalties are severe if you hurt or kill someone. Same thing happens if you fall asleep and hurt someone. You are responsible. Testing of the elderly so they can drive safely should be embraced as a smart, logical safe thing to do to protect others and not looked upon as somehow taking from them a right.
Report Post »Cobra Blue
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 12:01pmMaybe Obamacare can be updated to include end-of-driving counseling. They are putting fencing around everthing else.
Report Post »tower7femacamp
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 12:38pmthe same age restrictions should go for congress and Presidents
Report Post »CatB
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 12:59pmI’m surprised … not that a 90+ drove into a pool but that it wasn’t in FLORIDA! RIP.
Report Post »Marcobob69
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:39pmI guess I would feel differently if it was me in this situation, but what the hell is a 93 year old man doing behind the wheel of a vehicle???
Report Post »avenger
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 4:17pmwow..what a surprise…cars in pools,not cool…
Report Post »wildturkeywatcher
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 5:33pmI hope you will apply the same standards to EVERYONE who drives. This man may NEVER have had an incident while driving. His AGE did not necessarily have anything to do with the accident in this time when many live past 100 years of age.
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