Ohio man arrested after videotaping deadly car crash instead of helping
LORAIN, Ohio -An Ohio man was arrested after he allegedly videotaped the aftermath of a deadly car crash instead of trying to help the victims, reported CBS affiliate WOIO.
Police say Paul Pelton, 41, was at the scene when the accident involving two teenage boys occurred early Monday, July 13. Instead of trying to save a life, witnesses say Pelton walked to the car and started videotaping the victims and the damaged car. In the video, Pelton can be heard calling the teen drivers "idiots" while recording the wreckage, reports CBS Cleveland.
"While others were rendering aid to these boys, a male took the opportunity to video this horrible scene with his cell phone. 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," the Lorain Police Department said in a statement posted on its Facebook page. "At no time does the male render assistance to the victims, or even attempt to comfort them."
Lorain Police say Zach Goodin, 17, was speeding over railroad tracks when he lost control of his car and hit a parked vehicle and a utility pole before crashing into a house. According to the station, Goodin is in critical condition at MetroHealth. Goodin's passenger, Cameron Friend, also 17, died from his injuries.
After Pelton recorded the video he allegedly tried to sell it to multiple news organizations, according to WOIO. He also posted it on Facebook.
The accident happened in front of the home of Denise White. She was trying to help the victims when she saw Pelton recording the aftermath.
"To take that video and put it on Facebook, it just shows you have no principles. It's disgusting. That guy's mom probably had to see that. It made us relive it," White told the station.
Pelton was arrested on Wednesday for vehicle trespass.
According to the station Pelton recently posted another video to Facebook apologizing and claiming that it was a "misunderstanding." In the video Pelton says: "I want to offer a public apology to the families of the kids that got injured or deceased in the car accident. I never intended it to be a video that came across as a gore video. I wanted to put the video out there so other kids could see it and learn from the mistake of speeding and driving recklessly."