Man In Video That Touched Off Hartford Morality Debate Dies
Angel Arce Torres, 79, was removed Monday from life support. One year ago he was left paralyzed and mute after a hit-and-run accident that was ignored by passers-by. A surveillance camera caught the incident on tape on May 30, 2008, which led to a raging debate in Hartford about whether they were a morally sound community.
Torres was walking across Park Street when two wrong-way drivers raced into view. One zipped by Torres, while the second struck him, flipping him head over heels and leaving him twisted and motionless in the street.
Cars drove by without stopping as a crowd gathered on a sidewalk. One driver briefly stopped before pulling back into traffic; the operator of a motor scooter circled the man before taking off again.
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The video touched off a round of soul-searching in Hartford, with the city’s newspaper blaring “SO INHUMANE” on the front page. Police Chief Daryl Roberts lamented at the time, “We no longer have a moral compass. We have no regard for each other.”
The driver has never been caught, and debate continues to rage as to whether this was an accident or a crime. It brings to mind the case of Kitty Genovese, a Kew Gardens, Queens woman who was attacked by the same man three times shortly after 3AM on March 13, 1964, as neighbors closed their windows and ignored her screams. The Genovese murder became a symbol of public indifference to witnessing horrific acts, as long as those acts did not touch the observers.
To what extent are we our brothers’ (and sisters’) keepers?
I remember watching this video on H&C last year. Truly tragic. Apparently there are no Good Samaritans in Harford. I surly hope they can eventually find the hit and run driver and prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law.
May 12th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
What a disgusting display of inhumanity…absolutely disgusting…
May 12th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
That sucked.
What Jared said, absolutely.
May 12th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Yeah… what they said! It’s sickening! Ever since my “medtech” training as a volunteer fireman/rescue guy at age 18… I have stopped at no less than 12 accident scenes to aid wherever I could. One scene was so bad that I had to strip naked to get back into my car because of all the blood contamination! Even if I had no training at least I would stop and protect the poor guy from being run over again!
It’s a sad story about Hartford and their citizens.. not that it couldn’t happen in anyone’s town?
Daddio Reply:
May 13th, 2009 at 8:34 am
It seems like that is the world we live in today.
What is also sad is some of the stories you hear about people who are actually saved from death but sue their rescurer because when they were moved it apparently done more damage, such as possible paralysis. That might possibly be going through some minds, but you never know. I for one would have at least stayed with the guy till medical help arrived. I have very little training in that area.
GuidoVanHorn Reply:
May 13th, 2009 at 8:39 am
some states have laws protecting first aid responders from lawsuits. In my state if you have a first aid card and as long as you don’t do something grossly negligent you can’t be sued by the person you are trying to help.
Daddio Reply:
May 13th, 2009 at 9:16 am
True Guido. But I was talking about your average passer by who is not a first aid responder, just a person who cares. How can they be protected from lawsuits if they save a life?
May 13th, 2009 at 8:14 am
Any way, I gotta go into town for a bit. So I will get your response later.
May 13th, 2009 at 9:17 am
[...] this article, news commentator Alan Colmes wrote about a man named Angel Arce Torres, 79, who died from being [...]
May 15th, 2009 at 11:14 am