He was driving along in his new 2010 Mercedes sedan when he hit bicyclist Dr. Steven Milo, at about 1:30 p.m. on July 3rd. Erzinger’s lawyers say their client client fell asleep at the wheel before driving off US Highway 6 and onto the shoulder near Miller Ranch Road, hitting Milo from behind.
The story might sound a bit questionable, but forensic specialists actually believe new car smell may have contributed to the accident. According to Vail Daily, a US online publication, John Koziol of Koziol Forensic investigated the accident and found that the car Erzinger was driving was emitting volatile organic chemicals.
“Harmful and noxious gases emitted from the upholstery can infiltrate the driver's compartment and potentially alter the driver,” Koziol wrote. He also said that the car was performing properly, so mechanical malfunctions could not be blamed.
The only big question that remains is why didn’t the driver stop when he realized he had hit a bicyclist. The answer might be that he didn’t notice at all. “There was no variation from that path,” Tegtmeier said. “There was no evidence of braking and the driver was unaware he had struck anyone.”
The case caught the eye of the media when District Attorney Mark Hurlbert said he had offered Erzinger a deal to plead guilty to two misdemeanors, and offered to drop a more serious felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident and causing serious bodily injury. We are in no position to say whether he is guilty or not, but we would like to hear our readers' opinion on the subject.
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