Shea Andersen: At the Roundhouse

Grooving the Grubesic beat

Today the Senate might debate gay marriage. The House passed an important measure about educational retirement.

But nothing, I mean nothing, has so captivated the appetite of the Capitol press like the Grubesic crash.

Gov. Bill Richardson today told reporters he didn't think Sen. John Grubesic, he who rolled his car and then got into a dispute with State Police about the matter, should get preferential treatment.

"It's unfortunate what happened," Richardson said. "I want to be sure that just because somebody's a public official, a senator, a judge or a governor, that nobody gets preferential treatment."

Earlier today, the mighty Capitol rumor mill had said Grubesic had been escorted by State Police up to Richardson's office Friday after the incident. But Richardson said he'd not met with Grubesic.

This little brouhaha has a troop of reporters hustling all over the Capitol in search of the latest he-said she-said.

Out on the windy sidewalk outside the building, State Police Chief Carlos Maldonado said officers were unable to establish probable cause, or even whether or not Grubesic was driving.
"If you can't establish who the driver is, there's not going to be an arrest," Maldonado said. "He did not admit to driving the vehicle."

Tromp tromp, goes the pack, downstairs to see Grubesic himself, who told reporters, as he had before, that it was all fairly innocent.

But he admitted deceiving State Police officers the first time around.

"I thought it was just a little careless driving accident, nothing more, nothing less," Grubesic said. "And I think I was frightened at that...point in time, that, oh gee, this is a bigger deal than I thought it was, although it was just careless driving and I should have just admitted it at that point. But I was tired and cold and confused, and I didn't."
He later admitted the car was his, and has taken responsibility for the accident.

Posted by sandersen at March 8, 2005 04:57 PM