Stunning News

That fatal accident involving Josh Hancock last week? Not so tragic:

"Mr. Hancock was legally intoxicated at the time of the accident," (Police Chief Joe) Mokwa said.

St. Louis medical examiner Michael Graham said Hancock's blood-alcohol level was 0.157, nearly twice Missouri's legal limit of 0.08.

Mokwa said 8.55 grams of marijuana and a glass pipe used to smoke marijuana were found in the rented Ford Explorer. Toxicology tests to determine if drugs were in his system had not been completed.

An accident reconstruction team determined Hancock was traveling 68 mph in a 55 mph zone when his SUV struck the back of a flatbed tow truck stopped in a driving lane. Mokwa said there was no evidence Hancock tried to stop. He did swerve, but too late to avoid the collision.

Graham said the pitcher died instantly of head injuries. The pitcher was not wearing a seat belt, but Graham said the belt would not have prevented his death.

Mokwa said cell phone records showed Hancock was speaking with a female acquaintance at about the time of the accident. Mokwa said the conversation ended abruptly, presumably when the accident occurred.

So, drunk, yapping on a phone, drugs in the car with a high probability they were in Hancock's system, and no seat belt.

If there is any good news it's that he only hurt himself.

Let no one ever call this a tragedy ever again. This was reckless self-endangerment. There's nothing tragic about recklessness.

He got was he was risking. Case closed.