Vintage Mercedes owner dies, but leaves a message - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

alamostation · #1 11-21-2011, 09:20 PM

From the Victoria (Texas) Advocate:

Tivoli man dies in crash

A 58-year-old man died Saturday after his vehicle struck the rear-end of a pickup on state Highway 35 just south of Victoria.

According to the Department of Public Safety report, driver Robert Hill Slaughter, who died in the crash, was in his 1983 Mercedes in the southbound lane when it hit a 1995 Chevrolet pickup. The pickup had stopped in the southbound lane and was making a left turn into local hunting grounds. His turn signal was flashing.

Slaughter, who was wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at 2:05 a.m. No other injuries were reported.

This was disturbing to me on so many levels.

I figure that the driver was probably one of us, being a member or at least a reader of the forum. He may have been someone whose posts I have greatly enjoyed and vicariously considered a friend. Does anyone know if Robert was in fact a member and if so his ID?

It hits close to home. I have a 1983 300SD which I always thought to be a terrifically safe car. If you can die hitting a stopped car with your seat belt fastened, I will have to rethink a few things. I recently upgraded to better headlights. I will probably up it again to Sylvania SilverStar. It suddenly seems important to do some brake work. My rotors and calipers are top quality, I recently replaced the power booster (a job from Hell on a 126), but the pads are from AutoZone. I will also carefully inspect the seatbelt system. All so-so suspension parts will be replaced.

On top of the 1983 Mercedes coincidence, since I recently moved, I drive about 15 miles a day on state Highway 35, though further south. Robert and I were nearly the same age, so that increases my identification with this incident.

Sorry to rattle on, but this death was a message to me that life is short but don't make it shorter by ignoring things that could make your car safer than it is. By not Super-sizing at lunch, you could not only add to your lifespan, but insure it by using that money to buy safety upgrades to your car.

t walgamuth · #2 11-21-2011, 09:32 PM

It does not mention how fast he was going when he hit the pickup. A pickup is not designed to absorb an impact like a car so it probably was tougher to survive than hitting a car at the same speed. At the same time the truck driver had a huge (lethal to the mercedes) crumple zone.

The mercedes was not designed to rear end an american style pickup at 70 mph.

Skippy · #3 11-21-2011, 09:48 PM

If the pickup was lifted, it wouldn't have taken a very hard hit to put the back bumper of the truck into the passenger compartment of the car. We don't know the impact speed or if the driver even braked. He was called at 0205, which indicates this was a late night accident. If Texas is anything like Nevada, there's a better than even chance that alcohol was involved.

Mr.Kenny · #4 11-21-2011, 09:58 PM

The Vintage Mercedes owner was 58.
I am 55.........am I vintage yet?

spdrun · #5 11-21-2011, 10:06 PM

(1) Older cars aren't as safe as most newer cars. Fact. But I drive an '83 and am willing to accept a certain amount of added risk.
(2) Sometimes crap just happens. Walking is considered safe, but you can slip, fall, and break your neck.

pawoSD · #6 11-21-2011, 10:19 PM

It happened on a freeway, I bet alcohol and great speed were involved. Its also the deceleration that kills. Hitting a standing object at 70+ is going to smash all your organs to the front of your body, he may have very likely died from internal injuries.

Jim B. · #7 11-21-2011, 10:33 PM

Tivoli resident Robert Hill Slaughter, who died Saturday in a car crash, kept mostly to himself, townspeople said Sunday.

Slaughter died Saturday in a three-vehicle accident on state Highway 35 about 1.5 miles south of state Highway 185 near Green Lake in Calhoun County.

Slaughter was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:05 a.m. by Justice of the Peace James Dworaczyk.

Slaughter, 58, lived alone and seemed to keep to himself, according to Tivoli's Canales Cafe owner Joe Canales.

"He'd come in here once or twice a week, but I didn't know him that well," Canales said. "He was building a home on the river, and he lived by himself."

Other longtime residents of the Tivoli area, including Miguel Torres and Henry Pongratz, said they didn't know him.

It is unknown whether Slaughter has family in the Crossroads.

A Department of Public Safety report said Slaughter's 1983 Mercedes rear-ended a 1995 Chevrolet pickup driven by Nicholas W. Ruddick, of Port Lavaca. Ruddick had stopped in the southbound lane to turn into local hunting grounds.

After the collision, Slaughter's vehicle drifted into the northbound lane and was struck by San Antonio resident Rudolph R. Willmann Jr.'s 2004 Toyota Sienna. The accident occurred about 12:50 a.m. No other injuries were reported at the scene.

alamostation · #8 11-21-2011, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

It happened on a freeway, I bet alcohol and great speed were involved. Its also the deceleration that kills. Hitting a standing object at 70+ is going to smash all your organs to the front of your body, he may have very likely died from internal injuries.

It did not happen on I-35, it happened on state Highway 35, which is a two lane road. The speed limit was probably 55 maybe more, but I agree, speed and alcohol were probably involved.

Still, I am going to upgrade my headlights and brakes.

Jim B. · #9 11-21-2011, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alamostation

It did not happen on I-35, it happened on state Highway 35, which is a two lane road. The speed limit was probably 55 maybe more, but I agree, speed and alcohol were probably involved.

Still, I am going to upgrade my headlights and brakes.

No speed likely involved if it was a 1983 240D automatic.

spdrun · #10 11-21-2011, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim B.

No speed likely involved if it was a 1983 240D automatic.

I don't know -- once it was up to speed, he may have been loath to give up any of the speed, since it would have taken years to regain it. This being said, my 240D (manual) routinely can do 85-90 mph indicated on the flat.

Hatterasguy · #11 11-21-2011, 11:23 PM

Vintage cars are a blast but modern cars are a lot safer, IMHO if he was in a W221 he would have walked.

Price you pay to drive an older car.

Skippy · #12 11-21-2011, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim B.

No speed likely involved if it was a 1983 240D automatic.

They'll get up about 80+, it just takes a while to get there.

Rear ending a stopped pickup and continuing into a head on with a mini van is tough on any vehicle. A 221 driver would have better chances, but if I had to have that accident I'd rather do it in a D9R.

t walgamuth · #13 11-22-2011, 04:45 AM

Rear ending a pickup at high speed could result in the bed of the truck acting like a cleaver, cleaving off the top of the car and the driver. A newer car would likely not help if that was the case.

Dubyagee · #14 11-22-2011, 05:15 AM

I read the title all wrong.

Stretch · #15 11-22-2011, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dubyagee

I read the title all wrong.

Me too - I was expecting a message to be written in fire on the road or something...

Anyway if there was enough energy in the crash to shift a W123 off of the back of a pickup and into the path of another vehicle coming the other way I think the chances of survival in any vehicle no matter how new are limited.

R.I.P. Robert Hill Slaughter