Journalist Michael Hastings Dead After FBI fears

Classic · Jul 9, 2013

Damn. Step outta line and they can take control of your car?

Maybe Glenn Beck saw this go down and said **** it.

conquistador#11 · Jul 10, 2013

across110thstreet · Aug 26, 2013

Michael Hastings: 5 Conspiracy Theories That Didn't Pan Out

The June 18 crash of Michael Hastings took the life of a talented but troubled journalist. As Gene Maddaus' excellent feature in the latest issue of LA Weekly demonstrates, people around the L.A.-based writer were truly concerned about his state of mind and reported drug use.

The coroner's report released last week says blunt force trauma from the collision with a tree ultimately did Hastings in, but it notes that he had drugs in his system, which were listed as noncontributing factors. The conclusion that this wasn't a homicide, however, hasn't stopped conspiracy theorists.

See also: Michael Hastings' Dangerous Mind: Journalistic Star Was Loved, Feared and Haunted.

Hastings' supporters have pointed to his work covering the military, the NSA and other Big Government institutions as reasons to be skeptical. They're wrong. Here are the five conspiracy theories or assumptions about the case that haven't panned out:

5. The FBI did it. The FBI doesn't normally kill civilians because it doesn't like the journalism they're working on. Nonetheless, the federal government has been suspect No. 1 in a case without a crime, mainly because the day before the crash Hastings told colleagues he believed he was being investigated by the bureau. The FBI says that's not true. Hastings also said he had zeroed in on a big story and needed to go off the grid. So far, though, there's no evidence of a murder here.

4. His last moments were being videotaped on purpose. A freelance news crew happened to be at the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Highland Avenue when its dash cam, which was rolling, captured what appears to be Hastings' Mercedes-Benz C250 coupe blasting through a red light at high speed en route to his death a few blocks south. Some folks couldn't believe that a news crew just happened to have tape rolling at that moment. But it happens. Early morning hours are prime time for random news, and freelance crews are the bred-and-butter of local television's overnight coverage.

3. He was being followed. In the days and even months before his death Hastings expressed increasing concern about government wiretapping. And, yes, he apparently thought he was being watched. Some conspiracy theorists have shared their belief that Hastings was being followed, or even chased, in the minutes before his crash, thus explaining the estimated speed of 75 miles per hour, perhaps more.

If you check out the dash-cam video above, however, you'll see that nobody was following Hastings' car as it sped through the red light. And no witnesses have come forward to report that the Mercedes was being tailed or that any other car might have been involved. Police have released no statements indicating this was anything other than a solo-vehicle crash into a tree.

2. Engines don't go flying. We were the first to report that detectives believed the Mercedes' motor flew 100 feet from the point of impact. Some of the most adamant conspiracy theorists are overnight car experts who say engines just don't go flying out of modern vehicles like Hastings' Mercedes.

But a quick scan of Google proves otherwise. A NASCAR crash earlier this year saw an engine fly into the stands. And those vehicles are built to much tougher crash standards compared to consumer cars.

When we phoned private accident investigator Peter M W. Dill, of Dill Engineering & Associates in Laguna Beach, he told us he was working on two cases of road crashes involving engines that went flying.

And the top theory that didn't hold water is ...

1. Cars don't explode like that. Hastings' car erupted in flames, and neighbors reported hearing an explosion. Some conspiracy theorists suggest this points to a bomb or some other rigging of the vehicle. But there are countless cases each year of vehicles, even modern ones, going up in a ball of fire following high-speed crashes.

Harry B. Ryon of Scottsdale, Arizona, is a former LAPD traffic official who also investigates vehicle collisions. He told us this: "With the engine torn off, the gas lines would rupture, and it would start a fire."

Simple enough. Somehow, however, we think this won't be the last we hear of the conspiracy nation.
Click to expand...

independent journalist footage from the night of the accident
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/gNhqKRugk8Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

dude was driving with meth and pot in his system and going 80 in a 35 through two major intersections.

MoonDogg · Aug 26, 2013

across110thstreet said: ↑

Michael Hastings: 5 Conspiracy Theories That Didn't Pan Out

independent journalist footage from the night of the accident
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/gNhqKRugk8Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

dude was driving with meth and pot in his system and going 80 in a 35 through two major intersections.
Click to expand...

dude was probably trying to get the hell away from those $4.53/gal gas prices.....

Dairy Ashford · Aug 26, 2013

Merovingian said: ↑

Police, Firefighters Ordered Not To Speak About Michael Hastings Crash

[URL="http://beforeitsnews.com/[/URL]
Click to expand...

It's not their place to talk about ongoing investigations outside of official chains of communication. The guy was anxious and stressed out, reckless driving is not a rare side effect of that.

nickb492 · Aug 26, 2013

across110thstreet said: ↑

dude was driving with meth and pot in his system and going 80 in a 35 through two major intersections.
Click to expand...

Coroner's officials said Hastings had traces of amphetamine in his system, consistent with possible intake of methamphetamine many hours before death, as well as mar1juana. Neither were considered a factor in the crash, according to toxicology reports.
Click to expand...

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-michael-hastings-meth-coroner-20130820,0,5038230.story

ILoveTheRockets · Aug 26, 2013

magnetik said: ↑

sure.. Onstar has had this ability for years.. I'm sure the feds also have this ability considering they're owned by GM.. which is now Government Motors.

Onstar can turn off your car remotely, lock doors, and whatever else that can be controlled by computer. I bet accelleration and braking is also a feature. Pretty scary if you don't trust your government to "do the right thing"
Click to expand...

After reading this I got a message on facebook, then I seen Onstar's recent status on facebook...

OnStar
Keeping subscribers safe on the road since 1996 -- it's what we do best. How long have you been a subscriber?
Like · · Share · 8979 · 18 minutes ago ·

I will be ripping Onstar out of my car tomorrow, to hell with that ****.

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Journalist Michael Hastings Dead After FBI fears

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