Matt Thomas Toxicology Results

[GoDogs27]

[url=http://www.kfdm.com/articles/results-45779-toxicology-vidor.html]http://www.kfdm.com/articles/results-45779-toxicology-vidor.html[/url]

Has foul play been ruled out already? I mean this is very suspicious...

[mytwocents-28]

I can guarantee you that if the Vidor Police department rules out foul play after this then they will have a big lawsuit on there hands but i've seen crazier things in Vidor.

[dayton]

can't imagine why he'd lay on train tracks.... suspicious indeed. Still praying for that family.

[One4All]

WOW!!!!!    Is all I can say

[WOSgrad]

The Orange Leader will have an article on this as well this afternoon. But from what I have heard, there was nothing in either the autopsy report or any of the toxicology tests to indicate foul play.

[tvc184]

It is not a matter of ruling out anything. It matters what evidence you have in hand. I have seen one very few facts from the media reports. The main ones being that Thomas was laying face down on the tracks and he was intoxicated. Other than that?

What caused him to lie on the tracks? Fell and was injured, was intoxicated and fell sleep on the tracks, committed suicide, was assaulted by someone, etc.?

With the injuries caused by being struck with a train, it is likely that any prior injuries from an assault would be rendered impossible to distinguish from the train injuries short of a gunshot or knife wound? Even then it might be hard to tell.

That leaves eye witness accounts from either witnesses or a confession from someone taking part in a crime.

So was it a tragic accident or an intentional act? Without someone coming forward and/or without something in the autopsy confirming otherwise, what do you have other than speculation.

Who is going to be sued in a lawsuit when the cause of Thomas being on the tracks is unknown? If I was the family I would want to know who provided a minor with the alcohol for sure.

Short of any known facts, speculation can (and will) run rampant but that is all it will be is assumptions, guesses, hunches, speculations or whatever we want to call it.

[GoDogs27]

yeah good point tvc..

I would refer to the scientific principle of Occam's Razor in this scenario.

Is it more likely that

a)He was intoxicated and happened to fall face first right onto a railroad track (and from what I understand it was a good distance away from any crossing)

or

b)Someone hit him over the head, knocked him out, and then put him on the tracks

My gut says option 'b' but our justice system doesnt use Occam's Razor or there would be a whooooole lot of innocent people in jail..

[akifan94]

I live right by some train tracks and I can assure you when the horn sounds it gets your attention. With all due respect I anticipated finding out the kid was heavily intoxicated after reading the reports of the train blasting the horn. Seeing he wasn't really intoxicated makes things look suspicious. I just hope his family can learn the truth. I have learned from personal experience not knowing why/how hurts just as much as the loss.

[Guest octfeb]

well where was he that night? Does anyone know?

[tvc184]

He was intoxicated.

[falcolnfanatic]

I really hope this was just a very unfortunate accident. Finding out otherwise would make it even worse for the family, the community, and all other parties involved.

[mytwocents-28]

[quote name="tvc184" post="1120174" timestamp="1321467962"]
He was intoxicated.
[/quote]
Not to the legal limit so therefore there is no reason to think that his intoxication was a factor in his death.

[akifan94]

[quote name="tvc184" post="1120174" timestamp="1321467962"]
He was intoxicated.
[/quote]

Maybe I misread or do you know more? He was under the legal limit which at his size he would be drinking on average about 1.5 drink per hour. Hardly enough to consider intoxicated unless there is more to it. Maybe "buzzed" but buzzed people don't lay face first on train tracks and ignore a blowing train horn.

[tvc184]

[quote name="vp32" post="1120176" timestamp="1321468297"]
[quote author=tvc184 link=topic=91706.msg1120174#msg1120174 date=1321467962]
He was intoxicated.
[/quote]
Not to the legal limit so therefore there is no reason to think that his intoxication was a factor in his death.
[/quote]

There is no such thing as "legal limit" unless you are driving and even then it can be lower. That is a news media term and has no bearing on the law other than DWI and then it is the per se limit. I can assure you that if he was at that level, he was intoxicated. In fact people that are not used to drinking can be intoxicated as a much lower level.

[akifan94]

[quote name="tvc184" post="1120182" timestamp="1321468513"]
[quote author=vp32 link=topic=91706.msg1120176#msg1120176 date=1321468297]
[quote author=tvc184 link=topic=91706.msg1120174#msg1120174 date=1321467962]
He was intoxicated.
[/quote]
Not to the legal limit so therefore there is no reason to think that his intoxication was a factor in his death.
[/quote]

There is no such thing as "legal limit" unless you are driving and even then it can be lower. That is a news media term and has no bearing on the law other than DWI and then it is the per se limit. I can assure you that if he was at that level, he was intoxicated. In fact people that are not used to drinking can be intoxicated as a much lower level.
[/quote]

Unless you know something personally I think you are reaching and being a little irresponsible making that claim. 

[NDNation]

[quote name="vp32" post="1120176" timestamp="1321468297"]
[quote author=tvc184 link=topic=91706.msg1120174#msg1120174 date=1321467962]
He was intoxicated.
[/quote]
Not to the legal limit so therefore there is no reason to think that his intoxication was a factor in his death.
[/quote]

I dont think he was intoxicated either....even at the legal limit he would'nt have been drunk enough to pass out on some railroad tracks.

[mytwocents-28]

[quote name="akifan94" post="1120185" timestamp="1321468615"]
[quote author=tvc184 link=topic=91706.msg1120182#msg1120182 date=1321468513]
[quote author=vp32 link=topic=91706.msg1120176#msg1120176 date=1321468297]
[quote author=tvc184 link=topic=91706.msg1120174#msg1120174 date=1321467962]
He was intoxicated.
[/quote]
Not to the legal limit so therefore there is no reason to think that his intoxication was a factor in his death.
[/quote]

There is no such thing as "legal limit" unless you are driving and even then it can be lower. That is a news media term and has no bearing on the law other than DWI and then it is the per se limit. I can assure you that if he was at that level, he was intoxicated. In fact people that are not used to drinking can be intoxicated as a much lower level.
[/quote]

Unless you know something personally I think you are reaching.
[/quote]
He is.

[Guest UHCoog14]

Why was the young man by himself?

[PN-G bamatex]

[quote name="tvc184" post="1120182" timestamp="1321468513"]
[quote author=vp32 link=topic=91706.msg1120176#msg1120176 date=1321468297]
[quote author=tvc184 link=topic=91706.msg1120174#msg1120174 date=1321467962]
He was intoxicated.
[/quote]
Not to the legal limit so therefore there is no reason to think that his intoxication was a factor in his death.
[/quote]

There is no such thing as "legal limit" unless you are driving and even then it can be lower. That is a news media term and has no bearing on the law other than DWI and then it is the per se limit. I can assure you that if he was at that level, he was intoxicated. In fact people that are not used to drinking can be intoxicated as a much lower level.
[/quote]

tvc, in your opinion, is that enough for him to pass out on his way home?

[tvc184]

[quote name="akifan94" post="1120185" timestamp="1321468615"]
[quote author=tvc184 link=topic=91706.msg1120182#msg1120182 date=1321468513]
[quote author=vp32 link=topic=91706.msg1120176#msg1120176 date=1321468297]
[quote author=tvc184 link=topic=91706.msg1120174#msg1120174 date=1321467962]
He was intoxicated.
[/quote]
Not to the legal limit so therefore there is no reason to think that his intoxication was a factor in his death.
[/quote]

There is no such thing as "legal limit" unless you are driving and even then it can be lower. That is a news media term and has no bearing on the law other than DWI and then it is the per se limit. I can assure you that if he was at that level, he was intoxicated. In fact people that are not used to drinking can be intoxicated as a much lower level.
[/quote]

Unless you know something personally I think you are reaching.
[/quote]

It comes from 28 years (and counting) on the streets in law enforcement and being involved in hundreds of intoxication arrests. In that includes almost as many years of operating the Intoxilyzer breath test instrument that measures those levels.

You can call it reaching. I call it experience.

[akifan94]

[quote name="tvc184" post="1120195" timestamp="1321468843"]
[quote author=akifan94 link=topic=91706.msg1120185#msg1120185 date=1321468615]
[quote author=tvc184 link=topic=91706.msg1120182#msg1120182 date=1321468513]
[quote author=vp32 link=topic=91706.msg1120176#msg1120176 date=1321468297]
[quote author=tvc184 link=topic=91706.msg1120174#msg1120174 date=1321467962]
He was intoxicated.
[/quote]
Not to the legal limit so therefore there is no reason to think that his intoxication was a factor in his death.
[/quote]

There is no such thing as "legal limit" unless you are driving and even then it can be lower. That is a news media term and has no bearing on the law other than DWI and then it is the per se limit. I can assure you that if he was at that level, he was intoxicated. In fact people that are not used to drinking can be intoxicated as a much lower level.
[/quote]

Unless you know something personally I think you are reaching.
[/quote]

It comes from 28 years (and counting) on the streets in law enforcement and being involved in hundreds of intoxication arrests. In that includes almost as many years of operating the Intoxilyzer breath test instrument that measures those levels.

You can call it reaching. I call it experience.
[/quote]

It is reaching. You have no knowledge of this situation personally and are guessing based on your perceived experience.

Hopefully you do not work for the JCSD because then I will know you are reaching. I have seen their work first hand.

[tvc184]

[quote name="PN-G bamakid" post="1120192" timestamp="1321468747"]
[quote author=tvc184 link=topic=91706.msg1120182#msg1120182 date=1321468513]
[quote author=vp32 link=topic=91706.msg1120176#msg1120176 date=1321468297]
[quote author=tvc184 link=topic=91706.msg1120174#msg1120174 date=1321467962]
He was intoxicated.
[/quote]
Not to the legal limit so therefore there is no reason to think that his intoxication was a factor in his death.
[/quote]

There is no such thing as "legal limit" unless you are driving and even then it can be lower. That is a news media term and has no bearing on the law other than DWI and then it is the per se limit. I can assure you that if he was at that level, he was intoxicated. In fact people that are not used to drinking can be intoxicated as a much lower level.
[/quote]

tvc, in your opinion, is that enough for him to pass out on his way home?
[/quote]

No.

I think at such a level he might be unsteady on his feet and have poor judgment. It is enough to make you drowsy according to your level of tolerance.

[Purple Runs Deep]

Wow, I never thought I'd see Occam's brought up on setxsports lol...I work with a guy from Vidor that says there are railroad tracks that stretch across the city that you can walk out and chances of someone falling on them are decent. I dont really know the layout of Vidor...any truth to that?

[PN-G bamatex]

[quote name="tvc184" post="1120201" timestamp="1321468994"]
[quote author=PN-G bamakid link=topic=91706.msg1120192#msg1120192 date=1321468747]
[quote author=tvc184 link=topic=91706.msg1120182#msg1120182 date=1321468513]
[quote author=vp32 link=topic=91706.msg1120176#msg1120176 date=1321468297]
[quote author=tvc184 link=topic=91706.msg1120174#msg1120174 date=1321467962]
He was intoxicated.
[/quote]
Not to the legal limit so therefore there is no reason to think that his intoxication was a factor in his death.
[/quote]

There is no such thing as "legal limit" unless you are driving and even then it can be lower. That is a news media term and has no bearing on the law other than DWI and then it is the per se limit. I can assure you that if he was at that level, he was intoxicated. In fact people that are not used to drinking can be intoxicated as a much lower level.
[/quote]

tvc, in your opinion, is that enough for him to pass out on his way home?
[/quote]

No.

I think at such a level he might be unsteady on his feet and have poor judgment. It is enough to make you drowsy according to your level of tolerance.
[/quote]

That's what I think, too.

The only reasonable explanation short of foul play I can think of is that he was wobbly, fell when crossing the tracks, hit his head and knocked himself out. If so, that's a very unfortunate (albeit seemingly unlikely) series of events.

In any case, it's a tragic event and I don't think anyone knows enough to say either way.

[quote author=Purple Runs Deep link=topic=91706.msg1120202#msg1120202 date=1321469006]
Wow, I never thought I'd see Occam's brought up on setxsports lol...I work with a guy from Vidor that says there are railroad tracks that stretch across the city that you can walk out and chances of someone falling on them are decent. I dont really know the layout of Vidor...any truth to that?
[/quote]

The tracks run just to the south of Vidor proper. They cross 105 and parallel Railroad. They're maybe a mile south of the interstate and eventually turn north to cross under it.

[tvc184]

[quote name="akifan94" post="1120199" timestamp="1321468964"]
It is reaching. You have no knowledge of this situation personally and are guessing based on your percieved experience.

Hopefully you do not work for the JCSD because then I will know you are reaching. I have seen their work first hand.
[/quote]

Perceived experience? I wonder if you call a doctor, an operator at a chemical plant, a dentist or a brick layer with 28 years in the business as having perceived experience.

If you go back to my first post in this thread you will see that have not guessed at anything except to tell you that someone with a 0.69 alcohol concentration is intoxicated. I never said slobbering falling down drunk and I never said it had anything to do with his death.

Quite to the contrary, I stated that without witnesses, people would be speculating as to the cause. That is hardly drawing any conclusions from direct knowledge of the case.