To the editor:

I am writing in regard to the Journal-World’s coverage of the fatal car accident that occurred on Oct. 25. I was horrified and outraged that the video footage of the burning vehicle was allowed to be shown.

Did it dawn on anyone that there might be someone still in the vehicle?

I realize that an accident of this magnitude is newsworthy, but the Journal-World crossed the line on this one.

I was with Allen Eastland’s son and his wife when the state trooper came to their home to inform them that their father had perished in a fire from, and I quote, “a horrendous accident.” I watched as the look of disbelief came over them when the officer explained what happened. I held and cried with them when reality set in. But what was the most painful and horrifying was when we opened the Web page of LJWorld.com only to see their father burn to death and knowing others were watching as well.

We all were advised by the Highway Patrol not to go to the crash site because of how gruesome it was. They were trying to protect the family from having to see it. Something the Journal-World did not obviously care about.

I hope that in the future the “people in charge” at the Journal-World will be more discreet and show some compassion when it comes to something as tragic as this.

Carolyn Ball,
Lawrence