John Goodman jury examined 3D simulation of crash

cars_1_20120315102041_JPG


Photographer: Alex Sanz, WPTV
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

cars_2_20120315102114_JPG


Photographer: Alex Sanz, WPTV
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

crash_20120315062449_JPG

A recreation by investigators of how John Goodman's Bentley struck Scott Wilson's vehicle the night of the crash
Photographer: PBSO

goodman_20120315055437_JPG


Photographer: Lannis Walters, Palm Beach Post

advertisement

Posted: 03/15/2012

Click here to watch the trial LIVE (mobile: http:// bit.ly/ AoGgCw)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. --  An emotional day in court unfolded Thursday as several new pieces of photographic and physical evidence, including a three-dimensional computerized crash simulation, were presented to the jury in the DUI manslaughter trial of John Goodman.

Goodman watched silently as jurors watched the computerized 3-D crash simulation.

911 calls phoned in after the crash were played in court.

There were a handful of calls. The first callers saw Goodman's Bentley abandoned on the side of the road in rough shape, with debris scattered in the roadway.

One passerby called to say he noticed what turned out to be Scott Wilson's Hyundai in a  canal.

The call from Goodman to 911 was also played in court.

TO LISTEN TO THE JOHN GOODMAN CALL, CLICK HERE
bitly link: http://bit.ly/wYRSQK

TO LISTEN TO OTHER 911 CALLS, CLICK HERE
bitly link: http://bit.ly/wUoNhw

After hearing tapes from four 911 calls, the jurors were walked to a loading dock near the courthouse to view the Bentley and Hyundai involved in the crash.

While jurors viewed the vehicles, a crowd of media and public spectators gathered.

Then, the family of Scott Wilson was able to walk around the vehicles.  They spent the most time near Wilson's car.  Goodman and his attorneys were also present.  They did not walk up to Wilson's car, but spent a few minutes talking to each other while looking at Goodman's Bentley.

In the courtroom, Traffic Homicide Investigator Troy Snelgrove explained the significance of photographs taken at the scene, and evidence he had collected the night of the crash.

"It was apparent that the Bentley went through the stop sign," he said.

The Bentley, Snelgrove said, outweighed the Hyundai by two thousand pounds, shoving it into a nearby canal.

Then a key point was brought up, a point on which the defense and prosecution disagree: Did Goodman walk directly to Lisa Pembleton's trailer after the crash, or did he go first to a nearby barn to drink?

"There were boot prints, but more of a square-toed boot with a heel, walking southbound along the dirt road away from the scene," Snelgrove explained. 

Photos were shown of Goodman in a hospital bed, wearing boots that matched the description of the prints.

The investigator claims the evidence shows the footprints led only towards the hard-packed earth near the trailer.

"They went down in front of the property where Mr. Goodman was located," he said.

Snelgrove testified that he has made more than 500 DUI arrests in his career. Snelgrove met Goodman the night of the crash at the hospital, and took blood samples about three hours after the crash, close to 4 a.m.

"I did notice that his eyes were bloodshot and glassy," Snelgrove said.

The investigator also testified that he smelled the odor of alcohol on Goodman and that he witnessed Goodman had slow movements and slurred speech.

Snelgrove was the only witness to take the stand on Thursday and he is expected to continue his testimony on Monday, due to a scheduling conflict on Friday. 

Several other prosecution witnesses are set to testify on Friday, including a toxicologist.

NewsChannel 5's Dan Corcoran and Christina Mora contributed to this report

Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

  • Comments

Featured Stories


  1. Latest mugshots: Palm Beach County

    Latest mugshots: Palm Beach County

    Click here to see the latest mugshots in Palm Beach County

    • Latest mugshots: St. Lucie County

      Latest mugshots: St. Lucie County

      Click here to see the latest mugshots in St. Lucie County.

      • Oklahoma tornado damage: Full coverage

        Oklahoma tornado damage: Full coverage

        Get the latest updates, photos and video from the devastation in Moore, Okla. Also, see how to help.

        Advertisement
        • More Goodman coverage
        PHOTOS: John Goodman crash scene
        PHOTOS: Goodman crash scene

        The sheriff's office has released photos from the February 2010…

        John Goodman complete trial coverage
        John Goodman complete trial coverage

        Click here to view the case documents, hear the 911 calls and …

        Listen to Goodman's 911 call
        Listen to Goodman's 911 call

        John Goodman placed a call to 911 operators at 1:55 a.m. on …

        Look at the documents
        Look at the documents

        Click here to find receipts, traffic reports, autopsy results, …

        Read the witness interviews
        Read the witness interviews

        Several people were interviewed by Palm Beach County Sheriff’s …

        View the timeline of events
        View the timeline of events

        Get a complete view of the events that led up to the fatal …

        See our past coverage
        See our past coverage

        Take a look at NewsChannel 5's coverage from the beginning.

        • What's Trending Now...