Philadelphia loses another police officer due to scumbags

Philadelphia is mourning the loss of yet another of our defenders in blue, Philadelphia Police Sgt. Timothy Simpson, 46, who was killed last night by a driver of another car — borrowed from a friend, at that — who had a long history of arrests for a variety of crimes, including driving under the influence, all of which date back to 1986, according to the Philadelphia Police department.

Sgt. Simpson was killed in a horrific accident in which he had been hit by another car whose driver was travelling at a high rate of speed, running red lights, and attempting to avoid police. The impact of the other car forced Sgt. Simpson’s police car off the street, onto the sidewalk, and into of a building at Allegheny and Aramingo Avenues in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia.

The other driver — now eligible to add cop killer to his laundry list of law-breaking habits — has been identified by Philadelphia Police as 41-year-old William Foster, of Levittown, PA., a Philadelphia suburb. He is facing a variety of charges, including homicide by vehicle, eluding police, and third degree murder. Police also note that Foster, with his wonderful background with a variety of police agencies, never should have been on the street.

Looking back at Foster’s arrest record, he had been in custody of the Philadelphia Police Department just two weeks ago. When arrested, he had a stolen shotgun in his possession, but was let let go, explained to District Attorney Lynne Abraham. Now the residents of Philadelphia, as well as all of Sgt. Simpson’s fellow officers, and police officers around the country, are left to ponder all the "what if" scenarios that could have played out, including the "what if" he had been kept in custody? Sgt. Simpson would still be alive.

At the time of his arrest last night, Foster was driving but had a suspended license, was on probation, had heroin on him, and there was a bench warrant issued for him. Charming guy, huh?

Philadelphia police, like in several past murders of Philadelphia police officers, the scumbag never should have been on the street, but had also recently been in custody, but let go for any number of reasons. In Foster’s case, he had most recently been in custody of the Philadelphia police about two weeks ago, but a bail commissioner let him go. As a result, one of Philadelphia’s finest is dead and wife and his three daughters, 15-year-old twins and an eleven-year-old daughter, are left picking up the pieces of shattered lives.

According to Philadelphia Police, Foster, who has more than 20 prior arrests on his record, came to Philadelphia last evening with one thing one his mind: score some heroin. He made his buy successfully, as police found three bags of heroin on him when they pulled him from the wreckage of the borrowed car he drove to come to town from his Levittown home.

At the time of the accident, Sgt. Simpson was responding to a robbery, and was driving on Aramingo Avenue. A black colored Camaro, which police said was speeding, plowed into Sgt. Simpson’s squad car as Sgt. Simpson drove through the intersection of Allegheny and Aramingo Avenues.

Witnesses to the accident told police and local TV news channels, that the Camaro allegedly ran a red light.

When police, fire, and rescue personnel arrived on the scene, they worked to free Sgt. Simpson from his police cruiser, then rushed him to Temple University Hospital in critical condition, where he later died.

Following the accident, as well as freeing Sgt. Simpson from his police car, police, fire, and rescue workers turned their attention to the Camaro. Police said the driver, William Foster, appeared to be high on heroin at the time of his rescue from the crumpled heap of vehicle which had been a car owned by own of his friends. It took until 11:20 p.m. for the second of two passengers, who had been with Foster, to be extricated from the Camaro, which was wrapped around a traffic pole in the aftermath of the accident.

Foster was taken to Hahnemann Hospital where he was treated for  minor injuries before being discharged into police custody. He was then taken to the Police Administration Building.

Earlier in the day, Sgt. Simpson had been recognized at 4 p.m., when he was starting his shift, with a Supervisor of the Month award. He was also the former partner of the late Philadelphia Police Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski who was shot and killed on May 3, 2008 in Port Richmond after responding to a bank robbery. He also has other awards, including a heroism award that had been awarded over the years.

When Sgt. Liczbinski’s accused killer was located, it was Sgt. Simpson who handcuffed the suspect with handcuffs that had belonged to Sgt. Liczbinski.

Sgt. Simpson was assigned to the late Sgt. Liczbinski’s police cruiser, which he was driving last night. Very sad.

According to the Philadelphia Police Department, Foster’s prior arrests include aggravated assault, burglary, drug possession, shoplifting, theft of a stolen car, and a fatal DUI in Middletown, New Jersey in 2004.

The police said his rap sheet shows arrests in Philadelphia, Bensalem, Hilltown, Bristol Township, and Falls Township, all in Pennsylvania, and over in New Jersey, and arrest in Trenton.

Philadelphia police officers killed
in the line of duty since October 2007

• Officer Chuck Cassidy was shot after walking in on a robbery in progress at a Dunkin’ Donuts in North Philadelphia on October 31, 2007. He died November 1, 2007.
• Police Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski was shot and killed responding to a bank robbery in Port Richmond on May 3, 2008.
• Officer Isabel Nazario died after her cruiser was hit by a stolen SUV on September 5, 2008.
• Officer Patrick McDonald was shot and killed during a routine traffic stop in North Philadelphia on September 23, 2008.
• Officer Simpson is the fifth officer in the past 13 months to be killed in the line of duty. Officer Simpson was killed in a car accident, caused by another driver who was under the influence of at least heroin, but who also had at least 20 prior arrests.

Prior to October 31, 2007, the last Philadelphia police officer killed in the line of duty was Officer Gary F. Skerski, who was shot and killed by a masked thug as he walked into a local establishment at Arrott and Adams Avenues on the night of May 8, 2006, responding to a robbery call. He was killed instantly and never stood a chance.

Maybe this time, William Foster, a long-time criminal, will finally get his due: life in prison without the possibility for parole. Oh, and for drug rehab: make him deal with his issues by cold-turkey withdrawal.