Man Attempts Suicide; kills J.W. elder instead

Kenneson

The article entitled "Bizarre accident thought to be suicide attempt" comes from the Springfield News (Oregon).

http://www.springfieldnews.com Be sure to scroll down.

Windchaser

Okay, I could say something crass here about pizza topping, but I won't. A very bizarre turn of events, to be sure.

Wow, that is really REALLY SAD!! I feel BAD for both of those men, the one who was in so much despair he wanted to kill himself, AND for that poor JW being in the right place at the wrong time... Who knows, he may have been one of the really good elders from the description of him in the paper, caring about people who are "down." The poor fellow who killed him sure can't be feeling too good right about now. Thanks for the link.

BTW, is it against copyright laws to post the entire article here? I was going to, but I notice many do not do that, and maybe we are not supposed to? Thanks.

Grits

Bendrr

Schlender sustained only minor injuries after crashing a 1980s Oldsmobile Omega into the building shortly before 8 a.m. Tuesday. He was treated at Sacred Heart Medical Center Tuesday afternoon and released.

At least he took an Olds Omega off the road!

Col. Bendrr, [classified]

Jesika

I would never wish that on anyone. How terrible.

Southland

Pretty sad ... another reason to be grateful you are not a JW janitor ...

Golden Girl

I think if I was going to kill myself..I would run my car into a concrete wall!

Surely he didn't think running into a building would have done it? I wonder if they knew each other?

Golden Girl..

Mimilly

This is sad, and we'll never know if they knew each other.

GoldenGirl - That's the first thing I thought of - why drive into a restaurant? Yet when one is suicidal, it goes without saying that they are not thinking properly. There were many times I just wanted to push my van (when I had it) to high speed and hit a phone pole. The last time I was suicidal though, I learned that I was not actually wanting to die - but too tired to carry on. There's a difference. I wanted to live - I just didn't know how to deal with my issues anymore.

Perhaps this guy was in a similiar way. Only now, he has to live with the fact that he took someone else's life. It is truly sad.

Mim

QUEENIE

SOOOOO VERY SAD :( is all I can say...QUEENIE

Elsewhere

http://www.springfieldnews.com/articles/2002/09/21/local/news04.txt

Bizarre accident thought to be suicide attempt By Kara Cogswell

Police believe the man who drove a car into Roaring Rapids Pizza Tuesday, killing a custodian working inside, was trying to kill himself.

Investigators found suicide notes in the car driven by Duane Dalles Schlender, Deputy Pat O'Neill from the Lane County Sheriff's Office said.

Schlender, 22, was originally charged with criminally negligent homicide, but the Lane County District Attorney's office has increased that charge to manslaughter in the second degree, a class B felony. A grand jury is expected to review the case by Wednesday.

Schlender sustained only minor injuries after crashing a 1980s Oldsmobile Omega into the building shortly before 8 a.m. Tuesday. He was treated at Sacred Heart Medical Center Tuesday afternoon and released.

The custodian, Dennis Wayne Savage, 56, died at the scene. A retired Farmer's Insurance agent, he owned Community Building Maintenance, a Springfield janitorial business, with his wife, Sharon.

He is survived by his wife, their children Scott Savage and Sally Carver, and Dennis Savage's daughter, Sarah Cummins, from a previous marriage.

Savage was active in the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses church in Springfield, where he served as an elder.

Angela Peck, a family friend who lived with the Savages for five years, said he was a man with a strong faith who loved to help people and teach them about the Bible.

"He went to different people's homes and even when they were down, he encouraged them to do better and feel good about themselves," she said.

A memorial honoring Savage will be held at 2 p.m. today at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, at 2423 Seventh St., near Hayden Bridge Road.

Roaring Rapids Pizza reopened Wednesday afternoon. The restaurant is open regular hours, and no scheduled parties or events have been canceled, said Garry Weber, restaurant general manager .

Weber said the staff and owners of the restaurant want to express their sympathy for the family of the victim. The restaurant is owned by Steve and Paul Roth.

"Along with anyone else who has followed this story, we're saddened for the Savage family, and we want to continue to express our collective thoughts and prayers for them," Weber said.