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Police: Rich BU student learns lead foot no match for long arm of the law
By adamg on Thu, 10/02/2014 - 11:40am
Sgt. Luke Taxter at D-4 reports on an arrest on Beacon Street near Exeter in the Back Bay yesterday:
Officers arrested an unlicensed BU student after pulling his Maserati over; est speed 100mph!
He adds this was around 2:30 p.m.
Zeguang Xu, 19, of the South End, was arraigned today in Boston Municipal Court on charges of operating without a license, providing a false name to police, speeding, failure to stop, and negligent operation, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports. He was released on $1,000 bail.
The DA's office continues:
The driver, later identified as Xu, was then observed driving through the red light at the intersection of Beacon and Fairfield streets - the same intersection in which Jessica Campbell and John Lanzillotti were killed when a different driver ran the same light on June 21.
“High speeds, poor driving conditions – this could have been a recipe for disaster,” Conley said. “We’re very fortunate no one was hurt, including the driver himself.”
The vehicle came to a stop at a red light at the intersection of Beacon Street and Massachusetts Avenue, where heavy traffic prevented passage, prosecutors said. Boston Police initiated a motor vehicle stop.
The driver, later identified as Xu, told officers that he had left his wallet and driver’s license at home and that the vehicle belonged to a friend. He provided police with a name and date of birth that officers quickly determined belonged to another individual; further inquiry revealed that the operator and owner of the vehicle was Xu, who did not have a license to operate a motor vehicle.
When officers confronted him with these facts, Xu produced a wallet and provided his Boston University student ID.
The DA's office adds police did not impound the Maserati GranTurismo, which goes for about $127,000, instead handing the keys over to a female companion.
Others report this is not the first time Mr. Fancy Sports Car has buzzed the Back Bay. Walkingbostonian tweets:
I've seen him blasting down Comm ave too, nice work. What a crazy person.
Stefe adds:
I've seen this guy frequently driving around in the BU area, bout time someone got him.
Innocent, etc.
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Comments
Dumbass
First off, anyone that drives such a nice car on Boston roads in just stupid. Second, this streamlined turd got nicked 1 block down from the intersection where three people have been killed in 3 months - if anyone deserved for their car to be "lost" in an impound yard, it's this idiot.
Does BU care?
They should expel him, does BU want these kinds of douches as the face BU presents to boston?
BU would go out of business
BU would go out of business without these kinds of douches.
I don't think they encourage this behavior
Have you seen how difficult it is to get a student parking permit at BU? It's a nightmare. It's insanely expensive and almost impossible to get a pass in the first place, and then when you do, it's restricted to certain lots at certain hours that don't necessarily line up with your class schedule. Then, of course, they issue many times as many parking passes for each lot than there are spots.
I knew a lot of people with legitimate need for a car (adult grad students who commuted from the suburbs) who couldn't navigate the system and just put their car on the street in a meter spot all day, because it was so difficult to deal with BU parking.
It's insanely expensive
So it sounds like they're encouraging exactly this sort of behavior, i.e., only rich kids get to bring their cars to campus. If the system is too complicated, get parking from a private company (which is presumably even more expensive).
It's not, actually. A
It's not, actually. A private lot is actually cheaper than BU parking. I'm a BU grad who had a car while I was a student there. It was cheaper to park in one of the many lots in/around Allston and walk to class than it is to bother with BU school parking, which when I was a student there went for around $1500 for the school year for overnight parking as well.
Interesting. Thanks for the
Interesting. Thanks for the clarification. It still sounds like BU's parking system is designed for rich kids who don't care whether they go to all their classes.
the entire country
The entire country is designed by/for rich people who think they're above the law.
I agree
I work at BU and the grand door prize at the staff/faculty holiday party is a parking pass.
Ha, yeah, I actually worked
Ha, yeah, I actually worked at BU a few years back and dealt with those people all day. Rich foreign students registered Maseratis and other obsecenly expensive sports cars. Other people were appalled that they had to walk an extra block or two away from their residences and tried to demand closer spaces. One of the worst people was this rich girl who no joke had 3 BMWs (an SUV, a sedan, and a sports car) and students are only allowed a max of 2 vehicles or something. It was ridiculous.
to bad as far as bu concerned
to bad as far as bu concerned they love these international students which fuels the whole skool these students buy their way in! so yeh they r an important asset to the skool. this kid probably donated 1mill plus lol
Welcome to America
We one judicial system for rich ppl...and another one for everyone else.
Keep voting Republican though...America is a perfect. Everyone is equal...Abe Lincoln and every president after him said so!
typo...
We HAVE one...
Agree 100%
I'm also sick of the Republicans running Massachusetts and having such a stranglehold over our institutions of higher learning, such as BU and Harvard.
so prosecutors are not
so prosecutors are not allowed to say how awful a person is but the defense lawyer is able to use the generic "my client isn't a monster. he is a hard working man who had a job working at a pool" card? this seems one sided to me. but as it always goes in MA, score 1 for the bad guys..
I think you want the murdering pool-supply guy room
That's down the hall.
This kid sounds like
A douche bag, snotty ass played by James Spader in a 1980s movie.
Does he have his sweater tied around his neck too?
My Maserati does 185
I lost my license now I don't drive...
Joe Walsh - Life's Been Good
He lives in hotels
Tears out the walls.
Daddy's accountants pay for it all.
Would LOVE to see more
Would LOVE to see more arrests like this. The speeding and the drag racing on Comm. Ave. and on Beacon St. is ridiculous. And, unlicensed? Impound the spoiled brat's Maserati!
In the spirit of Internet commenters everywhere
I'm going to choose to hold all drivers responsible for this jackass' actions. Well done, drivers.
(Honorable mention for this mood goes to the guy who hopped out of his car to scream at the poor German kid on the bike who may or may not have slightly bumped into said car as it pulled blinkerlessly out of the bus stop where it was parked. I hadn't realized that possibly touching a man's car "means I can f*** you up", but now I do.)
I think a fitting response to
I think a fitting response to that should be "You just hit me with your car and now you're threatening me? Let me call my lawyer"
What an asshole
I hope they throw the book at him, but I'm sure Daddy's lawyer will plead it down to a slap on the wrist.
Rich BU student
send lawyers, guns and money. Dad get me out of this...
You know what would make this
You know what would make this story great? If they impounded the Maserati.
It would make such a great shop project at Madison Park. Ultimate shop class bragging rights.
Yellow Maz?
If so, I've seen this idiot. And now I have Joe Walsh going through my head. AUGH!!
But having Joe Walsh going through your head's a good thing
At least for me it is :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXWvKDSwvls
Sounds like Eurotrash, but
Sounds like Eurotrash, but what's he doing up so early?
OK, not Euro.
OK, not Euro.
I'm very upest with Uhub at this point...
This man was clearly in training!
http://www.universalhub.com/2014/imagine-people-driving-fast-they-can-ar...
Euro
Trash?
Euro
Trash?
That's one fast car
100 MPH in such a short distance? Without killing someone? I'd hate to see him coming up behind me on Storrow Drive.
New Corvette Z06
Next year's Corvette Z06 will get to 60 mph in under 3 seconds, in a quarter mile it can hit 127 mph and also has a stopping distance from 60mph of 99 feet. It's price tag is also probably
half2/3rds of that Maserati's.Now THAT is something that will be awesome to see come up behind you on Storrow...and then come to a complete stop along with everyone waiting for the box truck to be backed out.
EDIT: Wasn't the Maserati I guessed it would be according to Adam's info from the DA.
At least a Mazarati
can fit under the overpasses. Unlike some people who venture onto Storrow Drive (and no, I don't mean the previous poster).
Saw him coming back from the Cape on Sunday
We were wondering how on earth he was old enough to have a license, let alone that car!
And why anyone would have that car around here is beyond me - it would be sooooo frustrating! Take it to Montana or something, have a blast!
He should have his license
He should have his license suspended at the least.....
What license?
What license?
How do you know who this guy
How do you know who this guy is? Just curious.
Not 100% sure
Except for the teenage-looking person driving a fairly uncommon and flashy car part of it makes the odds of such a match fairly high (we were all stuck in traffic due to a stalled van on the Sagamore Bridge, so no big displays of speed).
You new here?
Swirly has personal or familial experiences with everything that happens...or the exact same situation just that it happened somewhere else.
Put it this way
If you saw a very young person driving an extremely expensive car
AND
Then you heard that a very young person was caught speeding in the same type of expensive car not long after ...
But, you know, these things can happen when you are 1) old, 2) get out of your house once in a while and 3)get around the area a fair amount.
NOTE other people have ALSO seen this person around, and reported it here.
No one
is saying you didn't see him, only that Kaz isn't wrong either :)
Euphoric/ irritable/ labile
Euphoric/ irritable/ labile
Agitated/ explosive
Loud, fast speech
Grandiose/ delusional
Risk taking behavior/ impulsive
Racing thoughts/ flight of ideas
Increased spending, sexuality, religiosity Decreased need for sleep
Describing...
Describing a manic depressive?
less than 1 degree?
It's the .482723 Degrees of Swirly (see Kevin Bacon).
Also, Medford is one of the Centers of Concentrated-ness.
Unlikely Story
n/t
Jail time
I'm not a huge fan of sending people to jail, but this case seems like one that makes sense. How many lives did this person put in danger?
ESPECIALLY at that
ESPECIALLY at that intersection considering the horrible accident and deaths there twice in the last few months.
Why are you not a fan of jail
Why are you not a fan of jail? Where else would criminals go? Are you willing to house them at your personal residence? What is your solution?
Why are you not a fan of jail
Maybe because it turns first-time offenders into lifetime criminals and/or drug addicts?
So do what with them? Stay at
So do what with them? Stay at your place so you can rehabilitate them? No thanks...
Please, when drivers speed
Please, when drivers speed and kill pedestrians or bicyclists in the US they don't go to jail, they definitely won't go to jail for just speeding. They should, along with other serious infractions, but if you are sober and kill someone with your car even if you run a red light or a stop sign, most likely you will be free. The only caveat would be if you weren't an american citizen, then they might prosecute.
anyone remember these guys?
http://tech.mit.edu/V110/N44/obit.44n.html
And he still contributes to
And he still contributes to BU
http://www.bu.edu/hic/about-hic/about-our-patron-bahaa-hariri/
More details
Just updated the original post with information from the DA's office.
The DA's office adds police
Oh well, I'm sure he's learned his lesson.
Suspicion confirmed
I read the initial post on my phone earlier, and all I could think was "probably an international student, and probably from either Asia or the Middle East."
Fact is, the ultra-rich families these areas really, literally run the place, and truly have an attitude of entitlement that would make even jaded Americans blush.
So, unlicensed driver, driving extremely recklessly in a car way too expensive for a normal person (notwithstanding a college student) led to my assumption.
Or maybe I've just worked at too many local colleges for too long...
$1,000 bail?
Does any judge truly think $1,000 is enough to guarantee a future court appearance by a 19 year old (presumably) international student who drives a $127,000 car? I know bail isn't supposed to be punitive, but it IS supposed to be rational, right?
As for the D.A., did they ASK to impound the car and have the judge refuse? Or did the D.A. think it was a good idea to turn the keys over to the lying delinquent's friend? Also, it would seem to be a pretty skimpy list of charges considering what could have happened, especially -- as many have pointed out already -- on that stretch of road. Is there any such thing as driving to endanger, or is that the same thing as negligent operation?
DA? Judge?
The police decide to impound or not on the spot. You think they leave the car there while they call up the DA and judge personally or wait for the court to open a case?
You're right, my bad.
Thanks for the correction. One of those thumbs up is mine :-)
Correct me if I'm wrong, though -- someone suspected of dealing drugs is likely to get everything impounded on the spot and ultimately forfeited, whereas someone caught red-handed (red-footed?) driving a Maserati at potentially deadly speeds can just hand the keys to a chum?
Civil Forfeiture
is specifically allowed by law in cases of drug trafficking, not speeding (https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXV/Chapter94c/Sect...).
If the driver of a car is arrested, and the car itself will not yield evidence (like paint scrapings or body damage in a crash), and there is another legal driver present whom the suspect can release it to, the cops have no authority to tow the car, much less seize it as forfeiture.
Yep
The system is not fair or adequate.
These days the biggest concern about forfeiture isn't cases like this one. It's cases like the one of two guys driving through Iowa with their gambling bankroll in the car. The cops stop them claiming a minor driving infraction. Claim that the amount of money they found on searching the vehicle is "likely" only something an out-of-state drug dealer would have on them, thus they justify the seizure of $100,000 from these two guys who don't live in the state and now have to sue to get their money back even though they've never been charged with a crime.
Asiantrash?
Asiantrash?
Asian drivers really like Maserati's
Remember this guy with the Decepticon Maserati:
http://www.patriotledger.com/article/20140904/News/140908509
Back in the 90's the "rich BU kids" bought BMW's. Maybe the bimmers are too common to achieve "baller" status nowadays?
There wasn't the same sort of
There wasn't the same sort of international tuition money going to local schools two decades ago, for the most part.
Ship him back
Why not export him back to China??
Junior year in doubt?
https://www.hvcc.edu/international/arrests.pdf
Even if the charges are bargained or dismissed, his visa application for next year will be tricky, if he isn't sent back next semester.
Assuming that he isn't a US citizen or permanent resident already.
How was he able to register a
How was he able to register a car in MA when he didn't have a valid license?
You don't need a license to register a car
Just like you don't need a registered car to get a license. Owning a car doesn't necessarily mean you drive.
Undocumented drivers
Why can't the Democrat machine here, who dislikes the term "illegal alien" start calling people without valid driving licenses "undocumented drivers"? That way, they can then ignore laws equally and more fairly! Why should undocumented residents/workers get free passes and not others missing various government documents? Its not like he killed or injured anyone, much like cyclists who ignore traffic laws.
Whoomp there it is
I win. Everybody else drink.
BU student
They should revoke his student visa..
Racer X set him up
I'm glad Spritle and Chim-Chim didn't get hurt.
Sadly, pedestrians in the
Sadly, pedestrians in the city of Boston and Back Bay specifically this year seem to be expendable. Fortunately no no died this time. After this BU brat buys his way out of any actual legal accountability, I'm sure Daddy will set him up with a a suite at The Taj so he can trash it with his wealthy frat buddies as a reward for being a rich entitled prick who gets away with treating the city of Boston like his personal playground. Thanks BU!