Killer Gets 45 Year Sentence for
Driving His SUV over Thomas McBride
by Ed Vincent
 

Mr.Tom McBride was brutally killed April 26, 1999.
Mr. McBride was a bicycle messenger and had the misfortune
to meet Carnell Fitzpatrick on the 5300 block of West
Washington Blvd in Chicago.  Fitzpatrick, a resident of
the city had exchanged words with Tom McBride as he drove
his large Chevy SUV and almost hit McBride.  After the
apparent harsh words Carnell Fitzpatrick chased the
young man on his bicycle for over a block and drove
over him numerous times according to some reports.  He
drove over his body and bicycle and ground it into the
pavement, while dragging the bloodied body and bike for
hundreds of feet.  The jury, which met for some 16 hours
could have found Fitzpatrick guilty of a lessor charge,
but chose to find him guilty of first-degree murder.
Fitzpatrick was found guilty by the jury on December 4th
of last year.  It was only a few days ago that the sentence
was handed down for his being put into jail for 45 years.
This was the first case of road rage in the State of Illinois
that involved a SUV (car) and person on a bicycle.  It 
appeared to many that the jury wanted to send a clear
message in this verdict.