Journalist Michael Hastings Killed in Car Crash

[alsame]

Journalist Michael Hastings Killed in Car Crash

By Josh Voorhees
Posted Tuesday, June 18, 2013, at 7:02 PM


BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith delivers some sad news: Michael Hastings died early Tuesday in a car crash.

We are shocked and devastated by the news that Michael Hastings is gone. Michael was a great, fearless journalist with an incredible instinct for the story, and a gift for finding ways to make his readers care about anything he covered from wars to politicians. He wrote stories that would otherwise have gone unwritten, and without him there are great stories that will go untold. Michael was also a wonderful, generous colleague and a joy to work with. Our thoughts are with Elise and and the rest of his family and we are going to miss him.

Hastings is probably best known for his Rolling Stone piece that ultimately cost Gen. Stanley McChrystal his job as the commander of all U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/06/18/michael_hastings_dead_at_33_rolling_stone_journalist_dead_in_car_crash.html

[Cooley Hurd]

1. Holy shit - a car crash???

Cross gently, Michael and I hope this crash is thoroughly investigated!!!

On edit: A Google News search only references stories stories that link back to the original Buzzfeed statement. Not finding any details about the accident itself yet.

2nd edit - there's this:

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=9143088

HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A fiery accident in Los Angeles near the Melrose district left one person dead early Tuesday morning.


The accident happened near the intersection of Highland and Melrose avenues at about 4:15 a.m. The vehicle slammed into a tree and caught fire.

Neighbors could be seen with hoses trying to put the flames out even before fire crews arrived on scene.

The driver, identified only as a male, was declared dead at the scene. His name has not been released pending notification of next of kin.

[monmouth3]

2. You are not kidding. n/t

[niyad]

4. that was my first thought, as well.

[Glimmer of Hope]

9. O

[Ruby the Liberal]

3. How devastating.

RIP Michael.

[niyad]

5. requiescat in pacem, brave soul

[WillyT]

6. :( ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

& Rec !!!

[blkmusclmachine]

7. What did he know?

[prairierose]

8. I'm really going to miss his work...

I enjoyed his work in rolling stone and his appearances on television.

[WinkyDink]

10. All-righty, then...........................................

[KoKo]

11. Rest in Peace...

[alsame]

12. Some details here, from LA Times

Neither the Los Angeles Police Department nor coroner's officials could immediately confirm whether Hastings was the victim of a single-car crash that occurred about 4:25 a.m. in the 600 block of North Highland Avenue. Police officials said it was the only vehicle fatality reported Tuesday morning in the city of Los Angeles.

The vehicle crossed a median, struck a tree and burst into flames in the Hancock Park area, LAPD Officer Christopher No said. The driver was prounounced dead at the scene.

Coroner's officials said they could not immediately identify the victim, saying the body was burned beyond recognition. Without identification or next of kin, neither the LAPD nor the coroner's department could officially identify the body found in the vehicle.

“I was just coming northbound on Highland and I seen a car, like, going really fast and all of a sudden I seen it jackknife,” Luis Cortez, who witnessed the wreck, told KTLA News. “I just seen parts fly everywhere and I slammed on my brakes and stopped and tried to call 911."

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-michael-hastings-dies-car-crash-20130618,0,7611310.story

[Hissyspit]

13. Photo of apparent incident:

[GoCubsGo]

14. What a loss...

[PatSeg]

15. Chris Hayes reported it on his show tonight

Hastings was only 33 years old. How sad.

[canoeist52]

16. He certainly wasn't afraid to speak his mind.

Gen. Mark Kimmit, Michael Hastings Lt Col Rick Francona talking Petraeus on Piers Morgan Nov. 12th 2012