Commissioner Mark Ruben Endorsed for Public Safety: Really, So What NOW?

Sondra Thompson
(from Bradenton Herald Photo)

Breaking news in Manatee County on Sunday January 30, broke my heart for the family of Sondra Thompson, 66, of University Park, who died in a truck- bicycle crash that occurred around 1:45 p.m. at Whitfield Avenue and Treymore Court in Manatee County, according to the FHP. The biggest reason it broke my heart was because it involved Southern Manatee Fire District's very own Fire Commissioner Mark Ruben. Accident's are nothing new for Ruben. With the frequency of what is on public record, I can't help but wonder how many have happened that haven't been major enough to report. How many wrecks does it take before the proper authorities take notice that a potential problem might exist? Commissioner Ruben's history is well documented in the public records:

• May 9th, 2009- Ruben had an accident with a company vehicle and incurred damages causing a small claims suit.
• April 10, 2010- Nearly a year later, Ruben had a more serious accident with injuries in which there's an open lawsuit still in progress.
• Sometime in between or during all these, there was the accident that completely totaled his truck out.
• September 2010- Ruben failed to make a fire district meeting because of, yes, you guessed it , ANOTHER vehicle accident! We only know this because he informed the board of the reason of his absence. It wasn't reported publicly.
• January 30. 2011- Ruben killed a bicyclist on Whitfield, not too far from his home. Charges are pending against Ruben according to the FHP. And family & friends are grieving an untimely loss that most likely could have been prevented.

I am incensed because previously, I had noted from the start the multiple issues with Commissioner Ruben.  While the union came out with their Public Safety Endorsement poster for the elections, everyone chose to a turn  blind eye to the glaringly obvious issues that do not show this commissioner to be above reproach in a public office. I had hoped to educate the public, but the union and majority of firefighters backing this facade of political interest on behalf of  the "good taxpayers of this district" continued to promote Ruben throughout the campaign despite his personal chaos. Public record shows an even greater multitude of issues for Ruben that make me wonder just why do I want this man managing my fire district when his personal finances, his personal driving record and his marriage are a trainwreck! Keep in mind that over three months ago and several weeks prior to the elections that should not have put this man back in office, I wrote the second part of a three part blog on October 27th, called: "Misappropriations".  I opened it reminding everyone of public office duty since it seemed the "good ol' boy" attitude had been the prevailing theme of late and wrote:

"Misappropriation: That's a big word for misusing things or funds that aren't a persons. When someone is in a public office or position it's important to remember that what you have is provided by the taxpayers and you must remain above reproach. It's always good to be held accountable but often times from the inside looking further in, if you're not in the management end of things, you really don't understand the big picture." 

I further explained the reasons for my comments about this misappropriation thought and how it applied to Commissioner Mark Ruben in particular, i.e. the birthday party at the firehouse for his child (which would obviously would have fully impeded the function of that house that day), the use of the fire department credit card by a deputy chief for Mark Ruben's child's birthday cake, and making promises to that same deputy chief that he'll make him the next chief (which he has already foolishly publicly attempted to fulfill that promise during the December Fire Meeting).  However these pale in comparison to what would be the precursor to this tragedy on Sunday afternoon, January 30th, 2011 when Sondra Thompson lost her life bicycling near her home because Mark Ruben was on the same road as her. 

It was so noted in that same blog on OCTOBER 27th that Commissioner Ruben had totally wrecked his truck in a one man accident (with a fire hydrant no less), and instead of waiting on the proper authorities, he called a friend in the fire department. Guess who? Deputy Chief Tim Berry, yes, the same aforementioned Deputy Chief involved with the credit card & birthday cake that he'd promised to make chief and whom he fought openly to make the chief immediately upon Chief Gover's resignation, and who did come pick him up, leaving his totaled truck at the scene where he later called the accident in. All this occurred several hours later - just how convenient is that if alcohol might be involved?

And now a 66 year old woman is dead from riding her bike in the vicinity of Commissioner Ruben who hit her hard enough from behind to kill her even whilst she was wearing a helmet. The Sarasota Herald Tribune reported it more clearly explaining how Ms. Thompson was struck: MANATEE COUNTY - A 66-year-old woman was killed Sunday afternoon after she was reportedly hit while riding her bicycle. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Mark D. Ruben, 44, of Sarasota was driving west on Whitfield Avenue, near Treymore Court at about 1:45 p.m. Sondra L. Thompson, of University Park, was in the bicycle lane, when the right front of Ruben's 2009 Chevy pickup struck her from behind, the FHP reported. Thompson was pronounced dead at the scene. Ruben was uninjured. Charges are pending as the case is still being investigated.... Sondra Thompson died instantly. Even with a helmet on to protect her head, on a road where the speed limit is 30mph and while she is riding in a bike lane. Did Mark Ruben take a breathalyzer test at the scene? Or did the officer assume due to the midday hour, and the fact that he didn't appear under the influence of anything, that he couldn't have been?  Is it because Mark Ruben is a political official that he can insinuate that an experienced biker with an expensive bike wearing safety gear including her helmet managed to leave her bike lane and swerve into his path that he created the reasonable doubt necessary to once again escape the justice he fully deserves? Dead men tell no tales... do they? Who's his witness? She's gone.

Commissioner Mark Ruben

People die in accidents and accidents happen all the time. But when someone repetitively has accidents, repetitively causes major damages and harm (multiple vehicles and now, multiple people), it seems to me there ought to be a huge red light going off somewhere to check this person out and get him off the road! Were he the average Joe citizen would he be getting the breaks, benefits and chances over and over again? Mark Ruben is a danger to others and himself on the road. His record speaks for itself.

This week a funeral is being planned for a woman who by all accounts from today's article in the Bradenton Herald (see my post showing it) was a  "wonderful" person as an avid, SAFE biker, a former teacher, a gifted musician and a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, sister-in-law. This lady will truly be missed as it's apparent she was a blessing to her familyand her community.  My deepest sympathies go out to her family, friends and community.

ADDENDUM to this blog:


Map showing location of Ruben and Thompson's homes and site of crash (X).

 Here's a sobering picture reinforcing the statistic of how accidents happen so close to home. Ruben and Thompson only lived 1.6 miles from each other and Ruben was less than a mile from his home (which he was apparently headed away from) when the accident occurred.  Instead of being endorsed for Public Safety, he's a poster child for cracking down on careless driving and endangerment to others.