Things that make you go hmmmm

[SpacemanSpiff]

Energy CEO McClendon dies in Oklahoma car crash, a day after indictment

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-chesa ... SKCN0W42ME

I noticed the headline doesn't call it an "accident." Most likely suicide-by-motor-vehicle. Or cue the conspiracy theorists.

Aubrey McClendon, the co-founder of Chesapeake Energy Corp who led it to become one of the world's biggest natural gas producers before he was tarred by federal anti-trust charges, died on Wednesday in a car accident in Oklahoma City, police said. He was 56.

McClendon died one day after the U.S. Department of Justice indicted him for allegedly violating antitrust laws by colluding to rig bids for oil and gas acreage while he was at Chesapeake, which has been a central player in the U.S. fracking revolution of the past decade. He denied the charges.

EDIT: He also is a 20% owner of the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA (and was part of the group that lured them from Seattle); the arena they play in is named for Chesapeake Energy.

[BackInTex]

He pretty much drove straight into the wall," Balderrama said, according to KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City. "The information out there at the scene is that he went left of center, went through a grassy area right before colliding into the embankment. There was plenty of opportunity for him to correct and get back on the roadway and that didn't occur.

'nuff said.

[Oliver Stoned]

He pretty much drove straight into the wall," Balderrama said, according to KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City. "The information out there at the scene is that he went left of center, went through a grassy area right before colliding into the embankment. There was plenty of opportunity for him to correct and get back on the roadway and that didn't occur.

'nuff said.

That qualifies as a grassy knoll in my book.

Back and to the left. Back and to the left...

[Spock]

I mentioned this book earlier in a "What Are You Reading?" thread. I have read a fair number of books on fracking revolution and the best book that I have found was "The Boom" by Russell Gold. This was certainly the most balanced with, maybe, even a slightly negative take. It had a lengthy discussion of Aubrey McClendon and Chesapeake.

[SpacemanSpiff]

As seen by the overhead pix, this'll make a mess of things:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/oklahoma- ... 30620.html

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Chesapeake Energy founder Aubrey McClendon had the gas pedal floored in his SUV until just before it slammed into a bridge support at 78 mph, and it doesn't seem he tried to avoid the deadly crash, authorities said Monday.

McClendon tapped his brakes before impact, but not enough to slow his vehicle significantly, police Chief Bill Citty said at a news conference. There was no evidence that McClendon tried to veer away before impact.
....
The vehicle's data recorder showed that McClendon was driving 88 mph and then tapped his brakes, but not enough to significantly reduce speed. The brakes were fully operative, Citty said.

McClendon had his gas pedal floored until 1½ seconds before impact, when he reduced it from 99 to 25 percent depressed, the police chief said.

Investigators found tire tracks but no skid marks. Police are checking McClendon's cellphone records to determine if he was on the phone.

BTW -- remember, this was a 40 MPH speed limit zone, not a limited access highway. Distracted by cellphone or not, I don't think most folks would go that fast on that kind of road without meaning to -- or, if it was mechanical failure, without standing on the brake pedal.

[BackInTex]

and the official cause of death........

accidental

Police Probe Finds Nothing to Suggest Aubrey McClendon Committed Suicide

a two-month investigation by the Oklahoma City Police Department has found nothing to suggest Mr. McClendon committed suicide.

“We were unable to find any evidence or information that would lead us to believe it was anything other than a vehicular accident,” said Oklahoma City Police spokesman Capt. Paco Balderrama.

Here is a picture of the investigating team prior to the press conference.