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Crash scene photographs shown today during the trial of a Morris woman who allegedly was painting her nails before her car slammed into a motorcyclist showed streaks of dark red polish splattered over the interior of the vehicle.

Lora Hunt is on trial for reckless homicide in the death of Anita Zaffke of Lake Zurich, who was struck from behind as she sat on her motorcycle at a red light at the intersection of U.S. Highway 12 and Old McHenry Road near Lake Zurich last May 2.

\"She did something that in her words she admitted was a very, very stupid thing,\" said Hunt's lawyer, Jeff Tomczak, during his opening statements today. \"She touched up her nails.\"

Hunt, 48, of Morris was involved in a terrible accident but was not a criminal, he said.

Hunt originally was ticketed for failing to reduce speed in the crash. She was later indicted on six reckless homicide counts.

In his opening statement, Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Mike Mermel argued that the evidence will show that the victim was wearing a bright green fluorescent safety jacket and that Hunt was polishing her nails even after she saw that the light turn yellow.

\"The black box (from the car) will show that she was going 50 miles per hour,\" Mermel said. \"In her own statement Hunt said that she kept pressing the pedal and she wondered why her car wasn't slowing down. She later realized that she had her foot on the wrong pedal and had to move her foot to the left pedal.

\"So not only did she miss a person in a bright green jacket, but she missed the brake pedal.\"

A Lake County sheriff's report said Hunt told investigators she didn't see Zaffke's motorcycle and was applying polish to her fingernails.

Zaffke, 56, had stopped at the intersection as the light turned from green to yellow, authorities said.

Hunt, who was driving a Chevrolet Impala, has pleaded not guilty.

The photographs shown to the jury in Lake County Circuit Court in Waukegan showed nail polish on the passenger door, window and air bag. It also streaked the dashboard.

-- Ruth Fuller

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\"...has pleaded not guilty\" by reason of incompetence. Surprised she wasn't on the phone and drinking a slurpee, too. Hope they nail her.

_________________
\"Those who hammer their guns into plows
will plow for those who do not.\"
- Thomas Jefferson

I hope they throw the book and the book case at her. You know, they find people all the time to be \"Criminally Insane\" not to mention \"Criminally Neglegent,\" (a nice way of saying criminally STUPID). This b!tch doesn't stand a Snowball's Chance in Hell. God I'd love to be on that jury.

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Slow is Fast, Fast is Slow
Violence may not be the best option, but it IS an option

This stuff makes me sick, people are so dumb. Is it that hard to concentrate on 1 thing at a time.

The other day i saw a guy leaning over his wheel reading a book while on the interstate. People are stupid, and i can't take it.

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\"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives\"

And they wonder why we have Road Rage.

_________________
Slow is Fast, Fast is Slow
Violence may not be the best option, but it IS an option