A spurned Facebook friend request became the center of a family feud that led a Long Island woman to literally drive over her cousin with a minivan.
The driver, Melanie Spanopoulos, actually hit her cousin twice with the vehicle after learning that her relative, Giselle Penagos, had gotten in contact with a man on Facebook who’d denied Melanie’s friend request, according to the New York Post.
Spanopoulos was charged with assault yesterday and released on a $20,000 bail. Penagos had to undergo emergency surgery for a shattered pelvis and broken leg on Monday. An unidentified man rescued her that morning and rushed her to her father’s house in Queens. A local policeman told the Post that if the unnamed good Samaritan hadn’t picked her up she could have gotten hit by another driver. Or she could have died of exposure because the temperature was close to zero.
Spanopoulos learned that Penagos gotten in touch with the guy on Facebook while the two women were driving home from a bar; he’d accepted Penagos’ friend request after denying one from Spanopoulous. She pulled over the van to focus on arguing, and Penagos got out. Peagos refused to get back into the vehicle, and Spanopoulos leapt out of the car and started wrestling with her cousin. Then Spanopoulosgot back into the minivan and ran over her cousin once, put the vehicle in reverse and hit Penagos a second time.
Now Facebook itself didn’t cause this conflict, but rather allowed these two girls to attempt to contact the gentleman when they might not have otherwise. Jealousy really started this family feud, and it’s very likely the girls may have had spats in the past that would have increased tensions between them. It’s tragic how frequently people overreact to things involving the social network and get violent.
Unfortunately, the more entrenched the social network gets in people’s daily routines, the more emotional people seem to get about the site, and they’re not always expressing happy feelings. Other than continuing to release statements expressing regrets and cautions on how to use Facebook, I can’t think of anything the company could do to prevent these violent incidents from happening and risking unwanted negative publicity. Do you have any ideas on how to address this problem?
While the story is definitely a bizarre one, I'm a little perplexed about the "writing" of it. Is this an article or a blog? Is the writer a reporter or journalist or simply someone ranting about the negative effects of Facebook?
It seems as if it's two stories in one: The first (obviously) regarding the emotionally-charged driver and her cousin, the victim in this case; the second regarding the author's personal feelings toward Facebook. As a writer, I'm appalled that the author could not separate her personal feelings from her professional ones, which detracted from the main storyline. Maybe then the author would have been able to catch the typos throughout the article.
Comment by jbfreelancewriter — January 26, 2011 @ 12:11 pm
It's a blog, I presume; focused on all things Facebook. But Googling will net you the story in the mainstream media, without the editorialization..
Comment by BurekBeba — January 26, 2011 @ 12:17 pm
This isn't Facebook. This is life. Things like this happen all the time with or without online social networks. It's over-reacting with or without Facebook. People, whether you want to face it or not, Facebook/online IS the real world. There are humans behind these monitors, and since the beginning of time even before the internet, jealousy related violence has been happening. I don't get why people are surprised just because it's Facebook. It has nothing to do with "online addictions". It's just interacting with others using a different platform. Interacting face to face, by telephone, or FB – it's all interaction and people will always be people.
Comment by @unapologeticall — January 26, 2011 @ 1:21 pm
"Do you have any ideas on how to address this problem?"
What problem? The problem of human jealousy? This sort of thing has happened many times before the advent of social networking and it will continue to happen as long as humans are humans.
Comment by Oblivion — January 26, 2011 @ 2:56 pm
How ridiculous. These two chicks are just plain nuts and certainly don't need Facebook to display their insanity.
Comment by Carollyn — January 26, 2011 @ 3:26 pm
It's like blaming a cell phone service because it allowed dangerous phone calls to go through. What the heck can the cell phone company do?! It's really the responsibility of people actually using the service to keep things mature. Facebook is a forum to express thoughts, views, opinions, and stay connected. I can't see how we can even possibly involve Facebook in this whole drama. Stupid.
Comment by Macarena — January 26, 2011 @ 4:49 pm
He should've accepted a friend request from either both,or from none. Anyway, a guy isn't worth it. Just move on, there are always people that care for you, no need to run into your cousin.
Comment by Mohammed Ali — January 26, 2011 @ 4:57 pm
I will say that you have to limit your time on facebook or any other social media online because to much interaction online and not enough real life experiences causes depression among other social disorders. I know first hand because I used to spend to much time on the internet. I deacitivated all my accounts facebook, myspace etcc…. for a couple months I completely got away from the online social media and I was surprised at how much better I felt all the way around.I only reactivated my facebook a week ago and have only spent 2 hours online since. Life is so much better if you will turn off the computer turn off the cell phone and get out and enjoy Life. Its amazing how much better you will feel to just get out and walk and get some excercise.
Comment by Jim — January 27, 2011 @ 12:43 am
Facebook has only an indirect link to this situation. The problem could have been caused by anything – the situation here is really the problem between the driver of the mininvan and her cousin. Before Facebook this kind of incident could have still happened only now it is because of something online.
Comment by Onlinehandyman — January 27, 2011 @ 11:04 pm
I agree. Facebook doesn't cause behavior like this — people do (same premise behind guns…guns don't shoot people, people do).
Comment by edickins2 — February 10, 2011 @ 2:02 pm
Obviously he didn't care for this woman. Fighting over a man won't make him like a person. It's just as in dating, you either accept an invitation for a date or you don't.
Comment by edickins2 — February 10, 2011 @ 2:05 pm
RAISE YOUR STANDARDS!!! EVERYTHING IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND OKAY!!!
Comment by Roel — February 10, 2011 @ 4:44 pm
Sometime many can happening, this girl it;s no good with her cousin without any doubt.
Comment by mrbetances745 — February 21, 2011 @ 3:46 pm
i want you job
Comment by Ali Naqvi — October 29, 2011 @ 11:29 pm
request sand me a sanser girl
Comment by Ali Naqvi — October 29, 2011 @ 11:31 pm