Lacey was apparently the victim of road rage, and not the
intended victim, either. An imbecile (that authorities
believe had been drinking) smashed into him in pursuit of
another car.
If I were a journalist, I would not be employing terms like "imbecile"--especially not to refer to someone capable of road rage.
It's poor professionalism and poor writing, not poor self-preservation. I doubt that the writer is putting himself in danger by calling someone an imbecile.
