F Drunk Drivers - HARD

[Moderator1]

I know we've done this before. Sorry. I just need to vent

http://www.arlnow.com/2012/09/29/breaking-news-police-investigate-critical-accident-in-clarendon/#comments


The victim is one of my son's best friends. The friend with him who notified the family? My son. A bunch of their buds are in town because Virginia Tech plays here this weekend. They won't be going to the game. Instead, they are at a hospital with the family of one of their dear friends - hoping he pulls through.

The comments, as always, are interesting. My son assures me Mike was in the crosswalk "because I was, too, right in front of him." This guy came very close to hitting a group of eight young adults.

I'm just sick about this.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

Moddy,

Our best to your son, his friend's family and everyone else involved.

It cannot be emphasized enough. If you're going to drink, hand over the keys. No exceptions. No questions. No BS.

 

[Meatie Pie]

Hope the best for this young man.

 

[LongTimeListener]

First offense DUI, high-level misdemeanor with a month of jail time. Second offense, felony. That's what it needs to be even in the absence of injury.

Thoughts and best wishes to your friend.

 

[Moderator1]

First offense DUI, high-level misdemeanor with a month of jail time. Second offense, felony. That's what it needs to be even in the absence of injury.

Thoughts and best wishes to your friend.

This is not a rant at you, at all, which I'm sure you understand. But how about you ****ing maim someone? Even if he does live, he has more broken bones than they can count at this point and there's no telling what the severe head trauma will do to him. You don't drink and drive. That's hammered into you from the moment you start thinking about a learner's permit.

You do? You go to jail. You injure someone to this level? You go to jail for a very very very very long time.

This is bad enough. He was whiskers from hitting a very large group.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

Once is once too many. An overused line sometimes, but applicable here. Takes only once to get behind the wheel inebriated and kill and injure numerous people.

A friend and colleague did it once at a previous stop. Not sure I've ever chewed him out worse than when we got back to the apartments (we had places in the same complex). Did it not only because he's a friend and I care, but also because it takes only once to kill and/or seriously hurt numerous people. Once.

No leniency with this one. None.

 

[LongTimeListener]

Oh I agree with you. The injury/death penalties are absurdly low too.

Sadly, I don't think it is drummed into everybody. In words, yes. But not in the actions of parents and other adults. We were talking about this on another thread and I was talking about how many times I had heard people say they drive better after a few because they're more relaxed.

 

[forever_town]

There are many reasons to not drink and drive. One of mine is the street I live on. It's so narrow that I feel like I could hit something or someone if I'm not careful, even when sober.

You take your life and the lives of too many others simply by getting behind the wheel of a car. It multiplies many times if you are drunk.

If you kill or hurt someone because you've driven drunk, you should be punished severely for it. And not just by your own conscience.

 

[Dyno]

So sorry to hear about this, Moddy. I hope your friend's son pulls through OK and that your son is dealing as best he can. I heard about this on the radio (WTOP) and they, too, said he wasn't in the crosswalk. I drive through Clarendon almost every day and the number of stupid drivers is insanely high, even during the day, when presumably, they aren't drunk.

EDIT: WTOP also didn't mention the driver was drunk. Just said the driver stayed at the scene.

 

[Beef03]

Jail time, no jail time, extended jail time, either way these ****heads should have their licenses revoked, permanently. You drove drunk? Here's a bus schedule - have fun, for the rest of your life.

Revoking a licence doesn't do ****. We print a court round up in our paper a few times a week, three-quarters of it is people having their licence suspended further for driving with a suspended licence. How bout they lose the vehicle on top of it. Like Johns with prostitutes. And yes jail time. plus community service, preferably changing bedpans and colostomy bags on those maimed by drunk drivers for the forseeable future.

Moddy, I hope your sons friend pulls through.

 

[MileHigh]

Sending good thoughts on your son's friend. Unreal.

 

[Moderator1]

My son's girlfriend went online and looked up this scuzball's driving record. Ridiculous. No clue how he even had a license at this point.

 

[turski7]

Hope your son's friend pulls through and good the hear that your son is physically OK.
Hopefully the judge throws the book at this guy.

 

[Moderator1]

http://casesearch.courts.state.md.us/inquiry/inquirySearch.jis

Just unreal.

 

[buckweaver]

Sending good vibes to your son and his friend's family right now. Awful news.

 

[turski7]

Six violations on one day and 13 overall. Wow. Just wow. How does this clown still have a license?

 

[93Devil]

No idea what to say, but I'm sure your son's friend and family will appreciate all the help I know you will give them.

Trying to figure out why things happen a certain way will make you crazy. There never seems to be a rhyme or reason.

 

[KYSportsWriter]

Six violations on one day and 13 overall. Wow. Just wow. How does this clown still have a license?

How does anyone get six violations in 24 hours? Holy ****.

 

[WolvEagle]

Man, I hope the judge throws the book at that SOB. Mods - We're all rooting for your son's friend. Please keep us updated on his condition and what happens with that drunken driver.

 

[Moderator1]

Funny you should mention that Devil. My son and I were just talking about that. They left one bar. Were walking to another. Made a quick stop at a 7-11. Suppose they didn't? A few of them fell a few yards behind. Suppose they hadn't? I told him he'd make himself nuts thinking like that.

Mike is hanging tough. Still touch and go.

My son said they were gathered together a few yards away while the paramedics worked on Mike. They let one ride in the ambulance. The rest called another friend and got a ride to the hospital. They weren't drunk but they'd had a couple and didn't want to take a chance. My son won't drive if he's had one drop.

He said the hardest part is that while they were working on Mike the driver was handcuffed and lying on the street just a couple steps away from them. "It took all my strength," my son said, "to resist going over and kicking the **** out of him." I told him I understood and I'm glad he resisted.

Guy was doing "a minimum of 60," the police told my son, and never slowed down. I sure as hell hope he's driven for the last time and I hope he's in jail for a very long time.