I believe in the saying that those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.  Along this vein, please take a look at our picture memorial to remember some of those whose lives were lost or severely changed due to their involvement in a DWI/DUI accident.  Unfortunately, this is only a small sample of the victims out there. Please let us know if you have someone you would like us to add and send along a picture with their name and information.  Bless those who were injured or lost, and let us never forget.

Princess Diana

Jacqueline Saburido

Fredia Ann Veitch

Katie Flynn

Jacob Laliberte

Rianna Zamarripa

Bill Stracener

Samantha Reynolds

The following batch was borrowed from the DUI Victim Center of Kansas:

The following is a sampling to whet your appetite:

News Stories

What happened to our sense of fairness?  What about our sense of humor?  NY County has had to alter its online DWI Hall of Shame!  Come on, folks.  Shouldn’t we be able to spot those people from a distance?

You just have to love the Midwestern United States.  Here’s a guy that got busted driving drunk on his mower!  I don’t think this is the kind of publicity Missouri is looking for, sir.

What really irks me is when a member of law enforcement gets into legal trouble.  I know they are human just like the rest of us, but I feel they should hold themselves to a higher standard – don’t you?  That said, here is a Chicago cop arrested for a fatal DUI crash.

You know a cop has had a good night when they are able to catch two drunk drivers using the same vehicle!  Here’s a tip to any drunk passengers that think they are clever:  If you’re buddy gets stopped for dui, just keep your rear planted in the passenger seat.  The officer is not so distracted that they won’t notice the vehicle leaving.

If this isn’t enough for you, simply do an online search for “dwi news in <your state here>” and I am sure you’ll find plenty of good stories!

DWI/DUI Blogs

This first one I found pretty interesting.  They seem to indicate that our courts need some improvement in handling DWI/DUI cases.

This is a great blog about DWI across the USA.  I really like the picture of the officer on the top.  “Excuse me sir, how much have you had to drink tonight?”

Check out the DUI blog from the state of Georgia.  They have a lot of good stuff in there – like the article about Heather Locklear getting pulled over for drunk driving.  Bad girl, Heather!

A little closer to my home, the good people in Washington State are blogging about DUI issues in their state and across the country.  They have some great international stories in there, as well.

This last one is all about the state of Arizona.  Actually, it is maintained by a law firm there.  It’s interesting to see how a lawyer blogs about DUI.

Webcasts

Here’s the recent story about Yankee’s pitcher Joba Chamberlain charged with DWI.  Hmmm. . .will they be renegotiating that contract?

I just had to include this site since it does have webcasts, along with a bunch of other information.  This is for a DUI lawyer in California and I just love the site name:  topgundui.com.  Maverick?  This is Goose.  Are those flashing lights behind me?

I wanted to include this PDF calendar from the North Carolina Advocates for Justice.  Not a webcast in itself, but it has links to many related webcasts and other articles.

Since this is a fairly new medium for some, there aren’t a lot of webcasts or podcasts out there related to DWI/DUI.  However, new ones will be added as they show up.  In the meantime, you can always entertain yourself with a bunch of videos of drunk drivers and see what happened to them!

Some people may feel that they don’t want to be involved in the legal process of a DWI conviction.  Unfortunately for those people, a court subpoena will compel you to testify in these cases.  You do have the right to refuse answering any incriminating questions – unless the district attorney has granted you immunity and then you must answer.  There are occasions where the victim may have “cold feet” and reconsider pressing charges against the offender.  The problem with this is the victims are actually considered “witnesses” in the case and the real victims are “the people” of the state where the offense occurred.  As such, even if the victim decides to not proceed further, the district or prosecuting attorney may decide to continue the trial.

Testifying as the Offender

The Fifth Amendment does protect the offender in a DWI case from incriminating him or herself any further than the existing evidence may.  This means that the offender, if they choose, may not have to take the stand and speak regarding the trial.  Be prepared that there are many stages of a DWI case.  Being a criminal charge, it is not a simple “conviction and sentencing” situation.  There’s arraignment, preliminary hearings, pre-trial activity, the trial itself, sentencing, etc.  It is a long process, so keep patient and put faith and full-disclosure in your attorney’s corner and they will be able to do the best job possible.

Law Enforcement’s Role in Court

Depending on the severity of the case, the arresting officer and/or other involved law enforcement personnel may be requested to appear during a trial.  Usually their role consists of explaining to the court what they visually observed at the time of the arrest, during the booking procedures, or at any point while the offender was in custody.  The officer may reiterate what was stated in a given citation or what charges were given at the time of arrest.  Law enforcement personnel are the eyes and ears of the court, so to speak.  They let the judge and other members of the court understand what led the offender to be arrested.  There are claims that officers have falsified information during DWI/DUI arrests or that information may be inaccurate or omitted from the statements of arrest.  For more information on this, see our Convicted of DWI page.

Judge’s Role in Court

A judge’s role during any trial should be that of impartial mediator.  It falls on the shoulders of the judge to hear all the facts from both sides of a case and make the decision whether the offending party is truly guilty, to what degree, and what the ultimate punishment (if any) should be.  Possibly the most important attribute a judge can possess is that of setting their personal feelings or prejudices aside before heading into the court room.  We can all understand the hard emotions felt against a person that has injured or killed someone while driving drunk.  A judge is human and has those same emotions, but must focus on the facts of the case and make their decisions based solely on the facts.

Family and Friends of the Victim

It is usually acceptable for family and friends of the victim to be in the courtroom during the trial.  However, no matter how sad or angry they may be, only those people that were actual witnesses to the accident can testify against the offender.  It is best to keep emotions in check when in the court room, because the judge most likely will not tolerate a disruptive outburst.  Requests can be made to enter a statement on the character of the offender if that is known by someone not directly involved in the accident.  These statements may or may not be accepted into the trial proceedings.  If you do get something admitted, be sure it is factual and well-written.  A judge will also be annoyed if you take the time to submit something for consideration and it is either illegible or just an emotional rant.  That could actually hurt the victim’s case more than anything.

As the victim, you want to make sure you have evidence or proof of every expense related to the accident and any injuries you sustained.  Take pictures of everything.  Pictures truly are worth 1000 words, so take pictures of your damaged vehicle (or whatever mode of transport you were using) and find “before” pictures for the court to compare.  Have copies of all medical treatment or referrals from medical professionals.  Even notes given to you by a doctor should be kept as that may assist your legal counsel in determining the extent of your injuries.  Be careful who you talk to!  Don’t talk too much about the case outside the circle of your legal counsel, medical professionals, and insurance representatives.  Keep in mind – your attorney is working hard for you, and the defendant’s attorney is doing the same for their client. Be wary of any settlement offers.  The defendant will try to get off as easy as possible.  Make sure that all your medical and personal needs (anything resulting from the accident) are taken care of.

As the offender, remember the seriousness of your situation.  DWI is a criminal offense and can result in heavy fines and jail time.  This is not merely a speeding ticket.  Don’t forget that you do have constitutional rights.  Even when an offense is on a criminal level, you must be treated fairly.  Your right to remain silent or to request an attorney if being detained – remember your rights and act upon them as necessary.  You may face separate administrative penalties with your license and ability to drive.  These may stand regardless if you are ultimately acquitted of your charges or not.  Finally, and probably most important, you have the right to consult an attorney.  Find one quickly and give them a full disclosure of your situation.  Only with honesty on your part will they be able to successfully defend you.

Immediately After the Accident (for Family of the Victim)

If you’ve lost someone as a result of a DWI accident, it may be hard to focus on anything but the sorrow that loss brings and the anger at the offender for taking your loved one away.  While a time to grieve is necessary, time is sensitive right after such an accident and there is need to acquire an attorney and give them all the known facts of the case so that proper punishment can be brought to the offender.  Your attorney can also assist you in determining the proper “next step” to assist in resolution of the case.  Perhaps joining a Victim Impact Panel will allow you to work through the pain.  If your family member was fortunate enough to survive, be sure to assist them however possible – but remember that this is their case and needs to be handled in whatever manner they see fit.  It is not necessary, and may be problematic, for you to involve yourself beyond the scope that you are requested to assist.

Can I Get Involved if My Family and I are Not The Victims?

Well, of course!  Contact your local Victim Impact Panel like referenced above.  They provide an excellent platform to let yourself be heard as a concerned citizen.  Odds are good there will be other local and state-run organizations that you may avail yourself of to help raise awareness of this issue.  Assist in raising funds for medical expenses or other needs to victims in your town.  If you see there is no immediate need, and no local organization to join – start one!  You can contact state or national organizations that deal with DWI / DUI and creating Victim Impact Panels and you can spearhead something new in your own neighborhood.

Involving the DWI Offender

Victim Impact Panels and other awareness raising organizations are often seen as the domain for the victim.  Offenders are treated (or at least thought of) as horrible people that are just hunting for the next victim.  As results from various Panels show, many DWI offenders are unaware of the seriousness of what they are doing.  They have usually convinced themselves that they drive just fine after drinking.  By the time they actually cause an accident, they have typically been driving drunk often and that allows them to convince themselves of their ability to drive drunk.  Getting them involved in panels, or other awareness raising events, helps the offender come face-to-face with the effects of their actions.  Education is often the key to help people avoid doing wrong, and such is the case here.

Links to DWI Victim Impact Panels

The following are a few links to give you further information on what DWI Victim Impact Panels do and how you can get involved:

http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/drivingissues/1070653181.html – details along with information on other alcohol related problems

http://www.dwipanel.org/ – The “Original” DWI Victim Impact Panel

http://www.impactdwi.org/victimimpactpanel.htm – insight as to how the panels could change the attitudes and habits of those that drove drunk in the past

“Early on Sunday morning September 19, 1999, Jacqui – then 20 years old – and four friends were on their way home from a birthday party.  Reggie Stephey, an 18-year-old high school student, was on his way home from drinking beer with some buddies.  On a dark road on the outskirts of Austin, Texas, Reggie’s SUV veered into the Oldsmobile carrying Jacqui and the others.  Two passengers in the car were killed at the scene and two were rescued.”  This is exactly how easy it can be to have your life completely altered by someone else’s carelessness. Jacqueline Saburido could have easily hid herself away from the world after this tragic accident which left her horribly disfigured.  She did not.  She decided to use what happened to her as fuel to drive the machine that is attempting to put a stop to DWI and DUI accidents.  She has become a national hero for her fight against DWI tragedies.  She is living proof that everyone has not only the ability, but the responsibility to take action and finally put a stop to DWI and DUI accidents for good.

Fredia Ann Veitch’s Story

As with anything in life, not all DWI accidents are a typical scenario.  Fredia’s story happens to have involved a known name in the sporting world.  Ex-Yankee Jim Leyritzwas out partying with friends in Broward Co., Florida December of 2007 and made the poor choice to drive drunk.  On his way home, he drove his SUV into Fredia’s car and killed her.  So far, this story could be filed with many of a similar form.  However, this 30 year-old mother of two was, herself, also driving drunk.  She had just left work as a bartender, and had a blood alcohol level of 0.08 – the state’s legal limit.  The NY Post articleabout the accident stated that toxicology reports were still being waited on, and they were not sure how the findings would effect Leyritz’s trial for drunk driving and vehicular homicide.

The Ransdell Family

Odds are that most people could come up with more than one name of someone they know that was involved in a DWI or DUI accident.  Imagine if the first two people you think of are in your own family – in this case, your own children.  That is the case for Dale and Carol Ransdell of Myrtle Creek, Oregon.  The Ransdell’s are a well-respected family in Myrtle Creek.  Dale, now retired, was a sheriff’s deputy in Myrtle Creek at the time they lost their older son, Michael.  Michael was a senior at South Umpqua High School in Myrtle Creek and quite popular.  He was involved in many extracurricular activities and maintained high grades.  Unfortunately, one night he and some friends were out partying.  All of them were underage, and all of them had been drinking.  On the way home, the driver lost control of the vehicle, headed across the opposing lane, and over an embankment.  The car flipped during its descent and trapped Michael within.  He didn’t make it out alive.

Fast forward nine years and, though the memories never fade, the family was dealing with the pain of their loss.  Their younger son, Mark, had grown up well and joined a Roseburg-based team of firefighters from First Strike Environmental.  Mark, now 23, was driving a group of eight young men back from an almost two-week stint fighting fire in Idaho.  According to the news reports, the van they were in “crossed a double-yellow line and crashed into a semi-truck west of Vale (OR)”.  Though claims were made that Mark was intoxicated at the time of the accident, video evidence and witness testimony were able to disprove that possibility and the case against First Strike was dropped.  As Mark’s father, Dale, was quoted after the tragedy, “There are no words, no words to describe it.  It’s so unfair.  We were starting to get over the other one, and now this.”  Mark joined the ranks of many fallen firefighters who gave their lives on the job.  The boys’ mother summed up best the feelings of their family, and the entire town, “The only thing you can think is, they’re together now.”