A Long Time AA Member Killed By Drunk Driver Leaving An AA Meeting

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WhatInThe

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An AA member was killed by a drunk driver leaving an AA meeting. He was a member for 15 years. Considered a good guy. Unlike the pos that killed him who is now charged with his second dui, manslaughter and driving on a suspended license. Apparently the suspect's first dui and penalty didn't scare or phase him one bit.

https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2021/05/03/dui-crash-cool-prison/

And to think many who get a dui frequently consider themselves a victim or a member of 'the club'.

RIP the man who changed his life for 15 years
 

A sad story and one that seems to play-out, over, and over, and over again, time and time again.

Hubby and I were driving home from visiting family one early evening, the roads were quiet, hardly any traffic, we turned off the main artery to get on another thoroughfare and had just rounded the corner and were coming onto the straight when here comes another vehicle straight at us, in our lane.

There was no time for hubby to think, he swerved quickly, and the oncoming car sped by us, slamming into a concrete barrier that made up the corner of the thoroughfare.

We pulled over and just sat for a moment, and the first thing we said to one another was... "the driver is looped". Then two young girls in their late teens, possibly early twenties emerged and ran from the scene.

Another time we witnessed a lady in a car blow through a 4-way stop, slamming into another car and damaging both vehicles considerably. She wasted not a second in quickly backing her car up, and sped off. We followed her, taking down the license plate number, but she was driving so erratically and dangerously, hubby backed off and ended the chase.

We reported the incident formally, but never heard anything back.

I've always wondered what sort of fallout results when drivers flee the scene of an accident. A, their accident coverage should be deemed null and void immediately, and B, a driving suspension issued for a period of 6 months minimum.

As for those drivers found guilty of being under the influence, they should be hit with a stiff fine, a driving suspension of a year, and a mandatory install of one of those Breathalyzer testers in their vehicle.

Once again, the legal system is failing good folks.
 
That's a shame,of course, but I have a completely different concept of death. Death is not a bad thing.
and, We can't judge the worth of one life over another. Look at this from a higher view.

As for drinking, Why is it completely legal and accepted to buy liquor, consume liquor, sell liquor; the Government makes it's millions off of liquor sales, everybody's happy! Yet we expect , after one has consumed much liquor, he has the self disipline to know when he's had enough to drink? It seems convoluted to me!
I'm not standing up for drunk drivers but there must be a better way of monitering this.
 

Gaer said:
That's a shame,of course, but I have a completely different concept of death. Death is not a bad thing.
and, We can't judge the worth of one life over another. Look at this from a higher view.

As for drinking, Why is it completely legal and accepted to buy liquor, consume liquor, sell liquor; the Government makes it's millions off of liquor sales, everybody's happy! Yet we expect , after one has consumed much liquor, he has the self disipline to know when he's had enough to drink? It seems convoluted to me!
I'm not standing up for drunk drivers but there must be a better way of monitering this.
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The problem is with drunks just like a drug addict until they actually want to change their ways they won't. The victim is a perfect example of someone who wanted to change, stayed in AA for 15 years. And yet the killer drunk was still paying the penalty(supposedly) for a recent dui. He's someone who did not want to change his ways which is selfish pos.

In many states if one gets a dui they must go through a program but unless one is professionally diagnosed as an addict or drunk it's only "education". Many states don't even allow for the perp to be evaluated. I know a pos who bragged about fooling the counselors at a program they were forced to attend. He took steroids, worked out, got a tan and after the program counselors wanted to recommend him for substance abuse treatment he forced a meeting with supervisors and according to him he told them "look at me, do I look like I'm hooked on drugs or a drunk"(and drinking a few beers at the sametime he's telling me the story). He was coached by someone he's not that smart my guess a fellow drunk driver who went through that program.

Alcohol is legal and pot along with other intoxicating substances now. Still need tough laws on driving intoxicated. One has to decide do they want to get intoxicated and not pay for a ride home or accept the fact they should only go to bars with a pre arranged ride home. The decision to drive drunk is on the perp/offender. Can't protect people from stupid, criminal decisions-that's on them.
 
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IMO, anyone who causes an accident while drunk, or high on drugs, should be charged with assault. If the accident results in a death, the charge should be manslaughter...at a minimum. A car is a deadly weapon when being driven by a drunk or drug user. I also feel the same about those who are using their cell phones while driving.
 
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I understand your thoughtful post. I'm of the same opinion though.
let's say there is no time. It doesn't exist.

One fella is drunk, unshaven, cusses a lot.
The other fella is cleanshaven, USED TO BE A DRUNK but is now sober and trying to better himself.
Which life is more important? How can we know the worth of a man or the qualities of his soul?
How can we judge the importance of one man's life over another?

I agree though that you can't ask an intoxicated person does he think he's all right to drive home, anymore than you can ask him if he would like anotherr drink!
I don't know what to do about it.
 
Gaer said:
................

I agree though that you can't ask an intoxicated person does he think he's all right to drive home, anymore than you can ask him if he would like anotherr drink!
I don't know what to do about it.
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You can though. Just the decision to drink or ingest what ever should trigger a response that they can't drive. It's as much about getting intoxicated as anything. Intoxication lowers impluse/urge control as much as it impairs physical ability. The perp in this case has no impulse control. The urge for gratification superceded all else. This is why drunks are selfish pos's along with being criminals in cases like this

The perp not only had a previous dui and experience with the system but a suspended license. He ignored the fact he shouldn't be driving period. Not sure about California but some states require a steering wheel lock/breathalyzer thing on personal vehicles. Which is stupid in that the perp can get another car by hook or crook-Drunks/junkies are excellent actors/manipulators and can convince other car owners to loan them their car like taking candy from a child.
 
Just when I thought a tragic and/or infuriating drunk driving incident was the worst I see this:

Women kills her cousin in her second DUI incident involving a fatality.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...olice-chase-history-alcohol-abuse-trauma.html

She was given a huge break and second chance after killing someone in her teens including being sentenced to 2 years rehab after she turned 18. She quit without completing the program. Some say have sympathy since she had an abusive childhood. On one hand I see why she got a break after her first killing/dui crash. But now after not only having a second fatal crash she deliberately blew off her chance to change and redeem herself so no mercy from me when it comes to sentencing her.

It's as infuriating as it may be tragic. But the driver had a huge second chance to change and she botched it. She screwed up. If she ever was sincere about changing.

RIP the victims at her hands
 
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Gaer said:
That's a shame,of course, but I have a completely different concept of death. Death is not a bad thing.
and, We can't judge the worth of one life over another. Look at this from a higher view.

As for drinking, Why is it completely legal and accepted to buy liquor, consume liquor, sell liquor; the Government makes it's millions off of liquor sales, everybody's happy! Yet we expect , after one has consumed much liquor, he has the self disipline to know when he's had enough to drink? It seems convoluted to me!
I'm not standing up for drunk drivers but there must be a better way of monitering this.
Click to expand...
Prohibition proved that if people want to do something, whether or not it's "illegal", they will do it. So people drink, and get drunk, which leads to the consequences Gaer wonders about. You have to accept reality. If you create a law nobody likes, people just ignore the law. Even the most oppressive regimes, which use the point of a gun to rule, don't last without popular support. I think this is a lesson lost in the present "war on drugs". People are going to do what they want to do. And when you have a "war on drugs", the enemy ( cartels) fight back. You can't cure the planet of every ill, and you may have to live the the effects of some, when eradication causes more pain than the ill.
 
Gaer said:
I agree though that you can't ask an intoxicated person does he think he's all right to drive home, anymore than you can ask him if he would like anotherr drink!
I don't know what to do about it.
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If they’re sitting in a bar, the bartender & also bar can be held responsible for over serving. They can physically take away your keys if you refuse to give them up. They have the power to do this, but IMO someone must be extreme before they do this. Unfortunately it doesn’t happen enough.

My SS had this happen to him. If he drinks, it’s always way too much. He couldn’t remember where his car was the next day. Serves him right. It was a close call if his marriage would last.

Going back 25 years ago, the norm was for the staff in a country office to meet at a shed for beer. Keys went on tray so others could ploice them. The boss who had a history of drinking (dui) and driving said he wasn’t driving and left the keys. Got in his car where he’d hidden his second set of keys. Fortunately when he went off the road, the only person who ended in the hospital was him. He was an horses’s a*^% as a boss too. The Friday night tradition was ended.
 
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Jules said:
If they’re sitting in a bar, the bartender & also bar can be held responsible for over serving. They can physically take away your keys if you refuse to give them up.
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I wonder if it's different in the USofA, where everyone sues everyone for everything.

Or, go ahead and try and take my keys away, I'll shoot you.
 
Don M. said:
IMO, anyone who causes an accident while drunk, or high on drugs, should be charged with assault. If the accident results in a death, the charge should be manslaughter...at a minimum. A car is a deadly weapon when being driven by a drunk or drug user. I also feel the same about those who are using their cell phones while driving.
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When I'm driving and I happen to notice someone behind me texting, I'll pull off to the side of the road so they can pass me, or change lanes. No way do I want to be rear ended while driving.

Yesterday, I was turning in to Walgreen's to pick up my meds, and there was this girl walking from the parking lot to the front door, all the while with her head down, texting. Of course I stopped, but I don't even think she saw me!

I almost honked my horn to wake her up...wish I had of now.
 
dobielvr said:
When I'm driving and I happen to notice someone behind me texting, I'll pull off to the side of the road so they can pass me, or change lanes. No way do I want to be rear ended while driving.

Yesterday, I was turning in to Walgreen's to pick up my meds, and there was this girl walking from the parking lot to the front door, all the while with her head down, texting. Of course I stopped, but I don't even think she saw me!

I almost honked my horn to wake her up...wish I had of now.
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It's too bad you didn't stop, get out of your car and walk over to the girl, pluck her stupid cellphone from her hands, smash it down on the pavement, then get back in your vehicle and drive off.
 
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