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blue
your favorite weapon
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Joined: 21 May 2002
Posts: 7010
Location: armed and ambitious
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 Posted: 08/29/03 - 21:06 Post subject: drunk driving law lax...
a local man was given 1 1/2 years in jail today after being THREE times over the legal blood alcohol limit and killing an elderly woman last winter. he was a casino worker, and a well respected person. that evening he had was closing up from work when he had a few beers and wine, and headed home at 6am when the woman was hit crossing the street.
he has 100 hours of community service, must abstain from alcohol, but his license hasn't been removed.
just before the women incident our law maker (whoever it is that decides these kinds of laws) announced they'd be lowering the boom on drunk drivers.
EDIT the law states that repeat offenders have their car seized, and those repeating 3 times will be suspended for life. but in fatal accidents the car can be seized even in a first offence.
while i admit that i feel for the man as he made a mistake and was looked up to, the fact of the matter is he was THREE times the limit. he broke the law, he broke it hard. he made a conscious decision to get behind the wheel, a man that would fully know better given his situation in a casino.
he got behind the wheel, and wielded it as a weapon. i don't care who he is, driving is not a right. it's a priviledge. and anyone that would take such a chance, shouldn't be given the chance to hurt someone.
you don't leave guns sitting out for children now do you?
it pains me to think of all the kids i know that have ventured off from the bar drunk, and my only hope is to be going the other way. why would they stop to think if the laws aren't being enforced or harsh enough.
they're aren't even concerned about hurting someone, the fear is of being caught. i have to wonder where the message is being lost...
-blue
edited to correct law and mend post accordingly
Last edited by blue on 08/30/03 - 00:26; edited 2 times in total
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thegman
Member
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Joined: 23 Sep 2002
Posts: 3088
Location: 12 yards out.
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Posted: 08/30/03 - 00:15 Post subject:
I'd look first at who issued the sentence. Was it the judge? Was it a negotiated plea where the DAs office agreed to the level of punishment?
Did the statute provide for a more harsh sentence?
You'll have a better idea where to direct your anger if you can answer these. And my guess is you're not the only one mad about it.
Write a letter. Get others to do it too. Find out what you can do to make a change and make lots of noise about it.
If the judge did it and he/she's an elected official, work to make it a campaign issue. If the DA did it, do the same. Your local officials are clearly not protecting citizens by rapping knuckles with rulers.
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