WEST PARIS, Maine — Two local teenagers are dead and two others went to the hospital after an early Saturday morning accident caused by drinking and text messaging while driving, Maine State Police Trooper Tom Welch said.
“Alcohol and distracted driving are the primary causation factors,” the trooper said.
The four young people had been at an underage drinking party, Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety, said Sunday.
“They had left that party and were going back to it” when the deadly crash occurred, he said.
State police got the call for help around 12:15 a.m., and when they arrived they found a mangled Subaru Impreza at the foot of a bunch of trees off Route 219.
Passengers and West Paris residents Logan Dam, 19, and Rebecca Mason, 16, a student at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, both were killed instantly, Welch said.
Driver Kristina Lowe, 18, of Paris and passenger Jacob Skaff, 22, of South Paris both were seriously injured. Lowe was taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland and was listed in critical condition Sunday afternoon, a nursing supervisor said.
Skaff had serious injuries that were not life-threatening, the trooper said. He was taken to Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway, and was later released.
A state police accident reconstructionist is investigating the fatal crash.
“The car drifted off the roadway, struck a driveway … [and] went airborne,” Welch said. The vehicle hit “a group of trees and came to rest at the base of the trees. The car actually hit the trees roof first.”
Lowe had been drinking and “she was texting,” the trooper said.
The investigation has two parts — the underage drinking party and the fatal crash — that may lead to charges, McCausland said, adding that no charges had been filed as of Sunday.
Once the investigation into the fatal crash is complete, “it will be reviewed by the district attorney’s office to see what charges are appropriate,” he said.
The deaths of the two teenagers are bound to have devastating effects on their communities and the people who love them, Welch said.
“This is just another one of those prime examples of why alcohol and distracted driving don’t mix,” he said. “That is why they are against the law.”
That girl will never be the same and will have to live with the fact that poor choices killed two people–her friends, at that. My thoughts and condolences go out to the parents of all the children involved and the two survivors, and once again makes me fearful of the day my kids have licences.
As someone who has made a similar wrong choice I can vouch for the fact that the young lady who was driving will never be free from this.It will haunt her the rest of her life. I know that this was an accident…and hope that people find it in their hearts to try not to be too harsh on her. She’s young and young people often make bad decisions. This was perhaps the worst. My condolences go out to the families of the deceased and prayers to the young lady who was driving.
It was a crash, not an accident. It was COMPLETELY 100% avoidable… I hope that she pays dearly both in criminal and civil court for the devastation she has caused….
so now the definition of accident is a crash that wasn’t avoidable?…
guess i’ll have to up-date my vocab
Please don’t try and twist my words to suit your agenda. This young adult made the decision to consume alcohol, she made the decision to drive while under the influence and as if that wasn’t dumb enough already, she made the decision to text while driving under the influence. Then she crashed her car, killing two innocent people. Nothing about that is accidental.
I have no sympathy for those who make stupid decisions that effect the lives of other innocent people.
Most law enforcement agencies have moved away from using the term “accident” while dealing with crashes.
When you CHOOSE to drink alchohol and drive a vehicle, then it’s not an accident. If she hit a patch of black ice, or hydroplaned etc than that would be an accident. I hope she gets charged with manslaughter. Teens/young adults still seem to think they are invincible….
Thinking they are invincible is part of the innocence of being young. The human brain can’t even think rational for most folks until thier 20’s. This sort of horrific incident happens every day. It’s part of life…………….the hatred that surrounds it is as devasting. UNDERSTANDING intoxication will give people some peace and less hatred.
It’s not all hatred. It’s a normal reaction to an occurrence that took two lives and could have been avoided by common sense.
Thank you!
There is a difference between being invincible and being downright STUPID. Again… there is no excuse for her actions. I don’t need to UNDERSTAND intoxication. I don’t drink and drive, ever ever ever!!! I wouldn’t used the word hatred, but instead disgust. Drinking and driving ending in death is no secret. She just destroyed two families because of her ignorance.
She just destroyed 4 families.
Were the other 3 innocent? We dont know. She didnt buy the alcohol herself. They dont give much to go on but one has to wonder why a 16,18,19,and 22yr old are riding around after midnite when one of them…the under-age driver has been drinking.
Kind of like a thief at his sentencing or a politician caught cheating on his wife who admits that he made “mistakes.”
:P
such hatred for impaired youngsters. the concept that you don’t seem to be understanding…………..they were not mentally capable of making the right decisions!!! They were impaired from alcohol consumption. How is one suppose to understand they are drunk and then make wonderful decisions. If everyone was great at decision making………….the world would be perfect.
Your thinking is what is wrong with this country, people try and make excuses when things go wrong and make the bad choices in life.
I agree, she may not have been capable of making the right decision because she was impaired, but she made the wrong decision to drink in the first place, underage. I’m not saying I didn’t drink before I was 21, because I did. What I’m saying is, when I did drink, I was responsible about it, stayed where I was and if I needed a ride, I called someone. WHO WAS SOBER!
If you’re old enough to drive, you’re old enough to accept the responsibility which goes with that privilege. You and this other young lady may have to “remember” or “be haunted by” the events which took place, but unfortunately two others from this accident cannot be brought back. I am sorry you have caused something very bad to happen in your life and the life of others, but this has got to STOP! And it will never stop, never end, if adults keep giving irresponsible teenagers a pass because they’re young. A device should be invented by an electronics guru which automatically shuts down all efforts to text inside a vehicle! Better yet, throw the idiot boxes away and start to talk face to face. I many times wish cell phone, IPhones, etc., had never been invented. I extend my sympathies to the family members who will be grieving over the loss of these children for years to come. I lost an uncle who was just 17 when I was 14 to a drunk teenage driver…….it tore our family apart!
She still needs to be held responsible for what she has done. Plain and simple.
Of course she does…but berating her for for making a very poor choice will not change what has already happened. She is young, and young people are prone to making un intelligent decisions. And adults are capable of the same thing. No one is immune to poor decision making.
HOW MANY TIMES do people need to hear this? —- DRINKING AND DRIVING KILLS. Now you can add texting and driving kills. It’s not an accident when you drink and drive. That is a CHOICE. I’m not IMMUNE to making poor decisions… I’m just smart enough to know that drinking and driving kills and so I won’t do it.
It’s a “bad decision” to eat a donut if you are overweight. What she did was the ultimate in selfish acts and it was illegal. She put her own wants and needs above all others and killed two young people. No sympathy for killers.
Don’t drink and drive campaigns have been out for years. There is no excuse regardless of her age. Stop making excusing for her.
We all make poor decisions in life. Most don’t involve getting people killed.
so very sad for all involved, My heart goes out to these families who will never be the same now. I worry about this stuff so much as my own are now teens riding around with their friends. Thoughts and prayers be with all the families of these kids.
Hopefully your teens are smart enough to know that if the driver of a vehicle they are in texts, or talks on a phone, they should ask the driver to STOP the vehicle so that they can get out of the car! Teens need to know that they are responsible for their lives and when you put yourself in anothers car, you need to decide if that person will drive you or not. If I was a passenger in a car where the driver picked up a cellphone to do anything, you can bet I would have that driver stop so I could get out immediately.
Lord I hope so too. I try to lead by example and when I’m driving if the phone rings or a text comes in I will either ignore it or hand the phone to one of them and have them tell the person I will call them back. I remember the dumb things my friends and I did as teens and pray my kids make better choices I tell them all the time when they think I’m being to harsh or unfair “you can think I’m a B@#$%^,but you”ll be ALIVE and thinking it”
This is truly sad. Drinking & texting while driving is like an extreme sport to some young people. They think if they did it once, they’ve mastered it. What they fail to understand is that road conditions such as ice, snow, curves, and the presence of other vehicles are always working against them. I learned years ago that no matter how many times I traveled the same curvy roads, I could not speed along on them. I could have easily been killed the night I learned my lesson.
Take away these teens cell phones, they are not responsible enough to be trusted when driving. How many more need to die?
It isnt Just Teens..
right, but I bet politicans are some of the worst offenders, and they never regulate themselves! I stopped riding my bike to work when a guy on a cellphone turned right in front of me and I crashed into his car. Two seconds later and I would have been under the car.
to be honest in our state, the worst offenders are actually the police. texting and driving is and should be illegal, however when you see the police driving down the road using a laptop positioned more on the passenger side of the cruiser. now i understand that info comes across the laptop for the officers, but thats why we bought them radios…
taking away the cell phones isn’t going to make them pay attention to what they’re doing. Its up to the state to make the driver education program in Maine more in depth. maybe increasing the age at which teens in Maine can get their license isn’t a bad idea either, or at least how long they have to drive alone or immediate family only increased. . . either way state HAS to do something. prayers and condolences to all involved in this tragedy
You nailed it.
Driver’s ed is just a pass through program enabling the kids to get their license.
Why is it the states job to teach these kids to drive. Alot of states dont offer driving courses in school anymore. They put it in the hands of the parents to either teach them or use a private company.
No, it’s not the state’s responsibility to teach them to drive, but it is sure is the state’s responsibility to be damn sure they know how to drive before handing them their drivers license!!
Now its the states fault this adult was drinking and texting. This is a sad thing that has happened….. Personal responibility who teaches you that?
I didn’t say that! It’s both the parents responsibility and the responsibility of the drivers education instructor to be sure this child/student knows how to drive and is responsible enough to do so. Just like in public schools… kids that really shouldn’t be graduating are being given diplomas. The same happens at the DMV. Drivers Education should be mandatory in all 50 states and it should be required that the student get 100% (no lower) on the exam.
They passed a road test to get their license. This ends the states responsibility. How can the state make sure no one drinks and drives? Get real!
No, the state can’t make sure that nobody drinks and drives, but they can stop giving drivers licenses back to repeat offenders (including distracted drivers). I know of a few who have been busted for OUI/DUI more than once, but they’re still driving with a valid drivers license.
It appears this was here first OUI. How can they do something about that except make sure she won’t do it again.
She should have to start over from the beginning. Take Driver Ed again (where she didn’t learn anything the first time) and then the written test, drivers test, permit, etc… all after losing her license for a year for the OUI and Distracted Driving violations. She’s 18 y/o. You can’t tell me they haven’t been teaching students not to use their cell phone, iPods, etc. while driving for at least the last few years. It’s really a shame that this all had to happen. It’s something she’s going to have to live with for the rest of her life. My condolences to all families involved.
It’s going to be a long time before she drives again.
i’m not saying it’s the states job to teach… but it most certainly is there job to make sure your PREPARED before handing you a license…. i’m 26.. i waited until i was 18 to get my license ( growing up with mom as nurse and dad firefighter/medic) we we;re shown at young age hhow quick a motor vehicle could end your life…. now when i go to get my license at 18 wanna know what my test consisted of? and reminder this “INSTRUCTOR” is STILL employed at bangor DMV…. it was snowing out the day i went for my test. and in literally less then THREE minutes i had a license… all i had to do was PULL IN to a parking spot and back out of it. than dropped him off. NEVER left the parking lot……. now my point is. how Can you pass and give someone a license to operate a WEAPON, without giving them the test?
Seems you and your parents took the responsibilty to ensure that you were ready to drive and thats the way it should be. Intstructors watch every move you make during your test mainly your demeanor. It’s just a snap shot in time they have and make a judgement call base on that and you must have impressed the instructor. Driving is a priviledge not a right. You have been driving for 8 years so you must be good. ……..
My whole point is the goverment does alot of things but not alot of things well. If they would require a driving test certificate from a private company I believe we would all be better off. I just dont think the public
school is the proper place for it.
The state issuses alot of licenses. Hunting and fishing and all a adult does is go get one no test. They reguire youger people to take a saftey course on weapons.
Oh, but I do think the public school, or private school, is the proper place for learning to drive. It should be an important part of the curriculum. The state in which my kids got their driver’s licenses, required that they pass the state test in order to graduate from high school. My son was quite surprised that he did not pass the written test the first time. And graduation was just a few months down the road (no pun intended). It became as important as doing well in English, Math, and all the other high school subjects. He did pass with flying colors; however, our children had to wait till they were 18 before we allowed them to get their state driver’s licences. And we, as parents, applied THAT stipulation.
The STATE????Really?How about if the drivers themselves pay attention?Seems like that would be a more logical solution.
The “state” makes laws, she choose to break them. Common sense, responsibility, morals, and maturity can not be legislated. The “state” couldn’t sit on her shoulder and babysit her or anyone else. In my opinion, this situation was not a stupid accident or the fault of the “state”. She made a series of choices that resulted in the death of two human beings. No different than Garrett Cheney killing the young lady in Orono. Drivers education and state laws should not trump parenting. Parents can and should decide on an individual basis at what age their child gets a driver’s license, and they can also take the license away. And-before you reply, I am not perfect, but I sure as heck never drove a vehicle after drinking.
Agreed. Buy them the cell phones for the elderly that have no texting or Internet capability.
A Jitterbug until they turn 21. Fantastic idea.
The courts should make an example of the driver……consuming alcohol, driving AND texting! She’s old enough to know better. Sorry, I have no sympathy for her.
The person who purchased the alcohol is also partly responsible, probably the 22 year old passenger.
Agreed, but it was still HER decision to drink, drive and text. A truly sad situation for all involved.
and everybody else’s decision to get in her car, and everyone else’s decision to not designate a sober driver.
Maybe it is time to also start appointing a non-texting driver.
So the company that sold her the cell phone is probably partly responsible for her texting and driving? No. She made the decisions regardless of how she got her hands on the alchohol/cell phone.
Yup, we need to sue the cell phone companies for not using a label on their devices “warning. use of this device while driving may cause loss of life”
Except for one thing Bella. We have laws against furnishing alchohol to minors. To my knowledge there is no such law about furnishing cell phones. She is considered a minor as far as drinking is concerned till she turns 21. I pray that she makes it, as i do her passenger. When she has recovered from her accident, she will need to pay for the responsibility of killing her friends.
Alas the guilt will be there the rest of her life. I hope she can find forgiveness.
Don’t forget the auto makers. or the State for maintaining the roads. the list could go on and on.
Agreed, but you have no need to be sorry.
Sorry but they are all equally responsible for this tragedy. If you get into a vehicle driven by someone you know to be impaired, and you end up seriously injured or deceased it’s your own fault. I teach my children never ever get into a vehicle with someone who is impaired. Call a cab, call me call the police just do not be in a car with a drunk driver.
100% right.
This is the
very truth. You might sit there and think to yourself, “what was she
thinking”, “she needs to pay for what she has done”. She will
pay for what she has done. The others who died have paid for what they did. God
only knows why she was left alive to suffer for what has happened. What if it
was a passenger left alive and the driver died? How would you all feel then?
Would you put the surviving passenger in jail for life?
All of you know
we make our own choices in life. Some choices are not the best and yes fatalities
happen when we make these bad choices from time to time. Wake up world. Should
she pay for being the driver? YES! Should a surviving passenger pay as well?
YES. This is why we have laws!!
Either way,
every one that made a decision to get in the car will or has been punished.
Now, question
for you? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT.? WILL YOU TRY TO HELP AND PREVENT
THE NEXT DEATH BY ALCOHOL OR TEXT MESSAGING?
ASK YOURSELF!!!
THERE SURE IS A LOT OF TALKING OUT THERE.
KNOW YOUR LIMIT, OBSERVE
YOUR FRIENDS LIMITS.
Very well said! These are young people who have made a serious mistake that cost them the lives of friends, and the weight they will bare for the rest of their lives, not to mention what will happen through the judicial system. Instead of just downing these young adults, lets see what we can do to educate and make change sothat this does not keep happening and families having to deal with the loss of a child. My twin brother was in a car crash (drunk driver) and was in a coma three years before he died at age 21. I will never forget the words my mother said as the tears rolled down her face, ” A mother should never have to bury a child”.
My heart goes out to all the families this will affect. Lets not allow this to be a complete loss, lets learn from this and make a difference for the families this could happen to in the future
She just gave herself a death sentence without understanding….she was intoxicated. NOTHING rational comes out of that thinking process. So very tragic.
mmmlllddd, I agree but it’s a LIFE sentence..she will carry this for the rest of her life. And you are correct in saying nothing rational comes out of a drunken mind.
Lenn44, she will most likely be charged with 2 counts of Manslaughter a Class A felony, and 1 count of Aggravated Criminal OUI a class B felony…all served consecutively. Time=5 to 15 yrs…hefty fines and DSAT (Differential Substance Abuse Treatment). And to top it all of, when she is released, she will live with the memories of that tragic night for the rest of her life. A very sad instance for all.
Yes, I don’t know about the sentence if she’s convicted, but I’m sure there’ll be criminal charges.
Approximate Jail or Prison Sentences Possible in Traffic Crash Deaths Caused by a Drunk Driver
Maine:
6 months to 10 years
Class B Crime: Not less than 6 months or more than 10 years and not less than $2,100 or more than $20,000.
ME ST TI 17-A § 211; ME ST TI 17-A § 1252; ME ST TI 17-A § 1301; ME ST TI 29-A § 2411(D-2).
http://www.madd.org/laws/law-overview/Vehicular_Homicide_Overview.pdf
The young people who got into this car ALL made the decision to do so. The 2 that survived will live the rest of their lives with their actions and surviving is a punshment in itself. Yes she needs to pay her debt but no more than anyone else and she can have a greater impact telling her story at every highschool in Maine over the next 2 years than sitting in a jail cell.
I am truley saddened by this,as I know everyone is.Nothing written in these pages are going to make any of family or friends feel any better.Everone knows about drinking and driving,and it has steadily declined.I honestly believe that texting and driving is worse,regardless of the age of the person doing it.Many either take their eyes off the road,or are so distracted that they don’t really have control of the automobile.It is becoming epidemic,I witness it every single day.There is absolutley NO argument that when your driving a 2 ton weapon,that you should be doing anything other than controlling the vehicle,for you and your passengers saftey,and yes,more importantly,other innocent drivers.
I think there is a simple device that could be installed in any vehicle that renders cell phones unusable while the engine is running. They should be mandatory on all vehicles.
how ’bout breathalyzers installed in cars.. the car will not start if alcohol has been detected. Maybe something like this should be mandatory in new drivers cars.
Also a device that prevents the car from running if ANY non vehicle electronic device is running. I would also say that this young lady , although I feel bad for her , should be tried for both infractions and pay the full price. Many , not just her , break the law knowing that they’ll most probably get away with it. My prayers are with all involved at this time !
again. making changes to the VEHICLE or DEVICES inside the vehicle aren’t going to do you ANY good if your loved one is at a party and gets in another car. the BEST thing to do is E D U C A T E…. NOTHING has been proven a better tactic then teaching. if you teach people at a younger age, that vehicles are motorized weapons and the choices they make on how they operate these machines can have EVER LASTING impacts far beyond an “accident”
Good point,but todays kids are blameless,dont you know?It isnt THEIR fault that they do bath salts or text while driving.It isnt THEIR fault,get it?????? Its getting to where no one is responsible for anything anymore.Rampant idiocy.Im angry! One of those kids could have grown up to BE something! Maybe a doctor that cures diseases,or a farmer that grows our food or just a happy kind person.But NO! Because their parents didnt instill the fear of whatever into them,and make them think that they were perfect,Now,I guess we will never know.Sad…
Educate is a great idea. How about making part of her sentence going around to High Schools to tell the students what it like to be responsible for someone’s death because of foolishness.
I made a comment above about making her view the autopsies and funeral arrangements as well. Nothing like seeing twisted broken bodies of your friends to make it stick. Mean? maybe so, but so is being stupid and killing someone.
Are you saying these people did not know the dangers of drinking/texting and driving?
i’m pretty sure with all the ‘distracted driving’ ads on tv that everyone should be aware of the dangers of it. however doesn’t mean there educated about the situation.
What about the inconvenience it would cause to others in the car who may want to use their phone? Or what about when you’re driving alone and you end up upside down in a ditch somewhere and can’t call 911. People just need to make more responsible decisions. Common sense can’t be legislated.
I wasn’t referring to legislation. I was referring to parental control. If they are inconveniencing thier friends because they cannot access thier email or text someone every five minutes as to where they aree, find a different ride. I’ll take inconvience over losing a loved one.
and if they find themselves in a ditch or need help. Just turn off the power to the car and the phone would work or just step away from the vehicle to get away from the ‘no-cell’ zone. Common sense needs to be taught by the parent by example. I’ve seen too many parents texting in the car with thier kids on board.
They don’t work with iPhones.
Once again, most lost lives to booze and texting….well, at least they didn’t kill some other innocent law abiding family on the road that night……
What about the families the victims might have had , careers , contributions to society. Sad sad situation !
I don’t know how well this device works, but if I was the parent of a young driver this would be an absolute must to permanently install in the vehicle they drive.
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/personal-cell-phone-signal-blocker-device-4355
Except for the 22 year old, all other car occupants were under aged for drinking. The driver was under aged drinking while driving. This 18 year old woman driver will have to deal with more than the psychological and physical consequences of her actions if she survives. She has legal consequences and criminal charges to face too. At 18, she will be charged as an adult. I may have been over-protective and strict but when my daughter was 16 years old, she was never allowed to be unaccounted for especially late at night.
but unfortunately, parenting in general these days is a joke compared to 20 years ago.
You can thank my generation for wanting to be friends of their children and not parents.
It isn’t an “accident” when you drink illegally, and then make the choice to drive and text (distracting yourself from your responsibility). Don’t give anyone an “out” by calling this an accident. Accidents are things that happen that we could not see coming. This was no accident. Everyone who drives KNOWS that drinking and driving is illegal and that texting/talking on a phone/ etc. is distracting. The driver and whoever supplied the alcohol should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
so what your saying is your perfect? you’ve NEVER made a bad decision? even at the age of 18?? if so pat your self on the back because your the ONLY ONE. . . its a tragic accident in every sense of the word… even if the driver was a direct result of it, its still an accident to EVERYONE ELSE involved…. come on really? this is someones daughter,sister,family,friend. show a little compassion with posts
Hard to show compassion when a person (regardless of their age) disregards the responsibility of carrying lives in her vehicle (other than her own). Accident, nope. Taking a drink, texting on her phone while handling the wheel of her car, while driving others… she might as well had a gun and bullets to shoot them with. At 18 you are an adult and with that comes responsibilities. If a person cannot handle them, don’t get a drivers license. I have no compassion for anyone who puts others lives (including their own and YOURS) in danger.
TheJustMe,I agree 100%..The trouble is,that no one’s kids are anything but”perfect”.yeah,we all made mistakes,but our parents didnt scald anyone who pointed the mistakes out,and we learned from them.Kids now,are not “capable of making any mistakes”,oh,no!!!!not MY kid,it wasnt THEIR fault”.Well,these “perfect’ kids are killing people with this texting B.S.,just as sure as drunk drivers are.Its got to stop!And preferably before they all kill each other?
really? check out the International assoc of highway safety stats for 2010… the KIDS as you said accounted for less distracted driving then their adult counterparts…
Well,First of all,there are way more Adults driving,than “Kids”.People are driving into their 80’s.The few years of being a “kid” is no more than like 15 to 25.I wonder how that evens out? NO ONE should be driving while texting,or as in my day,they called it typing.Its GOT to stop! The imaginary stats are one more example of young people never making any mistakes.There are NO SUCH Statistics. Younger folks are quicker and have good reflexes,but you cannot beat experience.An experienced driver,one who has driven for 20+ years,or a texting teen,who has had their license for,oh, 7 months,which one would YOU like to share the road with?
This one is going to change their stats.
just because the state law says at 18 your an adult, we’re supposed to assume they have the mentality, education, and maturity to act as such? title doesn’t dictate responsibility…. just because shes adult by “age” standard. doesn’t mean she has the brain or mental capacity to act as one…. don’t get me wrong, not condoning her actions in anyway shape or form.
So now we need a adult test?
in a matter of speaking yes… but more or less a competency test… If the person can’t be competent enough in most of lifes aspects, don’t give a damn drivers license…
Ever heard of the ACLU ?
Driving is a privilege not a right.
so true
Agreed 100%… Just because at 18 you are seen legally as a grown up does not at all mean you are fully “grown” or mature. That comes with time… And sorry, but at 18, most still are “kids.” Just the same, at 18, one SHOULD know better… but then again at 18 most “kids” still think that they are invincible… Sadly, this young woman has learned otherwise and will pay for the rest of her life, not only with what the law throws her way, but with her own poor choices…
Sort of sounds like you are. I see your point though. I guess no driving until 25 years old would just about do it. Then we would have people in their mid 20’s doing the same thing.
An accident comitted while breaking the law shouldn’t be treated as an accident ! We must show proof of insurance when registering a car ,that’s called financial responsibility. What about driver responsibility ?
so if a driver falls asleep and kills someone regardless of why they fell asleep behind the wheel it shouldn’t be considered an accident???
If he falls asleep because he’s tired from texting or drinking…..breaking the law, by all means prosecute him!
I have read Thejustme comment,and do not see anywhere where he claims to be perfect.If you are touchy about it ,maybe you have some work to do in your own home? The fine hairs about accident no accident,are lost in the senseless loss of 4 members of our society and mixed with feelings of”Thank God MY kids were not in that car”.It was a stupid avoidable act that led to the end of 4 lives. Think about that.
No, it’s not an accident for the others involved. THEY willingly and knowingly got in the car with someone who was drinking. They are equally responsible.
how do you know ALL of them WILLING got into the car? how do you know they weren’t helped to the car? i’m just saying NOT everything is as clear as it seems to be…
Oh, PUH-LEEZE!!! LOL Yeah, that’s it… someone took their hand and guided them to the car where they immediately put on their seatbelts and requested the radio be tuned to classical music.
Want a more likely scenario? ….. Texts messages were flying back and forth all day about who was going to supply the booze and when and who needed to throw in some money for it. Then the driver picked up her “friends” (who WILLINGLY got in the car)….
MissDavid it is immaterial if the passengers got into the vehicle willing or not. The DRIVER has the complete and total responsibility for the safe operation of the 2,000+ pound motor vehicle.
The DRIVER is at FAULT. The DRIVER decided to drink an intoxicating beverage underage. The DRIVER decided to text while driving while intoxicated.
YUP!
You seem to know a whole lot more than what is written in the few paragraphs in the above story. Who knows whether or not all passengers were aware that she had been drinking. For that matter whos to say that any of the others in the car had been drinking. The driver made a bad decision — she’ll live with that for the rest of her life.
really?? so you must know everyone involved???… apparently not…just fyi the 16 yearold who was deceased, was observed by a witness at the PARTY they left as being unable to walk or pretty much stand for that matter on her own accord… which leads me to believe her boyfriend ( also in the car) might have “helped” her to the car, AND if she was too drunk to walk, she was obviously too drunk to know or understand for that matter what was going on
Regardless of weather I believe it to be a “Not on Purpose” or you believe it to be an “On purpose” The fact remains that this was a young driver..and young people as we all know make some pretty poor choices all in the name of being the cool friend…as for criminal sentencing..I am sure the Judge knows what to do. I am also sure that she will be punished for this, as will the young man who (we’re assuming) supplied the alcohol.
It is , either way you look at it, a tragedy for all.
I hate to say it but….
This is just so sad and so unecessary…condolences tot he familys.
RIP becca. we will all miss you.
The more things change, the more they stay the same…
God, please rest the souls of these two teens that died because of the carelessness of this irresponsible person. How tragic.
and the three OTHERS that willingly and knowingly got in the car with someone they KNEW was drinking.
The operator of the motor vehicle carries ALL the responsibility of her actions. Yes they got into the car but the driver is completely and totally responsible for the safe operation of the 2,000+ pound vehicle.
How do you know they KNEW she was drinking? Was you there…she may have been drinking prior to picking them up — she had been drinking but the texting also played a part in the accident. You seem intent on making sure that the others in the car hold as much responsibility as the driver. Not happening in my book, the driver was the one in control of the car and responsible for those she allowed to ride with her.
While so many of you speak about the shoulda, couldas 4 families have been greatly impacted. Two families will never speak to their children again! Two families will be living with great sadness and regret. We need to be educating our youth about drinking and driving. In school and at HOME!!! We need to be doing this at an early age, we need to instill it in our children to NEVER EVER get in a car with someone that has been drinking NO MATTER WHO IT IS!!! We need to make contracts with our children that we will pick them up no damn questions asked if they are with someone that is drinking..we need to teach our children to take the keys away from their friends no matter how mad they get!! This is a social problem people!! EDUCATE!!! We need to use our voices and speak out against the media that glamorizes drinking, sports that advertise drinking!!! Stop bickering back and forth and think about the things you can do to help save millions of dollars and alot of heartache and tears!
No sympathy for her whatsoever. She knew the Maine laws. The 22 yr old is accessory to murder…… 22 yrs for them both
accessory to murder? so without knowing for sure that he provided the alcohol, your just going to assume since hes the only one old enough in the CAR that he had to buy it? they couldn’t have gone to a party? she couldn’t have gotten it from her parents? you know what happens when you ASSume right??
Oh, god… here you go again… hearts and flowers and rainbows and butterflies…. YES! As an ADULT, he had some responsibility— primarily to prevent HER from drunk driving. Now, put on your rose-colored glasses and go back to your utopia.
just saying. not everything is as plain as black and white. don ‘t get me wrong. I DONT condone ANY actions taken by these individuals. and beyond the LIFE LONG pain of knowing she has taken the lives of other as a direct result of her actions, she does deserve the long arm of the law. just dont think ONLY jail is the right answer… they’re could be a LITTLE good to come out of this if she’s forced to share her exp. with highschools, middle schools, church. and even if only ONE person truly hears her message. thats one person, one family that WONT have to feel this pain
hope i haven’t offended you with my views. . . just going for the sake of debating
sad
You should check out the photos on Logan Dam’s Facebook. Says everything you need to know about him. He apparently liked to drink…
whats everything you need to know about him? the fact he was young? the fact he was immature? does it say anything about his upbringing or possibly lack there of?… there is a thousand different reasons why people drink… “because they liked to” usually ISNT one of them. maybe he was trying to escape his “dark” life?… the fact is you DONT know why he drank, or ANYTHING about him for that matter… show a little class??
I like to have a few drinks, I like to tie one on on occasion, lot’s of people do. However many of them do so responsibly.
“because they liked to” usually ISNT one of them.
BS
bs?? really?? sheesh i’m a drug and alcohol abuse councilor, i think i know my own profession?? and yes it might not be a fact, but from my PROFESSIONAL stand point. they’re usually trying to cover something else with the drugs or alcohol…
You drug and alcohol councilors are the most liberal people on the planet. You see the world through rose-colored glasses. Everything is hearts and butterflies, puppies and rainbows. Welcome to the REAL WORLD! Kids drink because they “like to”… they WILLINGLY get into cars with friends who are drunk. They are dead because they were too self-involved, too STUPID to foresee the PREDICTABLE future. The driver should be charged with manslaughter and so should whoever provided the alcohol.
And…you know they knew that she was drinking? How godly of you to be able to know exactly what these kids knew of the situation they were putting themselves in. They couldn’t have known that she would whip out her phone and start texting either — or did they — maybe they all were aware of their fate that night. How foolish!
Yes, the people you see! However a much bigger part of the population like to have some cold ones, get drunk from time to time, well becuase in the right setting, drinking can be fun and enjoyable, not becuase they are trying to cover up some deep dark secret or personal issue.
perhaps some can blame thier usage on other problems but I’ve never been deep enough in denial to blame the mistakes I made as a teen, drinking and smoking dope on anything more than I wanted to do it, I liked doing it, and I did it. Most of my peers did it because it was fun…..yes peer pressure was involved but those nites at the pits around the bonfire were for pure enjoyment and recreation.
At 18, he was already an alcoholic. His friends encouraged his addiction (great “friends”!). The tattoo across his back reads “NO REGRETS”… Yes, it says plenty about his upbringing (or lack of)— his life was so dysfunctional, he drank… ALOT. Wonder where he got it? From his parents? Did they know about their son’s drinking problem? If not, I guess that would be the “lack of” parenting, huh?
A reminder that our young people should set controls “private” on their facebook so that ALL is not available for the world. Prayers for this young man and his family.
Even with it “available to the world” apparently no one noticed or cared enough to intervene.
Logan was not driving…Who’s to say he was even drinking that night (because he talks about drinking on FB doesn’t make it true – kids talk big in order to be accepted, I don’t know him but I think its unfair to slam him when this accident was not within his control, the driver was at fault) — the driver was drinking unless I missed it the article doesn’t say anything about the others in the car. The driver chose to drink and drive (and to have passengers in the car).
Logan chose to get IN the car. Therefore, he is responsible for his fate, too.
No, not really — the driver is responsble for those that she offered rides to. She had a responsible to drive safely. Would it had been her fault if she hit another car and killed someone in that car. By your reasoning the person in other car would be as responsible because they had chosen to drive on the same road.
I prefer the idea of not pointing the finger and finding fault or painting a tragedy as a black and white issue. It isn’t about an Apollonian Dionysian principle. This particulate accident is something we all want to play the “see I told you, I was right and know lets get on the band wagon and solve it so accidents never happen again.” Well, it will happen again.
It isn’t about sympathy or pity. Sure there is a way to correctly and righteously handle yourself in all situations, teaching setting and example are all great but I’ll reading these posts and it is a lynching when drinking cultural is celebrated. Intoxicants will always be around and the prohibitionist mentality increases the likelihood that it will get worse with the addition of becoming a criminal enterprise that more laws did in the early part of the 20th century. As a culture Mainers drink more so than other states, they are depressed /stressed so, when a situation like this comes up it is an excuse to vent frustrations.
Teenagers are the last group that wants to listen to lawmakers. The majority of teens want to have fun and socially we are all responsible to make drinking safe instead of a closeted issue we need to hide. There are so many variables of why teens give into peer pressure. Blaming one person even if it is cut and dry is an empty argument. Lives are lost and that is a big thing for all of us to comprehend at any moment. Stop the blame game and do what you can in your community to make things safe. Non of us were proactive before this tragedy nor did we have the desire to rant about it online.
wow i cant believe the comments i am reading this is horrible, tragic just plain freaking sad.no matter who is at fault or not.. even at 18 19 these people are still kids or should i say someones child out there and whether your 16 19 18 25 or 42 its still a horrible thing to go thru my prayers are with the familes who lost their loved ones and my prayers are also with the families of the survivors no matter how you look at it its going to be a rough road ahead for all involved and compassion and prayers are all that are needed at this point.. not negativity or judgment.
Wow, how times have changed from 20 yrs ago, 1992, and in 1992, my parents were saying the same thing about 20 years ago 1972, I never thought I would say it and I’m not even 40
She needs to be charged with vehicular manslaughter and sent to prison. That’s the only way these young adults are going to learn to stop putting every person around them at risk when they are driving. She was selfish by thinking only of herself. Her (alleged) need to get wasted and sent a text were the ultimate acts of selfishness and her stupid, selfish actions killed innocent people. Lock her up.
Teens never think “its” going to happen to them. They never think about the impact that their irresponsible behavior will have on their parents/siblings. Sadly, these teens like so many others feel righteous and entitled to risk their and others lives. So sadly, when and how will “they” learn when “we” condone this behavior. Check Logan Dam’s facebook page, this 19 year old certainly boasted about drinking a lot. Pictures say a thousand words… I am sorry for his and the other parent’s loss.
OMG why do people say horrible things on stories like this?? Their family and friends read this! Yes we know texting and driving is not a good choice we also know driving and drinking not good choice either the FAMILY and FRIENDS know as well keep rude comments to self… Never know if one day it will be you on the other end
Ridiculous.That is something that is completely in our own control.No one texts and drives by accident.What a ridiculous statement.”Never know” applies to rain,or a flock of turkeys in the road or a deer.Texting does not qualify as a “never know” incident.Try again.
So you are saying that not a single person in your family will never make a bad choice? So you would LIKE to come on here and read the rude ignorant comments that people say about them? Well props to you bud wish I could say the same.
Again, you NEVER KNOW what could happen. Think about it
The other end of what, the driver who is texting? I can assure you that I won’t be the reasonan accident happens as it pertains to texting and driving and drinking and driving……I don’t do either. Hell I even pull over or don’t answer my phone when i’m driving. Remember, up until 15 or 20 years ago people got by without texting or talking on a phone.
Two more unnecessary deaths of young kids. When will they ever learn. My heart and prayers go out to the families.
The legal driving age should be raised to 21, it seems that kids below that age, (and YES, I know some above that ago too), should NOT be allowed to drive. At least most at the age of 21 do start feeling a little responsibility. These deaths were unnecessary but I’m wondering how many more will follow. I remember another fatal car crash in Baileyville earlier this year, the young driver received 5 years in prison BUT that doesn’t bring back the deceased.
nobody wins in these stupid choices…2 dead and gone forever, 2 live but are destroyed forever..nobody wins…
Well said :)
I’ll bet the parents of the dead kids would agree that the living kids “won.” Afterall, they are still alive.
can’t tell ’em…..can’t legislate ’em…they’ll only learn AFTER they hit the tree (or other solid object) because too mant 16 year olds are ten feet tall and bullet proof.
Raise the driving age to 21. I am not kidding. You can’t stop them from drinking, you can’t stop them from texting, but you can stop them from doing it from behind the wheel. Yes some kids will drive anyway, but they’ll already be breaking the law. I just think it’s an all around good idea.
There should be one age for ‘legal’ and IMO that should be 18…period. I have said that since the drinking age went from 18 to 20 then to 21. I am in my mid 50’s now…I was legal to drink at 18 in the 70’s and by the time the law changed, I was still legal. My point is ONE LEGAL AGE for everything. We have 16 for Driver’s license, 18 for Voting and entering the Military, 21 for cigs/alcohol. At 18 you Vote, most likely graduate from High School and possibly enter College or the Military, but not allowed by Law to have a drink or buy cigs. One can take on the responsibility to put his/her life on the line in the Military and have the responsibility for decision making in our Voting system, but not allowed the responsibility of taking a drink or smoke a cig? Ridiculous! Once again…18 for everything. Sorry if this is repetitive, I’m a little wound up at the moment. Waiting for the rotten tomatoes to start flying. RIP to those who died, thoughts to ALL the families and friends involved and Justice for the victims.
Well try and explain why alcohol related car accidents fell when the drinking age increased from 18 to 19 and then to 21.
what, you think the parent[s] of the teens/young adults arent aware their little johnnys and marys are out drinking and driving
OK so we all agree drinking and texting while driving is a no no…..But the hatefuls on here need to remember that the young lady who was driving is only human. To ERR is HUMAN to FORGIVE is DIVINE.
This is still an ACCIDENT (yes there should be some jail time)But I am SURE she did NOT wake up Friday and say to herself “Gee I think I’ll get drunk and kill two of my friends in the wee hours of Saturday morning”.
I am by no means condoning her choice, but I do understand that this is devastating to not only the families of the two deceased, but to her as well…She now has to live with her decision to drive while intoxicated…she now has to live in the reality that her two friends are dead because of her decision to drive…but she still does NOT deserve to be BERATED by hypocrites and self righteous know it alls who have nothing better to do than point fingers.
I am sure that there is NO ONE in this whole wide world who isn’t without a few wrong/risky decisions that are stuffed in the back of their closet .
This ACCIDENT is no new phenomenon …EVERY 30 minutes there is another death due to drinking and driving in this country, and it wont stop till alcohol is no longer legal..even then, we will still have to deal with bootleggers…so it is a vicious cycle.
Hatred towards this young lady will not prevent another such ACCIDENT.
Sorry but this wasn’t an accident. It was a preventable crash. The driver made a choice and that choice was to drink an intoxicating beverage underage, get behind the wheel of a 2,000+ pound vehicle and drive off. And to add an additional risk she decided to text someone while driving intoxicated. She made choices and those choices ended two people lives.
Does she deserve to be “berated”? No, but she will be because of her actions.
Does she deserve “some jail time”? No, she deserves substantial prison time. She killed two people and when you kill two people you deserve prison time.
Do I “hate” this person? No, I actually feel sorry for her but she made her choices and now she must live with the consequences.
As I posted above, I am sure that there are many posters on here (myself included) that have made “stupid decisions”.
The difference is those “stupid decisions” didn’t cost two people their lives.
http://www.facebook.com/hakuna.matatah-Driver
http://www.facebook.com/JakeSkaff?sk=wall-Man old enough to buy
This is just another one of those prime examples of why alcohol and
distracted driving don’t mix,” he said. “That is why they are against
the law.”
What he means to say is never text while driving. Obviously don’t drink and drive, but his statement leaves an impression that it’s ok to text while driving as long as you haven’t been drinking. Put the phone away, what does it take????!
Once again, the person who caused the accident caused the death of someone else; in this case, two others, but they did have a choice not to ride with her.
my kids are in their 20s, alive and doing quite well with careers
that is because i was strict with them as they grew up. they never went out after 8pm
i made sure they never saw a drop of alcohol or pot or butts
they never saw me drink a drop of booze either
they never hung around with anyone that did.
o yea, i got them out of this state so they would not be one more 20yo something loser that plague this state
Congratulations…you are one of the lucky …Mine’s 20 and I let him make his own decisions…didn’t put the restraints on him. I let him choose his friends and become his own person…and he is doing fine.
But this isn’t about our kids..it’s about two young lives lost and a third and fourth who have to live with the consequences of poor decision making.
Ultimately the young man who was old enough to buy alcohol knew he would get in trouble if he got caught..but he got a whole lot more than caught.
Good choices only start at home…the rest is ENTIRELY up to the individual.
That is because you gave a hoot.Lotta folks dont.Their kids are perfect and need no supervision.Good for you,your kids were lucky.You cared.
I hope the driver faces charges for drunk driving, texting and murdering her two friends. If it was me or anyone else we would be up on charges before we sobered up.
I talk on my cell while driving, but I would be in favor of all cell phone use while driving banned. It would make it easier to bust people texting.
I feel so horrible for all involved.
There is a ban on texting while driving but that didn’t stop this driver. Laws are great for those that follow them.
So very tragic & stupid. I can’t imagine the guilt the driver must feel.
Seems like there are an awful lot of folks in this discussion who have never made a stupid decision before. Congratulations on leading such exemplary lives.
I am sure that there are many posters on here (myself included) that have made “stupid decisions”.
The difference is those “stupid decisions” didn’t cost two people their lives.
You are like ,the 8th person to say that,and I have yet to see anyone claiming to “have ever made a mistake”.Are all of those saying this texting while driving too?Id say..yes.
and next in BDN news…..
There are kids texting each other about this tragedy right now. Some of them are driving while they are texting too. Welcome to 2012. Maybe we could divert some of the millions peed away by the DEA every year chasing Marijuana, a “drug” that has never killed anyone, to clamping down on underage drinking? Let’s get together and discuss it over a few beers.
YES!!!! Well said!!!!!!
In my opinion, these 4 are equally responsible. It could have been any one of them behind the wheel. They all chose to drink and get into the car. They all accepted texting while driving as a norm. There is no good to come from jailing the child. Her life is already ruined and should we incarcerate her, take away her license (which I believe should happen), make her a convicted felon, etc. then she will never have a chance at being a productive citizen. She will be a further burden to taxpayers. Instead, she should have a lifetime of community service.
maineayuhI the driver is responsible. She made a horrible choice as an underage person to drink and drive. She then made the additional choice to text while driving. She made the choice and she knew the consequences of her actions when she drove away. Now she needs to accept those consequences.
Only one was driving (making her responsible) she not only was drinking, she was texting — no one else in that car MADE her make those choices.
This is tragic.
Of course, if we passed a law making texting while driving illegal,
all the conservatives would be complaining about a nanny state,
and the curse of BIG government.
Texting while driving IS illegal in Maine.
You’re right, JD.
I stand corrected. Thanks.
And making laws stops people from doing that? Teaching your children responsibility is a preventative measure. Drive responsibly drink responsibly be responsible.
Even responsible, well taught, well educated children make a mistake sometimes, as do their well meaning parents. Do you think accidents only happen to people who weren’t taught responsibility by their parents? And do you think any parent actually advocates drinking and driving to their children? There’s only so much control a parent has for their children’s behavior.
And unfortunately passing a law does not change that behavior.
At least not in everyone.
But I believe the law may be a deterrent for some, and perhaps even save a life.
And passing a law gives society a protocol where individuals can be held responsible for their actions, and to punish people for their actions where appropriate.
Do you think it should be legal to drink and drive?
I assume not.
But I also will assume that you don’t disapprove of the law that makes it illegal to do so.
First I do not endorse drinking and driving at all for anyone. I personally think it should be a felony like it is where I am at right now. I think it is one the worst things you can do while driving. I do believe responsible people make mistakes! I said preventative measure. Teaching to drink in moderation. Just like a defensive driving course a gun safety course etc. Drinking is so Taboo in our country that it is unbelievable. Most young americans drink Irresponsibly such as binge drinking. This tragic accident is a tragedy that happens way to much! And personally maybe if the kids were not so scared of going to jail or fined for drinking they might be apt to call someone for a ride home. Kids are able to drink beer here at 16 and there are not a bunch of wild anarchist running around causing mischief. But then again young adults are not the only ones who drink irresponsibly it is a cultural problem.
I agree..it IS a cultural problem..Drinking is sensationalized in the movies and on TV…and young minds absorb that information and with peer pressure added to the mix of “Social Behavior” it’s no wonder some young adults get caught up in it.
And Yes, I do believe there is Adult peer pressure as well.
When the government passed wire tap laws at the turn of the twentieth century it was to protect people from government intrusion. Less than a year later the supreme court judges phones had wiretap bugs discovered. The laws were in place and no one was really punished. Its nothing more than PR.
Texting while driving is a feel good law with no teeth at all. None.
Newsflash…anyone that uses text message as a way of communication does so while driving! More people will be killed and thousands have almost killed by such driver inattention.
Really, I text, but never while driving, I always pull over or just ignore it.
When the cell phone discussion came out when cell phone first hit the market there was much discussion about driving and talking on the phone. Many said it would not be a problem and then people died because of it. After a short period of time the cell phone became attached to everyone’s ear so much so that if you were to sit on a street corner and watch how many drivers were talking on their phone it would be more than half. For me the issue hit home when I watched a police officer driving while on the cell phone with a laptop next to him. It is important to stay connected but it seems we need autopilot in cars now. Humans can’t have new toys.
Efficient. So even on a stretch of road w/ no one around you pull over to say TY, BFF, LMFAO? Ok. You are the best.
My heartfelt condolences to family and friends.
What about her parents? There must be some issue taken with the facts that she was driving, drinking, texting, after midnight, with passengers, speeding (from the pictures)? To what degree do we parents have to handhold our kids, and when do we let them do whatever they want? Who owned the car; didn’t they facilitate this horror? I take my hat off to the emergency responders, theirs is thankless job, especially in this 100% completely avoidably tragedy. So, what questions ca we reasonably ask her parents to respond to?
This all seems a little weak and contrived to me. The DA shouldn’t have to review a DUI? They are routinely filed within an hour. It is pretty simple to get the BAC results from the hospital and charge the driver. Happens every single day. The texting/distracted/reckless driving should be equally as easy a charge with the phone/phone records in hand. If they have evidence why not those initial charges, yet?
I am also concerned by the quotes from the Troopers. I wonder about the Maine State Police policy on making a comment while such as investigation is pending. It is potential defamation if an officer says a driver was drinking and they were not. If I were BDN or the MSP, I would be peppering this story with a good number of “alleged” lines.
It seems to me that this driver is being tried in the court of public opinion when there is not any evidence to file even the most basic charges in the Courts of the Great State of Maine.
I smell a rat.
I am concerned that media outlets have jumped on this story and it is only a witch hunt. I hope that this paper and all others will have the courage to run the story (In large, bold letters) if the driver is NOT found to have been drinking or texting.
It is possible and the last time I looked, we are ALL innocent until proven guilty in this Nation. I would suggest that we keep the torches and pitchforks stowed away for just a little longer until we get all of the facts.
The four young people had been at an underage drinking party, Stephen
McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety, said
Sunday.
“They had left that party and were going back to it” when the deadly crash occurred, he said.
And your point is? I have been at parties with people drinking and not been a drinker. I have been at parties with people smoking pot and not been a smoker.
Sounds like guilt by association, to me and zero evidence has been offered that the driver of the car was drinking other than the statement by the Trooper.
I just want to see the facts.
They say a picture speaks a thousand words…..
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=318432084853930&set=a.202411236456016.49037.100000614228608&type=3&theater
The caption/comment below this pic say even more.
Hey folks have you checked your kids facebooks lately? I got a feelin the parents of these kids probly didnt think it was important.
say no more
Wait,wasnt the only responder to his comment also in the accident?
yes
“This is just another one of those prime examples of why alcohol and
distracted driving don’t mix,” he said. “That is why they are against
the law.”…Huh???Alcohol OR distracted driving maybe.Try again….Not only do they not MIX,neither are acceptable by themselves either…
My heart goes out to these families. Young people think they’re invincible, I have children ages 17 to 21 and I pray every night that God keep them safe. Not only was there a loss of two special young people, and the pain left behind with the people who love them, but the other young people who survived will have to live with this for the rest of their lives. This is a loss to everyone involved. Ipray that God holds these families close and help them through this time of need.
the driver (if she makes it) and the house that provided the booze should go to prison for manslaughter,i don’t feel sorry for her (u can’t fix stupid)
OMG this is awful. Underage drinking…Illegal. Texting while driving…Illegal. Drinking and driving…Illegal. Wait, why is this awful. Sick and tired of hearing: “They were young” Guess what, I’ve been to grade school and learned how to read: law states this is illegal. I learned to listen in health class in high school: its illegal to drink and more so to drink drive. It’s funny how we as a society say: “He/She WAS 16, s/he knew exactly what was going to happened when they pulled the trigger and killed that person.” But a different story when: “S/he was ONLY 16 when they were drinking and driving and texting when s/he crashed the car.” So what society, tell me It’s okay to drink and drive and kill someone (because you’re just a child) but not okay to take a gun and someone? (because you’re an ‘adult.’)
any word on how the young driver is doing?
my parents always told us that they would always love us. However. If we did something stupid, or in this case really really stupid, they would love us still but we would have to pay the consequences for our actions. If we were over 18 my parents would have made arrangements to visit us in prison. For every action there are ramifications, and I hope that there are plenty in this case for the two survivors.
They both should also be made to visit the autopsies if they are performed. If not, then a nice trip to the mortuary to see how these kids are prepared for their funerals. Come to think of it, maybe a class trip is in order. Not just seeing the deceased when they are made up to look all nice and clean for the funerals but to see the whole process from start to finish.
Did they force the two teenagers that were killed into the vehicle? I missed that. I thought they got into the car of their own choosing.
It is so disheartening to read some of these comments. Do you forget what it was like to be young? You feel invincible; bad things only happen to others, they don’t happen to you.
Recent research has shown that the human brain continues to change into our 30’s. Many changes are localized to regions of the brain known to integrate
emotion and cognition. Specifically, these are areas that take
information from our current body state and apply it for use in
navigating the world.
Two young people lost their lives. ALL of these people were someone’s children/sister/brother/friend/niece/nephew.
Please think before you speak. We all make bad decisions. And some you are forced to live with for the rest of your lives.
Tragic event. All four of the young people in that car made bad choices, and all and their families and loved onces will have paid for it one way or another. My deepest sympathies to all affected by this horrible accident.
You can legislate all you want…until you can legislate frontal lobe development, it won’t matter much.
How do they know she was texting at the time of the crash as well as driving?
She needs to be charged with vehicular manslaughter and sent to prison.
That’s the only way these young adults are going to learn to stop
putting every person around them at risk when they are driving. She was
selfish by thinking only of herself. Her (alleged) need to get wasted
and her (alleged) need send a text were the ultimate acts of selfishness and her stupid,
selfish actions killed innocent people. If she was indeed drunk and texting, lock her up.
Unfortunately, young people are so selfish these days that the threat of a jail sentence is far more likely to deter their selfish behavior than the threat of “feeling guilty.”
From photos on the news, I’d say the car was too fast for young adults(?) to be driving. Say nothing about drinking and texting!!