Thurston Co. DUI crash sends 5 people to hospital

sumner_son said on June 14, 2010 at 4:08 PM

Just a follow-up... Today it was announced that the guy who killed the two youths out on I-5 will be charged with 2 counts of vehicular homicide, and if convicted, MAY get 5-7 years. Repeat offender, kills two people, and, based on previous cases in this state, will be back out driving in 5 years or so. 5 years....I ask,is this really a deterrent? Based on how many lives are lost in this state every year to drunk drivers, I would say NO! You can't ban alcohol (already tried that one time), you can't stop people from drinking and driving (you can't legislate stupidity), but you can make sure that they can't ever get back on the road again, and cause another family grief, pain and suffering. Society just has to step up to the plate and take that action.

denkoko said on June 14, 2010 at 9:44 AM

About a 20 year sentance should take care of this B!{(# for a while.

southernlife said on June 14, 2010 at 8:24 AM

I have to say this here, we put laws out an what do people do break em, an why do they break them, cause they don't care. If we start getting that hold i don't care send em to jail an be like i don't care 5 years. What will that do nothing, an why is that. It comes all the way back to that one thing, everybody things they can do anything. Until we can find away to show people, an get them to thinking the right way, we are going to have DUI, after DUI, after DUI, an that is across the board, from the army all the way down to the bus drieves. We talk about change this change that, well the first thing we needs to do is working on chaning AMERICA FIRST, an that is getting justic where it is suppose to be at first. If we can't fix a simple problem like drinking an driving then how can we fix anything else. Is it said yes it is, why is it said, cause we are helping everybody else out, when the first people who we needs to help is us. An the first people we needs to work on is the DUI.....

crazytrain247 said on June 14, 2010 at 4:17 AM

unfortunately, tougher laws don't tend to work because people don't think about the consequences until they have already made the choice to drink and drive. alcoholics are not known for their decision making skills and do not care about consequences until it is to late. i am regretabley speaking from experience. 5 years ago my baby died, which in turn, caused my divorce. i stupidly started to drink heavy and on occassion drove while drinking. at age 40 i had 2 dui's in 1 month. my only brushes with the law before or after. i am now a recovering alcoholic and thank god that i never became a story like this one. my point being, i didn't care what the consequences were or think about others and how my actions could have killed them. from personal experience, the threat of longer jail terms, did nothing. 2 things changed me. i chose to put a breathalizer, permanetly in my car. still there! second, a forced in-patient rehab stay of 45 days and 1 year out-patient stay. both worked wonders!

jcman said on June 13, 2010 at 5:41 PM

natedoggua: I agree, how about reckless endangerment as well as DUI. After all driving while intoxicated endangers everyone else on the road.

jenniferkatie568 said on June 13, 2010 at 4:27 PM

How sad!! There needs to be more done about these DUI drivers! We recently had one crash into our yard/driveway/retaining wall and almost ran into our home but missed by a foot! You would think the kids involved would of gotten more then a slap on the wrist for not only driving 50 in a residentual neighborhood, but driving way beyond the legal limit AND possestion of illegal drugs...but the prosecuting attourney said the charges are more likely going to be a misdemenor anyway (the DUI portion) and that they may even drop the drug possestion! Really? If my kids would of been out there, which they often are, they would of been killed! They totaled out their truck and the air bags deployed...i'm suprised they didn't go flying out the front window as they weren't wearing seat belts either...what are they teaching these drivers if they don't do something about their bad behaviors and habbits? People are going to be killed and it will inevitably always be the inocent ones...

natedoggua said on June 13, 2010 at 1:19 PM

"Washington State has one of the toughest DUI penalties in the country" Tell that to the people in the Camry or better yet the family and friends of those involved in the fatal wreck with the guy who had not one, but two previous DUI's plead down to lesser charges. Also, just because you're charged with DUI doesn't mean you're convicted of it (in your one or two beers scenario). Bottom line is alcohol and motor vehicles don't mix and people have to be responsible. If not, you should pay the price. If the first DUI conviction was a year in jail, no questions asked, people would probably think twice. Honestly a DUI should be coupled with other charges some other charges to reflect the fact that not only were you driving under the influence, you endangered countless others.

gritz said on June 13, 2010 at 11:55 AM

Not sure what you want the Govenour to do. Washington State has one of the toughest DUI penalties in the country. You also dont know the amount of alcohol the suspect had to drink. When there is an accident, the police investigate both drivers and if they smell, or the suspect reveals that they have had a drink, they are charged with DUI. They can be under the legal limit, it does not matter. So what some of you are saying is, if someone who has had just two beers gets in a accident, they should go to jail for a few years? First offenders should go to jail longer then a car thief or a drug dealer? As long as alcohol is a legal drug, we're going to have people on the road intoxicated. The Goverment could mandate the all new cars be equip with an alcohol detection sensor, but then the Teabaggers would have a fit. Prohibition or Teabaggers, what says you?

jenasal said on June 13, 2010 at 10:59 AM

As someone who lost a dear friend to a drunk driver I am sick and tired of reading these stories every other day! Washington needs to make these people accountable for their actions. May I say longer prison time is a place to start and what ever happened to an eye for an eye!!!!!!!!!!!!

rukiddingme2010 said on June 13, 2010 at 10:11 AM

Washington needs to do more to stop drunk drivers...If they can start to stop people talking on cell phones they can stop drunk drivers...Start sitting out infront of the bars and stop these people.....The driver of the car is my boss and i am praying to god that he makes it through.....

jackwong said on June 13, 2010 at 10:05 AM

It doesn't matter... we all do it, but no one admits it. Make sure you buy a big SUV and just hope you have a chance of surviving. Why rely on your safety on a bunch of politicians?

mrjdp1980 said on June 13, 2010 at 1:36 AM

Well at least she wasn't talking on her phone or texting. DUI penalties really need to change.

clear2copy said on June 13, 2010 at 12:04 AM

sadly, we'll have another drunk do this again soon..

killalexpeder said on June 12, 2010 at 11:39 PM

My friend Nick was killed in the accident on Wednesday. ALREADY there's another one? Thank God no one was killed in this one. This is INSANE. WHY isn't anyone doing anything about the weak laws? Who benefits from weak DUI laws?........The citizens of Washington need to standup and do something about this. Not even a week after Nick and Derek's deaths, ANOTHER drunk crashes into a car load of people???? Are you all sick yet of this????? Please, HELP CHANGE THIS NOW. The next death could be someone in YOUR family, God forbid. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

spriggsam said on June 12, 2010 at 10:53 PM

it all changes when you know the people in the accident. Danny is an amazing caring person. he is a great boss and friend. I am sick of people getting off to easy. we need to do more. This happens all the time. they let people go who pass the field test but dont pass the breathalizer. or the other way around. there should be NO tolerance for this behavior. be responsible. have a sober driver when you plan on going out. you never think this can happen to you. but guess what is happens all day everyday to innocent people. that had no choice.

freshair said on June 12, 2010 at 10:28 PM

Again???? How come the message is not getting though. DO NOT DRIVE IF YOU CHOOSE TO DRINK--EVER!

sumner_son said on June 12, 2010 at 9:50 PM

shoreline, I agree that tougher laws won't stop people from drinking and driving. But changes to the law may keep people, especially repeat offenders from driving. How many times have we read that people with multiple DUI's are involved in these incidents. (They are not accidents) In the past several years offenders have had five and more DUI convictions, yet they were still driving and drinking and killing innocent civilians. Even when drivers licenses are revoked, it's been shown time and again that these drunk drivers will still continue to get behind the wheel and kill. Is long-term incarceration the answer? It is an expensive drag on the rest of society. However, it is the only sure answer to keep DUI's from getting behind the wheel again.

taxdollarsponge said on June 12, 2010 at 9:28 PM

@clear2copy -see you on the road.

clear2copy said on June 12, 2010 at 6:37 PM

It sure would be terrible if citizens that saw some scumbag driving drunk , stopped them and beat the holy hell out of them.. that would be wrong and terrible.. I'd feel horrible if I heard about that happening to someone that was drunk behind the wheel of a car.. that would just be wrong.

jackwong said on June 12, 2010 at 6:20 PM

haahahahahahahahahahah

pspop said on June 12, 2010 at 4:41 PM

Manyof those speeders are also drunk. Since we can't find the collective will to do what needs to be done and remove driving priveledges for life for repeat drunk drivers( repeat meaning on the second offense) we should force them to buy the smallest vehicle, something like a smart car, so at least they will be the ones suffering for their actions. This also will remove a lot of suv's from the highways, since they seem to be the vehicle of choice for drunk drivers. Notice this one was driving a durango. Then they can go about removing themselves from the gene pool.

shoreline said on June 12, 2010 at 4:15 PM

Why do so many people think making tougher laws is going to stop people from drinking and driving? If the threat of DYING in a crash isn't enough to make people think twice, how is "life in prison" going to be any better? Yes, laws should be tougher on DUIs, but more people die in car accidents where speed is the main factor. Should we throw all speeders in prison for life? Stop blaming the government for a people problem. Not Gregroire nor anyone else can stop stupid people from being stupid. Sad fact of life...

sumner_son said on June 12, 2010 at 3:20 PM

Olympia still dickers around whether candy with wheat flour should be taxed, while more citizens are killed and maimed by drunk drivers on State roads. How many is that in the last two weeks in just the Puget Sound region ?????? Governor Gregoire, PLEASE STOP this mass murder of the citizens of Washington!!!! Do something!!!! Things are NOT OK, the status quo is NOT OK, the loss of life and the lasting injuries sustained by our friends, family, co-workers, and fellow citizens is NOT OK.

trucker45 said on June 12, 2010 at 2:38 PM

Well at least they have not mentioned ( yet ) that she is a repeat offender. Most drunk drivers do this on a regular basis. The victims family members should be allowed to go to the drunk drivers room and give her some further injuries.

crazytrain247 said on June 12, 2010 at 2:35 PM

thezigzag44, they don't drink and drive because the laws are weak. they drink and drive because they are thoughtless alcoholics.

skippypotpiebaby said on June 12, 2010 at 1:23 PM

Call cab!!

jstrayer said on June 12, 2010 at 1:08 PM

Are you kidding me? How many more deaths and serious injuries is it going to take for the laws to change? I know one of the victims who died in the I5 crash and it is heart wrenching to see the devastation that one senseless, selfish act has caused. Come one people.... please help lobby for some change!!!!

kbbcoop said on June 12, 2010 at 11:37 AM

The state just opened a new liquor store a few blocks from my house. They must be so proud and excited.

rastaj said on June 12, 2010 at 11:30 AM

I predict at least one more of these before the weekend is over. Flippin ridiculous. People here in the PNW do not value life. It's too bad

plutonomics said on June 12, 2010 at 11:21 AM

It only took one DUI at 18 for me to learn not to drink and drive again. I'm thankful I didn't hurt anyone or crash. Lets see ignition interlock for a year, 2 years of treatment, 2 years of AA meetings twice a week, numerous fines, a night in jail. This was all enough for me to learn. It's enough for most to learn their lesson. It's the alcoholics that are the real problems, and that's a whole different issue.

genagee said on June 12, 2010 at 11:13 AM

Jesus Christ people!!!! How effin hard is it NOT to drink and drive??? Who do you think you are that you can skirt the law or that your so awesome you will NOT cause a freakin' accident.

tracer2009 said on June 12, 2010 at 11:05 AM

Have we had enough of this yet?

natedoggua said on June 12, 2010 at 11:02 AM

Exactly thezigzag44. Max if you happen to drive drunk and kill someone is 3 years. It should probably be 3 years just for a plain ol' DUI. We do all this pointless stuff like revoking their license for however long, even though not having a piece of plastic isn't going to stop them from driving.

thezigzag44 said on June 12, 2010 at 10:55 AM

THE LAW IS WEAK. THAT IS WHY THEY DRINK AND DRIVE

yogibear said on June 12, 2010 at 10:41 AM

DUI drivers should get automatic life sentences just like their victims get!