Teen Charged In Fatal Car Crash
Driving Under the Influence Results in Three Teen Deaths
A 19-year-old Michigan man is charged with a felony after a fatal car crash causes the death of three teens. Both alcohol and marijuana were factors in the accident.
On Thursday, December 20, 2007, a 19-year-old Muskegon County man was arraigned in a Michigan court for driving under the influence resulting in three deaths. If found guilty, this young man could potentially spend as long as 15 years behind bars.
According to local news reports, on Wednesday, December 12, the defendant, two friends and his brother went to a holiday party at a friend's home. All of the young men along with many other teens were drinking and using marijuana. After leaving the party, the group was involved in a fatal crash with a semi-truck on a local highway. Three of the young men were killed instantly, and the driver critically injured. Not only was the driver intoxicated, but he was also driving without a license.
The defendant’s parents as well as one of the victim’s parents are pleading with the courts for leniency, stating that this young man has suffered enough. Considering the severity of this crime, should this young man be facing time in prison? Is incarceration as a punishment the best for him, or should other means of rehabilitation be considered? Is this young man solely responsible for the death of these other young men or are others guilty as well? Here are some things to consider:
- Obviously there should be some consequences for this young man’s behavior. But how long is enough time to punish him for this crime? The real truth is that the pain of knowing that he was responsible for the death of two of his friends and one of his brothers will linger far beyond any prison sentence he could be given.
- On the night of the accident, investigators noted that the young men purchased alcohol from a local convenience store. Obviously the young men were underage and should not have been allowed to purchase liquor. Doesn’t the sales associate and/or the store itself bear some responsibility in this matter?
- The party that they attended seems to have been at someone’s home. It’s evident that many of the guests were under the age of 21, so where was the parental supervision? Don’t the parents or adults in this home also have some responsibility for allowing underage drinking in their home?
- Alcohol was not the only substance involved as toxicology reports show that all of the young men had marijuana in their system. So where did they get the drugs? Does not the person that sold them drugs also bear some responsibility?
- How about other guests at the party. Did any of the other guests try to stop this young man from driving in his condition? If not, do some of the other guests bear some responsibility for allowing this young man to get behind the wheel of the car?
It is evident that this young man will more than likely serve some jail time. Nonetheless, West Michiganders disagree on how much time he should serve and whether or not others should also be liable.
