Teen Charged In Fatal Car Crash

Driving Under the Influence Results in Three Teen Deaths

Dec 21, 2007
Dee Dee Smith

Driving under the influence causes three deaths. - FreeFoto.com

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.

Dee Dee Smith working on an article., Derrick Smith

Dee Dee Smith - Dee Dee is a web content writer with over a decade of experience. She has held contracts with golf, sports and business publications.

Comments

May 15, 2008 1:10 PM

Guest :

drunk driving is really bad you need to qeit and live your life.
melinda russellille kentucky.

May 16, 2008 10:45 AM

Guest :

Dont ever put yourself at risk like that and same with anyone else. i was involved in a really bad car accident caused by a teen too. His name, ill never forget, was Austin Wharton. We were best friends and it was his birthday so i snuck out of my house with my best friend kayla who i loved dearly. She was my other half! My best friend! My everything!!! And He was high and ran from the police on musselman road and flew into a tree! Instantly kayla died! while we were still alive. I definitly think this guy should get charged! its not fair!

Mar 10, 2010 11:19 PM

Guest :

I think this young man has suffered enough, what he did was moronic, stupid, fuelled by drugs and alcohol. What about the dealer that gave him the drugs? People like that need to be off the streets--before something like this happens to our kids.

May 27, 2010 11:08 AM

Guest :

Yes drunk is defintely the number one cause of death for teens but none of those three deserved wat happend to them i went to the same school as shaun and Aaron i also went to their funeral, a cuple days after the boy had passed away the underclassmen were saying that Aaron, Shaun and Terry derserved wat happend to them! I wanted to hit the kid in the face he pissed me off those boys didnt derserve to die yea they made a stupid mistake that doesnt mean they derserve wat they got.

Jul 12, 2010 10:18 AM

Guest :

Even though I think that drunk driving is terrible, there are also accidents when someone makes a simple mistake like not flicking on a signal. Im not trying to downsize drunk driving but remember that not all crashes can be linked to alcohol.

Jul 19, 2010 6:54 AM

Guest :

I think he should know better and suffer the consiquences like anyone else.

Aug 3, 2010 5:03 AM

Guest :

He has definatly suffered enough those poor people this is so sad :(

Nov 18, 2010 8:08 PM

Guest :

It is far from suprising that it was a man. Males think they are better drivers but most of those who die in accidents are male and it is males who were driving most often. Of course, one of the reasons males die more often is that males are by far the weaker sex and if we males (yes I am a male) could admit that we are the weaker sex and that women are far superior we would all be better off

Nov 21, 2010 7:04 AM

Guest :

Of course, one of the reasons males die more often is that males are by far the weaker sex and if we males (yes I am a male) could admit that we are the weaker sex and that women are far superior we would all be better off

WOW I though I was one of a few males who knew women are the superior gender and their driving shows it, Now that women are getting an equal chance, they are leaving almost all the males far behind in almost every area. If males did not drive with their testicles, maybe more would be better drivers. I guess they have to show the girls they have balls so they take more risk and none more so than when they have a bunch of other boys in the car with them and that is one main reason we see so many accidents that result in several teenage males being killed in one accident yet oddly enough, even if there are say 3 males and 3 girls, more often than not, all the males will die while the girls survive and does this not show males are the weaker sex?

Nov 22, 2010 4:12 AM

Guest :

"It is far from suprising that it was a man"

It is mostly the males who are in most fatal accidents, (and it is mostly males who cause most of all the problems in society)

In 2006 there were 29,722 male drivers killed while 12,747 women were, almost 2.5 males for each woman.

As far males dying in car accidents, one of the most common why is for a male teenage driver with a car load of other males in the car and often the result is a car load of dead males because the driver has to show off and prove he is a "man" because he has to prove he has testicles (although he will use another term for them)

It is not only the drivers, more male occupants are killed also, (2/3s of the occupants killed are male)

778 male drivers killed versus 341 women
367 male motorcyclists killed versus 9 women
86 male bicyclists killed versus 13 women bicyclists
338 male pedestrians killed versus 141 women pedestrians

Some of this may be that although most think women are the weaker gender, it is actually the male that is as males do not survive injury or disease as well as women do. Many of the injuries that women survive will kill most males.

I think it is safe to conclude that the most common reason someone would die in an accident is that they are male. This should not be a surprise as males die from almost everything more often except those things only women can get.

Also with teens, if a male is driving and he has a car full of other teen males, he is far more likely to be in an accident and it often will kill all the males in the car. If he has say 3 males and 3 women, I have often noticed that only the males are killed while the girls often survive this showing the above statement is true. Before anyone thinks I am a man hating women, I am a male but I do realzie we are not the superior sex nor are women our equals as they are far superior to us males

Nov 23, 2010 3:55 AM

Guest :

"It is far from suprising that it was a man. Males think they are better drivers but most of those who die in accidents are male and it is males who were driving most often This comment is right on target

MALES — of all ages — accounted for 71 percent of all traffic fatalities, 70 percent of all pedestrian fatalities, and 87 percent of all pedalcyclist fatalities in 2008, according to traffic safety information published by the federal National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) National Center for Statistics and Analysis. “In 2008, three times more males than females were involved in fatal crashes,” they report.

He is right in the other areas too including women being the superior gender and yes, even though I am a male I can admit it. The way we males kill each other, die from almost every cause except those only women can get, and the increased death rate for males even before birth so that the ration of males to girls I wonder when males will be an endangered species.

Jan 9, 2011 2:53 PM

Guest :

I hate it when things like this happen. People get drunk or high, and end up endangering not just themself, but everyone around them. I was in a car accident when I was two. TWO! For crying out loud, I could've ended up like the driver on the other side, but my grandparents and I lived through it. Back on subject, this guy has suffered enough, having his brother and friends die before his eyes. Putting him in jail won't do anything for him.

Mar 10, 2011 6:49 AM

Guest :

Well I think. He suffered enough. If the truck driver has to take counseling then why don't you think the man that was in the car that seen it all hasn't suffered.
He suffered way to much, His step brother died his 2 friends died.
it's not like he murdered them by hand.

Mar 10, 2011 6:49 AM

Guest :

Mar 26, 2011 7:25 PM

Guest :

He definitely should be put for at least 20 years.
And his parents also another 20 years.
And the parents of all the kids at the party 20 years each.

15 Comments