Drunk drivers - criminal or sick?

In Nassau County, on Long Island, NY, the district attorney is cracking down on drunk drivers. We've had some horrible accidents and the DA's work was on 60 Minutes recently. The local newspaper is publishing on its internet site pictures of people arrested for drunk driving.

One view is that we've all done it and it shouldn't be severely penalized. Another view is that driving while drunk can result in death and injury, and is tantamount to murder.

EMS folks see the results all the time. I'm curious what everyone thinks about driving while intoxicated. Have your views changed over time? Thanks for your comments.

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Permalink Reply by Dave Bloom on January 27, 2009 at 3:30pm

Given the number of serial dui drivers out there, there should be even stiffer penalties. One view, that we've all done it, yeah, we all have, but I think people who drink and drive constantly need to become pedestrians, period

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Permalink Reply by Bobby Moody on January 28, 2009 at 1:21am

There are two completely separate acts to me... Drinking can be a sickness or just something ya do occasionally. Driving while intoxicated is just criminal, plain and simple. Being intoxicated may allow you to more easily make stupid decisions, but it does not CAUSE or encourage you to make poor decisions...including drunk driving.

That's my two cents.

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Permalink Reply by Theresa Kingsley on January 28, 2009 at 9:27am

Ironically, one of our local flight paramedics was killed this morning while on his way to work. He was hit head on by a drunk driver going north bound in the south bound lane of interstate. The drunk driver was driving on revoked license, and was a habitual offender for DUIs. It's sad, we're now without one of the best paramedics in the region because of a very poor judgement made (apparently repeatedly) by this person. The drunk driver was flown out, and his injuries seem to be nothing when compared to our friend that lost his life. I don't know that we can do enough, maybe we do need stiffer penalties for them. The jails here are already full, so we definitely need another option to keep them off the road.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Torrence on January 28, 2009 at 10:22am

Everyone makes a bad decision at some point it's simply a matter scale. Not EVERYONE has driven intoxicated. I'll be the first to admit that I have (not anymore). Fortunately I had no accidents nor did I injure anyone. Does or should the fact that I have driven drunk make me more inclined to be lenient with those that do? I don't think so. If one chooses to get behind the wheel and drive after consuming alcohol then one should pay the price. We recently had a sand rail crash here in which two were killed, two were wounded and crippled for life and the driver who caused it was seriously injured. He is being tried on two counts of homicide, two counts of assault and DUII. He will get what he deserves. Where we have a problem is that no amount of punishment will bring back the dead, comfort the families nor heal the crippled. Hopefully we can help prevent others from commiting similar offenses. I doubt it but maybe. Was this guy "sick"? I don't think so. I think he made a bad choice on a huge scale and now he, his victims and their families are paying the price.

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Permalink Reply by Greg Castillo on January 28, 2009 at 11:03am

Theresa- sorry to hear about your loss. I see you are in the Muddy Angels group, so I assume you know a little bit about what we do and why we do it. Obviously it's a tragedy when anybody dies, but to lose someone like that is just terrible. Will you be able to participate in the Bike Ride at all? Riding for your lost colleague is a great way to remember them and continue in their honor.

On a slightly positive note, we had a crash recently where the drunk dumbass was going the wrong way around a ramp. Local FD called for a helicopter, but the patient arrested right before the heli landed. They ended up canceling and taking another call. FD got a pulse back and transported to the Level II nearby. While the pt was being worked in the ED, State Police took the drunk into the trauma room. They made him watch and said "LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID. YOU DID THIS. YOU KILLED HIM" and so on. Really made him sober up fast.

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Permalink Reply by Theresa Kingsley on January 28, 2009 at 4:34pm

Thanks Greg for your thoughts. I am familiar with the Muddy Angels, as one of my coworkers came up and helped last year with the ride. He is hopefully helping again this year, and we hope to be able to contribute when the ride comes through our area. I think it is a wonderful way to honor our fallen brothers and sisters.

Greg Castillo said:

Theresa- sorry to hear about your loss. I see you are in the Muddy Angels group, so I assume you know a little bit about what we do and why we do it. Obviously it's a tragedy when anybody dies, but to lose someone like that is just terrible. Will you be able to participate in the Bike Ride at all? Riding for your lost colleague is a great way to remember them and continue in their honor.

On a slightly positive note, we had a crash recently where the drunk dumbass was going the wrong way around a ramp. Local FD called for a helicopter, but the patient arrested right before the heli landed. They ended up canceling and taking another call. FD got a pulse back and transported to the Level II nearby. While the pt was being worked in the ED, State Police took the drunk into the trauma room. They made him watch and said "LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID. YOU DID THIS. YOU KILLED HIM" and so on. Really made him sober up fast.

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Permalink Reply by Greg Castillo on January 28, 2009 at 4:57pm

Great. This year the Kentucky portion of the ride will stop in Abingdon, VA for a night. Hope you can help out there. I won't be on that portion of the ride; I'll be riding down the valley into Roanoke. Think you'll be able to make it there for the weekend?

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Permalink Reply by Theresa Kingsley on January 28, 2009 at 8:01pm

I'm certainly going to try to make it to Roanoke! We're going to feed the riders here in Abingdon, as well as see what else we can come up with. Maybe we'll see you there?

Greg Castillo said:

Great. This year the Kentucky portion of the ride will stop in Abingdon, VA for a night. Hope you can help out there. I won't be on that portion of the ride; I'll be riding down the valley into Roanoke. Think you'll be able to make it there for the weekend?

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Permalink Reply by Bryan Kimberlin on January 28, 2009 at 8:48pm

It is a same that we even have to have a discussion about this. Yes everyone make mistakes but when it cost someone thier lives it is more than a mistake. The person that cause the MVC that killed the medic this morning had made more than one mistake he was driving on a revoked license. Greg as soon as things settle down I will forward the information about "Earl" so that we can ride for him this year. I had started makeing plans with the fire department that he worked for a couple of weeks ago for when we come though the Bristol area.

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Permalink Reply by Glo on January 29, 2009 at 12:17am

Mt prayers are with you all.

Theresa Kingsley said:

Ironically, one of our local flight paramedics was killed this morning while on his way to work. He was hit head on by a drunk driver going north bound in the south bound lane of interstate. The drunk driver was driving on revoked license, and was a habitual offender for DUIs. It's sad, we're now without one of the best paramedics in the region because of a very poor judgement made (apparently repeatedly) by this person. The drunk driver was flown out, and his injuries seem to be nothing when compared to our friend that lost his life. I don't know that we can do enough, maybe we do need stiffer penalties for them. The jails here are already full, so we definitely need another option to keep them off the road.

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Permalink Reply by Bob Walker on January 30, 2009 at 6:24am

It should be a stiffer penalty since majority DUI crashes result in injury to the innocent and not the offender. Yes we all have done it at some time. But majority of us grow up....

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Permalink Reply by frankie on January 31, 2009 at 2:17pm

Has anyone in the business noticed an amazing trend about drunk drivers? most drunk drivers that crash are total "shit-bags" and shouldn't be driving in the first place. the biggest problem with these people is that they never die! i mean honestly if a drunk driver wraps his/her car around a light pole and dies who cares, but when drunk moron hits grandma walking her grandchildren in the stroller and kills all 3 its a tragedy. i dont understand how or why these people live! the fact of the matter is that we as a group need to start doing "population control" on these assholes because when moron wraps his car around the pole we do everything necessary to prevent the inevitable that he just caused to grandma 2 weeks earlier. i am sorry if i offended anyone but someone had to say it.