Drink Driving....Life In Prison

[Revoltingest]

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/We...to-Life-in-Prison-for-10th-DWI-366068451.html
"A 62-year-old Weatherford, Texas man was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to his 10th driving while intoxicated offense."
"District Judge Craig Towson told Ivy Ray Eberhardt he was "a second away from hurting someone really badly" as he announced the sentence, according to a news release issued by Parker County district attorneys."

I say this is appropriate, given the danger this guy poses.
But it's harsh.
Too harsh?

 

[Jumi]

10th DUI? That's not harsh, that's lenient.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

Sheesh! I didn't see that it said so, but I presume he lost his driver's license some time ago--if he didn't, shame on the state. Obviously, escalating penalties and treatment weren't successful in at least getting him to stop driving while he was drinking. It also isn't clear if in Texas, "life" means "until he dies" or five or 10 years (or whatever) and then he's out again. but, my understanding of addiction is that putting him away will not stop him if he ever gets out again. Harsh? Maybe, but I believe in society being harsh sometimes. Also lenient sometimes.

 

[BSM1]

Personally I have no problem getting this guy off the streets permanently but the punishment may not fit the crime due to the fact that the drunk (evidently) hasn't wrecked or injured anyone.

 

[RedDragon94]

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/We...to-Life-in-Prison-for-10th-DWI-366068451.html
"A 62-year-old Weatherford, Texas man was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to his 10th driving while intoxicated offense."
"District Judge Craig Towson told Ivy Ray Eberhardt he was "a second away from hurting someone really badly" as he announced the sentence, according to a news release issued by Parker County district attorneys."

I say this is appropriate, given the danger this guy poses.
But it's harsh.
Too harsh?

Why not just give him house arrest and an ankle bracelet?

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

Why not just give him house arrest and an ankle bracelet?

They did. He cut off the bracelet and fled the state to Colorado, where he was arrested for DUI, too. House arrest only works if the person is willing to cooperate.

 

[RedDragon94]

They did. He cut off the bracelet and fled the state to Colorado, where he was arrested for DUI, too. House arrest only works if the person is willing to cooperate.

God d*** that f***** idiot.

 

[Godobeyer]

"....." is the problem Revoltingest

 

[Revoltingest]

God d*** that f***** idiot.

Most eloquent post of the week!

 

[David1967]

Put him away before he kills someone. From what I have seen ,the drunk driver usually survives and his victim or victims die. And they are usually right back on the street to drive drunk again. I have no sympathy for that scumbag whatsoever.

 

[Valjean]

Was he never put on an Antabuse program?

 

[Jumi]

Put him away before he kills someone. From what I have seen ,the drunk driver usually survives and his victim or victims die. And they are usually right back on the street to drive drunk again. I have no sympathy for that scumbag whatsoever.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[David1967]

My thoughts exactly.

There was a case in my area a few years ago when a repeat drunk driver wiped out an entire family of 4. When he got out of jail he was arrested again for drunk driving. No regard for the people he killed or for future people he could kill.I say he should have been charged with murder.

 

[Valjean]

Maybe if he'd been prevented from drinking the tragedy would never have happened.
Wouldn't it be better and less costly to prevent problems rather than punish people for their medical conditions after the fact.

 

[David1967]

Maybe if he'd been prevented from drinking the tragedy would never have happened.
Wouldn't it be better and less costly to prevent problems rather than punish people for their medical conditions after the fact.

I am all for prevention. Absolutely. But when the crime has been committed, prevention is putting the person away before they kill, or hurt, or maim again.

 

[Valjean]

Or the cheaper route of preventing his drinking while he continues to function as a productive member of society.
Keeping a person in prison is expensive. You have to ask yourself if you're doing it to hurt or punish the malefactor, to assuage your ire at his misdeeds, or because no other remedy is available.
In the case of drink driving an inexpensive alternative does exist, but it might not assuage your ire if your aim is purely punishment rather than correction/prevention.

 

[columbus]

I say he should have been charged with murder.

My partner's oldest daughter, 8 and 1/2 months pregnant with his first grandson, got slammed into by a drunk driver.
She and her son died in a helicopter racing to hospital.
Oh yeah. Attempted murder needs to be on the list of DUI crimes.
Tom

 

[Valjean]

Doesn't a charge of attempted murder require mens rea?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Why didn't they force him into rehab and therapy? I agree with the sentence, though. Drunk driving needs to be cracked down on.

 

[David1967]

My partner's oldest daughter, 8 and 1/2 months pregnant with his first grandson, got slammed into by a drunk driver.
She and her son died in a helicopter racing to hospital.
Oh yeah. Attempted murder needs to be on the list of DUI crimes.
Tom

So sorry for your loss Tom. No parent should have to experience such a thing. I took part a couple weeks ago in a DUI prevention roadblock. Had a lady thank me for what we were doing as she had recently lost a family member to a drunk driver. We arrested several drunk drivers that night, perhaps even saved some lives. Again ,sorry for your loss.