Drink Driving....Life In Prison

[esmith]

Of course, the other aspect of drunk driving is that it's akin to walking out onto a public street, & randomly firing a gun.
One risks the life of others any time such a stunt is pulled.
He did this at least 10 times.
It could be seen as 10 attempts at murder.
The life sentence should've been imposed earlier.

Agree, he is sick and will not stop on his own. He would be a menace, had to be locked up.

 

[ShivaFan]

A pot smoking drunk driver smashed into the back end of my wife’s sedan, in fact he hit the back end TWO MORE TIMES after the initial injurious impact, while the sedan was waiting at a red light. The pot smoking drunk driver hit the car two more times in his attempt to flee the scene but could not since other cars pinned him in and would not let him get away.

A lot of these types DO get away, and HAVE cause injury – then hit and run. I am not so sure who this character may have actually injured, either with a car or god knows with his own fists in a bar or whatever.

Yes the sentence was appropriate. And I would take this further – anyone who has injured others due to DUI, and has done so three times whether with a license or not (hopefully they would not have one at that juncture) should be executed.

 

[Scott C.]

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?

Priority 1: Take the least severe action that ensures he will never drive again.
Priority 2: Get him help.

I don't have all of the facts, but it seems there must be another way to keep him off the streets, short of life in prison. But, if it's necessary, lock him up forever. In any case, don't give up on his ability to change with professional help.

 

[esmith]

[QUOTE="Scott C., post: 4603187, member: 14110"
I don't have all of the facts, but it seems there must be another way to keep him off the streets, short of life in prison. But, if it's necessary, lock him up forever. In any case, don't give up on his ability to change with professional help.[/QUOTE]
See my post #39 concerning rehab. Got an answer to that?

 

[Valjean]

As far as the Antabuse program, it has to be on a voluntary bases. The only time I know that it worked on a semi-non-voluntary bases was in the Navy. We had this sailor who had a drinking problem, no NJP seemed to convince up to square away. The CO gave him a choice take Antabuse anytime he left the ship or remain aboard, it was his choice. It was administered by the OOD prior to him going ashore.

The public programs worked the same way. Jail or Antabuse; your choice. no-show at the dispensaty and deputy Friendly will be showing up at your home or workplace to cart you off to your new lodgings.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

The public programs worked the same way. Jail or Antabuse; your choice. o-show at the dispensaty and deputy Friendly will be showing up at your home or workplace to cart you off to your new lodgings.

Since he fled the state while on in home, there is no reason to assume he would go to rehab if ordered. The man is definitely a flight risk.

 

[Revoltingest]

Priority 1: Take the least severe action that ensures he will never drive again.
Priority 2: Get him help.

I don't have all of the facts, but it seems there must be another way to keep him off the streets, short of life in prison. But, if it's necessary, lock him up forever. In any case, don't give up on his ability to change with professional help.

Priority #1 looks fully achieved.
Priority #2 is now moot.

 

[David1967]

I'm not saying that he deserved it, but it is not an unfair sentence.

I think the driving license should be taken away way before that instead of waiting this long and smack him with a life in prison!

I hear traffic accidents due to drink driving is high in USA. Is this true?

Ah, I keep reminded how glad I am for having alcohol banned where I live.

Yes SG, it is very high in the USA. And death by drunk driver far exceeds death by firearms in the USA. And I would be just fine with alcohol being banned here as it is in your country.

 

[columbus]

And I would be just fine with alcohol being banned here as it is in your country.

Google "Prohibition".
Then tell me whether the laws needed to really enforce it would be worth it to you.
In a country with basic freedoms the government can't take away a few without putting them all at risk.
Freedom isn't Free.
Tom

 

[FearGod]

Google "Prohibition".
Then tell me whether the laws needed to really enforce it would be worth it to you.
In a country with basic freedoms the government can't take away a few without putting them all at risk.
Freedom isn't Free.
Tom

Freedom to drive while drunk, i think the driver is punished because of his choice
to drive while drunk.

 

[David1967]

Google "Prohibition".
Then tell me whether the laws needed to really enforce it would be worth it to you.
In a country with basic freedoms the government can't take away a few without putting them all at risk.
Freedom isn't Free.
Tom

Tom, I know that prohibition was a disaster and organized crime benefited greatly from it. But at the same time it would be safer if people just abstained from alcohol period. I know this statement is provocative , but there is no where near the outrage when people die due to drunk drivers as there is when someone is shot. Just a few weeks ago an intoxicated driver sped into a crowd watching a parade in my state. The loss of life was terrible. Why are politicians not tallying up the numbers of victims due to drunk drivers and trying to get rid of alcohol with the same zeal they do regarding gun crime? Again I know what I say is provocative but at the same time I believe it is a valid point.

 

[HonestJoe]

Even the people supporting the idea of treatment in this kind of situation are focusing on the drinking as if it’s the root problem when in truth it is almost always a symptom of other, deeper issues. The tragedy here is that he apparent didn’t get the help to address whatever the real root causes are after his first offence (or even better, before). It’s a systematic and societal failure. Most people just want “problems” swept away, out of sight and out of mind because actually addressing people’s problems is too much effort.

 

[MARCELLO]

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?

That's what I love about Europe,since the distances are too short,we are never caught drunk while we are drunk when we go out ,although we drink what you drink in a year in USA, in just a couple of weeks.

 

[MARCELLO]

Agree, he is sick and will not stop on his own. He would be a menace, had to be locked up.

No need to lock him up. Just take his driving license from him for ever,unless he did not kill anyone yet. Advise him to use public transfer.

 

[MARCELLO]

Yes SG, it is very high in the USA. And death by drunk driver far exceeds death by firearms in the USA. And I would be just fine with alcohol being banned here as it is in your country.

You know what,doctors say that,alcohol is much more dangerous than other drugs; alcohol makes you too brave to do anything. Pot smoking only makes you fall asleep and eating pizza till you vomit, but alcohol makes you to steal,kill.Not for the cost of next drink to buy. You become somebody else when you are drunk.

And it is noway possible to ban alcohol since you can produce your hardest alcohol at home with your home apples and oranges . That's why alcohol cannot be banned.

 

[Smart_Guy]

...alcohol makes you too brave to do anything.

Too mindlessly reckless is more like it.

 

[Revoltingest]

No need to lock him up. Just take his driving license from him for ever,unless he did not kill anyone yet. Advise him to use public transfer.

So we should let'm kill someone first, & only then do something to ensure he can't drive.
Btw, you can drive here without a license (even though you're supposed to have one.)

 

[Scott C.]

[QUOTE="Scott C., post: 4603187, member: 14110"
I don't have all of the facts, but it seems there must be another way to keep him off the streets, short of life in prison. But, if it's necessary, lock him up forever. In any case, don't give up on his ability to change with professional help.

See my post #39 concerning rehab. Got an answer to that?[/QUOTE]

I understand that he must want to be helped, before he can overcome his addiction. I also see that he hasn't wanted it in the past. I don't think the answer is to lock him up for the rest of his life and forget about him, as a lost cause who will never be safe in public. His attitude and desire may change and there may come a time when he gets help and becomes safe to be in public, not necessarily to drive, but to at least be a free man.

 

[Scott C.]

Priority #1 looks fully achieved.
Priority #2 is now moot.

See #58.

 

[David1967]

Too mindlessly reckless is more like it.

So how many deaths due to drunk driving in your country SG? I don't drink and after dealing with too many public drunks and drunk drivers over the years and seeing the effect alcohol has on people, I see no reason to ever start drinking that poison.