Finally there are charges made for the deaths of three Lewiston Altura teens. I remember being in Lewiston the day it happened. I was there for a track and field meet that was scheduled for after school. About 20 minutes before the meet was to begin, a man made an announcement from the crow’s nest, informing all Lewiston athletes to meet by the bleachers. We had heard talk earlier that something had happened but no one really knew much about anything. After the students went to this meeting, to our surprise many of them came back crying their eyes out, no one really knew what to think, and because we didn’t know them well, no one really asked any questions. The Lewiston students were informed that they could leave if they needed to. So by this point all of us were very confused as to what was going on. A group of us went and talked to one of our coaches, and this was when we were informed that a few of the Lewiston student’s classmates were just found in a crash and they already knew that some didn’t make it. When I found this out I had no idea what to think or even how to respond. I felt my heart sink because I felt so bad for these students. It made me start to think about how I would react in a situation such as this.
I remember hearing the names of the girls involved in the crash, and reading the posts on facebook about how greatly they will be missed. I was just happy it wasn’t anyone I knew personally from Lewiston, because I live very close to there and know a few students that go to school there. But, I remember thinking about what happened a lot for the next few weeks. I would have no idea how to react in such a situation.
Then after some time the rumors started to fly about what happened, and all this time I haven’t really known the truth as to what all did take place, until today, when I read the headline on the front page of the paper. After investigation, police stated that the girls were racing, which I had heard some rumors along the way about something like this but now they even know the other person involved.
The other person involved was a boy from Lewiston Altura High School, he is 17 and is being charged with 3 counts of criminal vehicular homicide and one count of criminal vehicular operations. Wow, this is something that will be on his record forever and the worst part is he hasn’t even barely started life, he is so young. And on top of it they want to have his charges filed on him as an adult. I thought it was interesting that the step-mother of the girl that had been driving the vehicle and had died, said she felt that the charges were too harsh. She also stated that the poor boy has been through enough and that it doesn’t matter anymore because nothing will bring those girls back. I think this is a very true statement. I myself also think that the charges were too hard for this young boy; he is already going to have to live with the thought that he was involved in the death of three of his classmates for the rest of his life. And if you look at it from an outsiders open perspective, it is not just him to blame, these girls were also racing, it is just as much their faults as it is his, so why not put the charges on all the girls and the boy, even though grant it the three girls are dead, but really all it took was for one of them to speak up and tell the girl driving to slow down or stop. I think this is a case where there really is not just one person to blame, but the whole group. This would be a different story say it was involving a drunk driver or something else, but this was a combined thing, and I don’t think this boy should be getting charged so harsh.
I guess after reading the article I was just shocked to read about what happened, but in a way I almost feel better to know now exactly what happened, it just tells us that vehicles are really items that we have a privilege to drive, not a right, and if we don’t drive responsibly, we are sure to pay the price at some point or another.
Bailey-
ReplyDeleteThis is a huge tragedy and it makes me really sad to hear that it happened over something so foolish. I agree with you that the boy is going to already be carrying a lifetime sentence of guilt and shame over what happened. I don't see how a jail term or prison sentence would make this any better. What a shame.
I had kind of a similar situation when I was in high school. My friend, Jason, was on a jet ski with his step dad and he wasn't wearing a helmet. They got near the barge loading docks and Jason caught one of the bars with his head, was knocked off the jet ski, and died. They charged his step dad with unintentional homocide. He already had the guilt of killing his step son in a tragic accident and then to have to spend a jail term over it. It doesn't make much sense when you see people getting charged with multiple offenses of drunk driving and getting a little slap on the wrist.
Wow! My dad tells me everyday that people who just get there cars from their parents or something, they don't take care of it, rather care what they do with it. And those who do buy their own vehicles take much more responsibilities because first of all they bought it and two, they know how hard it was just to get one and they just don't want to ruin that so they drive more cautiously and not take it as an advantages or privileges.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm also surprise of the boy too. I mean its not all his fault part of it is of course but seriously they need to realize its bad enough of what kind of grief he is already going through. Nice Story!