Many times since that horrific Sunday morning six weeks ago, Manny Causland whispered to his 17-year-old son, John: “I wish I could be half the person you are.” On Christmas Eve, the boy finally heard him.
That’s when John Causland emerged from a coma, when the swelling in his brain receded, when his skin started to heal - skin ripped off his knuckles, fingertips and toes after an alleged drunken driver sent him hurtling 100 feet across a busy Waltham intersection.
G-d bless you and continue to watch over you as you recover, John. I wouldn't wish what you went through on anyone (well, practically anyone).
The whole Causland family has an incredibly wonderful outlook on this ordeal. Rather than be angry at the situation, they're grateful that their son is still alive - money quote: "Instead of coming here, we could be going to a grave site." Yup. I'd like to think that I'd be as magnanimous and forgiving and able to look on the bright side if (G-d forbid) something like that were to happen to a member of my family.
I don't think I'd be able to, though, given the circumstances:
For the record, alleged drunken driver Bonnie Lee Hicks, 43, of Billerica remains free on personal recognizance.
Think about that for a second. This person struck someone in a crosswalk with sufficient force to launch him 100 feet or more. She then left the scene without so much as an acknowledgement of having nearly killed someone. It's possible - most likely probable - that she was driving while impaired. And yet she's not on jail.
In fact, not only is she not in jail, she's free on her own recognizance - she didn't even have to post bail.
What does that say when you can commit assault with a deadly weapon and not even have to fork over a C-note to stay out of prison? Worse yet, even if she is convicted she'll most likely receive a VERY mild slap on the wrist - maybe six months jail time combined with a couple years' probation IF the judge is in a bad mood. More than likely, she'll be given probation and lose her license for 6 months.
Why do we insist on treating drunk driving incidents as accidents? When someone makes the conscious decision to get behind the wheel of an automobile after drinking alcohol, it's no accident. It's clear, pre-meditated malice, and it should be treated as such. If I were to get drunk and start randomly firing my Bushmaster into a populated area, I'd be lucky if the worst thing that happened to me was getting arrested and going to jail - most likely, I'd get shot and killed by the cops, and rightfully so. Yet if I get hammered and climb behind the wheel, I get a slap on the wrist - even if I almost kill a young man who was minding his own damn business.
And if I'm a state senator from Cambridge, the cops'll even drive me home...
That is all.
5 comments:
Jay,
Former state Senator Galluccio is now in lockup for ONE YEAR at the Middlesex County House of Corrections in, coincidentally, Billerica, MA -- the same town as little miss Bonnie Lee Drunk-n-hammered. In addition to a year in lockup, I'd personally like to see Galluccio get disbarred and have the state yank his law license for at least five years. He caused a 13-year old boy to have a trip to the hospital and not be able to play sports for about a year. That's far worse than Miss Bonnie. Miss Bonnie should be taken out behind the woodshed and shot, then her putrid corpse be left as fodder for the coyotes. Oh, did I mention I'm in a charitable mood today? Yeah. Too bad Judge Isaac Parker isn't still around. He'd have shaken things up.
- Brad
When someone makes the conscious decision to get behind the wheel of an automobile after drinking alcohol, it's no accident.
But when the individual is really trashed, is it a "conscious decision" to get behind the wheel?
I mean, there's a difference between the guy (or gal) who drives drunk _once_ and hits somebody, and the jerk who makes a habit of getting smashed and driving home every Saturday night, has had close calls before, multiple DUI arrests, and finally hits somebody. I think the former deserves a second chance, though not a free ride. Say, six months in jail and pay the victim's hospital bills.
The latter, of course, you can take down to the zoo and feed to the hyenas. Alive.
Tell me again why we don't have public hangings anymore?
I believe that the crime we, as a culture, recognise as a pure crime requires an innocent, otherwise wholesome victim who is minding his or her own business in a wholesome place and a stranger, intentionally savage criminal.
The DC sniper, OKC bomber, or Atlanta child killer for example.
It absolutely amazes me how we discount crimes of violence once any one or thing steps out of that paradigm. Especially as the steps come closer to us as potential defendants, or farther from us as like to see ourselves as potential victims.
Defendant drinking?
Wait, I've had a couple of drinks before...
Car as weapon? Hold hard, I drive a car every day...
Victim drunk?
I don't get drunk...
Victim buying crack? I'd NEVER buy crack...
I've seen several cases where parents boiled their children alive, and were not charged or acquitted on some "This parent has suffered enough/ it can't have been on purpose, you wouldn't do this to YOUR child" theory.
As you say, just crazy. But true.
Jay,
Your state's most famous drunk driver was able to secure about 40 years in the United States Senate...
You do correctly state one thing, though. Exercise of an enumerated right to bear arms, while impaired, would be dealt with much more harshly. Because, obviously, .5 ounces (230 grains) traveling at 900 feet per second is MUCH more dangerous than 60,800 ounces (3800 pounds) traveling at 88 feet per second. Right?
(WV: Fectierg - The amount of energy expended fisking a hoplophobe's arguments)
Pax,
Newbius
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