Two relatives of drunken-driving crash victims and a retired state trooper shared their experiences as part of Iberia Parish’s first-ever DWI Victim Impact Panel.
The concept requires DWI offenders to hear firsthand accounts of the dangers of drunken driving as part of their sentences.
|
Advertisement |
Domingue, of New Iberia, recalled being awakened May 8, 2005, to learn that his stepson Clay Terry had died in a drunken-driving crash in Delcambre. Domingue described the pain of having to tell Terry’s siblings and children of his stepson’s death.
“The hardest thing in the world was having to tell an 11-year-old boy that his dad was dead and he won’t ever come back,” Domingue said.
Retired Louisiana State Police Lt. Darrel Gros of New Iberia said he delivered the same news to several families during his time as a trooper.
Gros recalled filling out paperwork for his third DWI arrest in one night when he was called to the scene of a drunken-driving crash in which four people were killed.
“A lot of people say a DWI traffic accident is a non-violent crime,” he said. “I’ve never been to one that was non-violent.”
Victim impact panels were first initiated in 1982 by Mothers Against Drunk Driving. The Iberia Parish panel, composed of six people, was organized by the 16th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
“Just looking at the news, there are so many vehicular homicides and DWI arrests,” said Catelene Theriot, victim assistance coordinator for Iberia Parish. “We needed it.”
Theriot said the panel plans to meet monthly. Most of the defendants at Wednesday’s meeting were from Iberia Parish, while others traveled from St. Martin and Lafayette parishes.
Delores Norton, a member of the St. Mary Parish Chapter of MADD, distributed cards with a “safe driving promise,” and urged offenders to sign them and give them to a friend or family member.
As he was leaving, Marcus Comeaux handed his card to Domingue.
“Hearing the testimonials really did touch my heart,” said Comeaux of New Iberia. “I would say that I wouldn’t drink and drive again.”
Comments
Bill Dikant wrote on May 11, 2008 6:39 AM:
I have spoken to many hundreds of these convicted drunk drivers since 1982 and Hopefuly some of them retained what I said. Here is some advice, dont hold them monthly,make it quaterly, it will burs out the SPEAKER(S) and they are not easy to get because of the return of the traumatic expierence they went through. Dont let the remarks or lack of remarks on the evaluation sheets given out be a cause of failure on your part.There are some people out there that have Mush for brains. GOOD LUCK in your venture. "