District Attorney's Office discusses dangers of poor decision making with driver's education students
NORWICH – The Chenango County District Attorney's Office visited Norwich High School driver's education students on Tuesday to discuss the importance of good decision making, while highlighting the consequences of bad decisions coupled with operating a motor vehicle.
Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride, along with Chenango County Traffic Diversion Program Coordinator Gard Turner, addressed driver's education students in their fourth week of instruction about the dangers of drinking and driving, driving under the influence of drugs, and texting and driving.
McBride told students, "We're going to make sure that you come out of this room making better decisions, because that's why bad things happen; not because anybody – especially in the DWI world – is intrinsically evil. It's because they make bad decisions."
McBride briefed the students on two fatal drunk driving cases that have stuck with him over the years: when a drunk driver killed former Norwich students Rachel Nargiso, Emily Collins, and Katie Almeter in Hamilton, and when a drunk driver killed Guilford student Ashley Crisell in Bainbridge.
Discussing the death of Nargiso, Collins, and Almeter, McBride said, "Those three girls were going to rule the world––those three girls were killed. The driver's best friend was killed. And you know what happened to [the driver], in addition to suffering for killing all those people? He went to state prison for three years. Before that he was a college student going to Colgate University. Just like you, he's got the world on his fingertips, and he blew it because he made the bad decision to drive and he killed those kids."
McBride told students drinking has its own problems without coupling it with operating a motor vehicle. In discussing the death of Crisell, McBride said the people involved in the crash were partying in the woods when they decided the least intoxicated person among them was safe to drive. In addition to being intoxicated, the driver only had a learner's permit.
"He wasn't the best one to drive, no one should have driven," said McBride. "There were body parts all over Route 206 and that happened, ladies and gentlemen, because that kid made the wrong decision."
McBride and Turner then discussed the legal consequences of driving drunk, telling students that a first Driving While Intoxicated offense can receive a sentence of up to a year in jail. A second DWI offense within ten years of the first is a Class E felony and receives a sentence of 1 year and 4 months to 4 years in jail, McBride said, and a third DWI offense in ten years is an even higher felony and receives a sentence of 2 years and four months to 7 years in jail.
McBride then addressed students regarding the effects of other drugs on one's ability to drive, such as marijuana.
"Marijuana is just as bad as alcohol: it affects your ability to react, it affects your judgement and makes you a danger on the road," McBride told students.
When it comes to texting and driving, Turner noted that cell phone related offenses are five points on one's license, or nearly half the amount of allotted points before a license is revoked.
McBride noted that if an officer sees you on your phone, he is going to write you a ticket for it. He told students if they are ever written a ticket they don't agree with, it's still best to be respectful and to cooperate with the officer.
"If an officer's wrong for asking you to do something, there's a remedy in court," said McBride. "If everyone followed that rule it would be a much better place."
After addressing students, McBride said of his office's annual program with driver's education classes, "It's a chore that we have, and it's a blessing. We've been relatively lucky to not lose young kids in the most recent years, and we'll never forget those that have come and gone. So anything we can do to get that message out, to keep that trend going, to keep these kids from driving while they're under the influence and keep everybody safe ... It's not a duty, it's an honor to be a part of."
Grady Thompson photo
Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride, along with Chenango County Traffic Diversion Program Coordinator Gard Turner, addressed driver's education students in their fourth week of instruction about the dangers of drinking and driving, driving under the influence of drugs, and texting and driving.
McBride told students, "We're going to make sure that you come out of this room making better decisions, because that's why bad things happen; not because anybody – especially in the DWI world – is intrinsically evil. It's because they make bad decisions."
McBride briefed the students on two fatal drunk driving cases that have stuck with him over the years: when a drunk driver killed former Norwich students Rachel Nargiso, Emily Collins, and Katie Almeter in Hamilton, and when a drunk driver killed Guilford student Ashley Crisell in Bainbridge.
Discussing the death of Nargiso, Collins, and Almeter, McBride said, "Those three girls were going to rule the world––those three girls were killed. The driver's best friend was killed. And you know what happened to [the driver], in addition to suffering for killing all those people? He went to state prison for three years. Before that he was a college student going to Colgate University. Just like you, he's got the world on his fingertips, and he blew it because he made the bad decision to drive and he killed those kids."
McBride told students drinking has its own problems without coupling it with operating a motor vehicle. In discussing the death of Crisell, McBride said the people involved in the crash were partying in the woods when they decided the least intoxicated person among them was safe to drive. In addition to being intoxicated, the driver only had a learner's permit.
"He wasn't the best one to drive, no one should have driven," said McBride. "There were body parts all over Route 206 and that happened, ladies and gentlemen, because that kid made the wrong decision."
McBride and Turner then discussed the legal consequences of driving drunk, telling students that a first Driving While Intoxicated offense can receive a sentence of up to a year in jail. A second DWI offense within ten years of the first is a Class E felony and receives a sentence of 1 year and 4 months to 4 years in jail, McBride said, and a third DWI offense in ten years is an even higher felony and receives a sentence of 2 years and four months to 7 years in jail.
McBride then addressed students regarding the effects of other drugs on one's ability to drive, such as marijuana.
"Marijuana is just as bad as alcohol: it affects your ability to react, it affects your judgement and makes you a danger on the road," McBride told students.
When it comes to texting and driving, Turner noted that cell phone related offenses are five points on one's license, or nearly half the amount of allotted points before a license is revoked.
McBride noted that if an officer sees you on your phone, he is going to write you a ticket for it. He told students if they are ever written a ticket they don't agree with, it's still best to be respectful and to cooperate with the officer.
"If an officer's wrong for asking you to do something, there's a remedy in court," said McBride. "If everyone followed that rule it would be a much better place."
After addressing students, McBride said of his office's annual program with driver's education classes, "It's a chore that we have, and it's a blessing. We've been relatively lucky to not lose young kids in the most recent years, and we'll never forget those that have come and gone. So anything we can do to get that message out, to keep that trend going, to keep these kids from driving while they're under the influence and keep everybody safe ... It's not a duty, it's an honor to be a part of."
Grady Thompson photo
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