| Last week in court, the family members of a | | | | injuring or killing someone in his intoxicated state |
| young man killed by a drunk driver were able to | | | | as seriously as he did marine life. The morning |
| watch as the person who took the life of their | | | | after the accident, the man phoned police and told |
| son was sentenced to five years in prison for | | | | them that he may have had something to do |
| vehicular manslaughter while under the influence of | | | | with a bicycle accident the night before. When |
| alcohol. It had not been long since the young man | | | | police arrived at the man’s home, the bicycle |
| now deceased had graduated from high school | | | | on which his young victim rode was lodged in the |
| and completed training at a school for massage | | | | front bumper of his vehicle. The young man’s |
| therapy. He was also a well-known, talented | | | | backpack was also present, stuck between the |
| musician in the Carmel area where he lived. On a | | | | wipers on the windshield. It is amazing that the |
| night in February, the young man was riding home | | | | driver was even able to make it home the night |
| on his mountain bike when he was struck by a | | | | before with his vehicle in such horrific condition. |
| drunk driver. Apparently, the man’s state of | | | | Blood alcohol tests were conducted and it was |
| intoxication was so severe that he didn’t | | | | determined that levels of alcohol in the man’s |
| realize immediately what he had done. Therefore, | | | | system exceeded .17 percent. This is over twice |
| he drove away from the scene, leaving the | | | | the legal amount for those driving, and these |
| young and injured bicyclist to die alone on the | | | | tests were not even conducted until at least |
| roadside. He was discovered at approximately 7 | | | | seven hours following the accident. It turns out |
| A.M. by several Carmel residents on their way to | | | | that the man had been convicted of DUI in at |
| work. | | | | least two other states and had also been |
| The man driving the car was a successful marine | | | | convicted of being drunk while in public. Despite his |
| biologist and avid underwater photographer who | | | | past wrongs, the man was only sentenced to five |
| seemed to enjoy life and take his career | | | | years in a California prison. In a civil case, he was |
| seriously. It is unfortunate for the family | | | | required to pay approximately one million dollars |
| members of his victim, however, that he did not | | | | to the family members of his fatal victim. |
| consider drunk driving laws and the possibility of | | | | |