CLEARLAKE ? Team DUI and its guests braved a chilly windstorm Thursday evening to unite in remembering those lost to incidents involving intoxicated drivers. Stories were shared at the candlelight vigil that brought back painful memories, which illustrated the dire consequences of driving under the influence (DUI).
The candlelight vigil marked the 20th anniversary of an incident that rocked the community and Lower Lake High School”s student body in particular. Speakers shared memories from that tragic night and the pain that was suffered as a result of a DUI collision that took the life of three prominent high school students.
Lower Lake High School student Adam Painchaud opened the ceremony in song, strumming out the chords and applying the vocals to “Depression.” Another student, Eden Santos, closed the ceremony with a lovely delivery of “Hero.”
Pastor Larry Fanning served as master of ceremonies for the event. In relation to the incident of 1989, Fanning said, “This happened 20 years ago and the pain is still so great.”
Konocti Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Bill MacDougall led the cast of speakers, which offered various experiences related to DUI incidents. “There are times in your life that things occur and they change your life forever,” Dr. MacDougall said. “This changed my life forever.”
MacDougall continued to describe the moral on campus that year prior to the incident. The Trojans were at the top of everything, from academics to sports. The boys lost in the incident were football champions and scholarly leaders of the school. “These were three boys who led our school,” he said. “Their futures were cut short. It changed all of our students. It changed our town. We need to protect life.”
MacDougall said that the district had been trying to establish a Sober Grad Night program for many years prior to the incident. However, it was only after this tragic event, that sober grad program came to fruition. It has continued every year since, he said.
LLHS teacher Kris Tyner also spoke. He described the party at which the boys were the night of the incident. They were on a “beer run” when tragedy struck.
Tyner offered memories of those lost. Star football player Frank Doyle had rushed for more than a 1000 yards that year. The quiet and respectful Josh Burke was a “class act,” he said; and Joe Dizon was on his way to being valedictorian. “Young kids are not supposed to die in their prime,” he said.
Tyner shared his perception of today”s youth with regard to underage drinking. He said that he is seriously alarmed by how they are talking more openly about their activities without concern for listening ears. He said although he doesn”t condone it, he doesn”t feel that underage drinking will never stop. “The reality is harsh and unchanging. Kids drink. They get drunk and they drive,” he said, having suggested that designation of sober drivers be a practice extended to and encourage among today”s youth.
Lake County Sheriff Captain Russ Perdock was the first to respond to the scene that night. He said he was only three years on the job when it happened. He said he still sees in his mind the graphic details of the scene; the trouble that was had with new extrication equipment and the cries for help coming from the driver. “The car had hit the tree with such force that the roof of the car had been pushed down,” he said. “It took an hour to get them out of the car. It was a very emotional scene.”
Wendy Jensen shared her own story in which she had been the drunk-driver in a near-fatal collision. Struggling through her tears, she described the way in which she has learned her lesson to not drink and drive. She shared inquiries by her daughter that obviously broke her heart and the painful road to forgiveness she has gained from the man she nearly killed.
Leslie Thompson also shared her story. She was driving a vehicle that was struck by a drunk-driver. The passenger of the other vehicle had been ejected and she said she was forced to watch the woman die right in front of her as she lay on the hood of her vehicle. The woman who hit Thompson”s car had a Blood Alcohol Count (BAC) of .44. “The judge said that anyone else would have died with an alcohol level so high,” she said.
A passenger in Thompson”s vehicle died in the collision. She said that horrific ordeal has left her with a constant fear for driving.
Closing the vigil, Pastor Fanning invited those in attendance to come to the microphone and speak the name of anyone that they had lost to DUI incidents. “They are not forgotten,” he said.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
