LAKE COUNTY — Since Rickki DeMartini, 17, was a child, she was led to believe that her mother was killed by a drunk driver. Seeking to help youth and prevent tragedy for others, she became involved with Team DUI and she shared her story.
The Team DUI program provides Lake County students the opportunity to learn the effects of drunk driving from county residents whose lives have been impacted by intoxicated motorists.
Though DeMartini”s mother was killed in a crash, she was not killed by a drunk driver.
When DeMartini”s story was featured in the Lake County Record-Bee, the family of the driver involved in the crash came forward with information that alcohol was not a factor in the Sept. 21, 2004 fatal collision.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) deemed Thomas Leon Rangel made an unsafe turn but “had not been drinking” prior to the crash, according to court records.
Rangel was driving a van eastbound on Soda Bay Road near Mission Rancheria Road in Lakeport when he attempted to make a left turn into a private driveway. He said he stopped to let two westbound cars go before attempting to cross that lane.
When Rangel made his turn, the front of the motorcycle that Rickki”s mother rode on hit the right front passenger side of the van, according to court records.
The CHP reported Rangel cut the corner while turning.
The Lake County District Attorney”s Office charged Rangel with one misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence in January 2005. He pleaded no contest later that year and was sentenced to 60 days in the county jail and three years probation.
Rangel said he spent the first year haunted by nightmares and afraid to drive near motorcycles because of the crash.
But with the help of time and counseling, Rangel said he learned to accept what happened and tried to move on from what he refers to as “a freak accident.”
“It opened old wounds and it”s hard to just close the chapter on it. It took me years to close it, just to accept that it happened, and now this opened it back up,” he said.
Though Rangel was not named in the article, he said 20 to 30 people have approached him during the past week and antagonized him about the reports he was drunk at the time of the collision. He and his family felt they needed to set the record straight about the cause of the collision. They expressed deep sympathy for DeMartini”s loss.
Judy Thein, founder of Team DUI said, “Rickki DeMartini suffered a tremendous loss when her mother died. In an attempt to help other youth and residents in the Lake County community, she became involved with Team DUI as a teen consultant and speaker, courageously sharing her own grief to help other youth understand the consequences of driving under the influence. She is an incredible asset to the program. In light of the fact that Rickki”s mother was not killed by a drunken driver as Rickki understood to be true, this aspect of the presentation will no longer be provided. All involved with Team DUI are very proud of Rickki. We have great respect for this courageous young woman. We value and care about her and hope she will remain involved with the program. We realize that her loss is immeasurable. Team DUI will continue to be here for her as a support system and friends.”
The CHP Clear Lake Area, Commander Greg Baarts and Public Information Officer Kory Reynolds said that Team DUI is a valuable asset to the Lake County community. The CHP supports all the preventative efforts of Team DUI and the positive impact the organization has on youth.
The article “Teen talks about tragedy to help others,” which appeared in the Dec. 7 Record-Bee, contained incorrect information about the crash that led to the death of Tracy Marie DeMartini. Two other articles (“New speakers, same vital message,” which appeared in the Nov. 16 Observer*American, and “Tragic impact: Team DUI drives home message,” which appeared in the Nov. 17 Record-Bee) also referenced the misinformation. Lake County Publishing regrets the error.
