Lower Lake >> It took months of planning to show what can happen in an instant.
Teary eyed and with her arms wrapped around drama teacher Tracy Lahr, freshman Patricia McCleery watched as her fellow classmates — friends — left cuffed in the back of a police car, on gurneys or in a body bag.
Wednesday morning Lower Lake High School (LLHS) students saw the consequences of drunk driving during an Every 15 Minutes demonstration, named so because according to some measures a person dies in the U.S. every quarter hour from an alcohol related crash.
The scene outside LLHS included two wrecked cars with four student victims. Beer cans spilled out of the car as drunk driver, LLHS senior Spencer Ramsey, stepped out of the vehicle. His passenger, senior Megan Smith, was flown out via helicopter to the hospital before succumbing to her injuries. In the other vehicle were juniors Eric Egger who suffered moderate injuries, and Bailey DeLong who died at the site.
Of course they were acting. But safety officers consider this a serious play.
At least 100 people from law enforcement, St. Helena Hospital, Clear Lake, students, parents and school staff were involved in coordinating the crash, said California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer Kory Reynolds, all with the same goal to reduce alcohol related incidents among youth.
Units from CHP, Lake County Fire Protection District (LFPD), Lake County Sheriff’s Office and California State Parks, as well as Clearlake and Lakeport police departments were at the scene.
The personnel who respond to actual fatal incidents treated Wednesday’s staged crash with the same life saving urgency as the real thing — because they want the message, the impact of watching such a scene to be life saving.
“You can tell them all day it’s bad, but seeing it is something else,” retired firefighter and volunteer police officer Ross Bartoe said. “If we save just one life, stop one of these kids from driving drunk, it’s worth it.”
LFPD Chief Willie Sapeta agrees. He still remembers the incident at the intersection of Lake Street and Dam Road in Lower Lake where in 1989 a DUI crash left three dead. They had just been at a graduation party.
“[Students] need to see the critical consequences,” he said. “Watching their friends, their classmates zipped up in a body bag, leaving in a hearse stirs up emotions.”
The sight was tough even for some adults.
“It never seems to amaze me how hard it hits,” Lahr said. “It’s powerful.”
More student victims were pulled out of class by the Grim Reaper on Wednesday 15 minutes apart to represent more lives lost in crashes. Their headstones were on display for all to see as they enter LLHS.
Thursday, there will be a funeral service where students can mourn and guest speakers will further talk about the fatal consequences of drunk driving.
McCleery said it was hard to watch the crash, but after seeing her bloodied peers said she will surely think twice before getting in a car with a drunk driver.
