Drunk Driving

On December 30, I did a story about drunk driving and how you should think twice about driving while intoxicated. New Year's Eve is a big day for celebrations. We say goodbye to 2008, the good and bad times and we welcome in a new year but it’s a day that many people get behind the wheel drunk.

On December 31, I did another story, this time highlighting a family that went through the heartache of their 20-year-old son being killed by a drunk driver. It's sad to me that ONE choice changed the lives of so many. It really touched my heart talking with Mr. and Mrs. Robinson about Zach. I thought this would also touch the lives of others and make a difference.

Now, I was hoping my story would change people's minds about driving drunk. I don't think I'm superwoman but I thought if I could make some kind of difference, I did something right.

I feel like I didn't.

On New Year's Day early in the morning about 1:30, there was a terrible collision on South First and Arnold. Krystal Limonez, Mazie Paulino, and Clifford Cartwright were all involved in the collision. Krystal passed away after being on life support for a day, Mazie is still in critical condition, and now Clifford has many questions to answer.

I received that phone call from Sgt. Doug Wrenn from the Abilene Police Department on New Year's Day about what happened because just the day before we did the story about drunk driving. The whole day I couldn't stop thinking about these two young girls that got in the car with this guy that changed their lives and their families lives.

These are my confessions.

I am not calling this an accident as most media have. As Sgt. Wrenn and I discussed on New Year's Eve, getting behind the wheel drunk is intentional and accidents are unintentional.

I am not here to try to save the world, but I feel like I need to try to make a difference, whether it's doing a story about a non-profit organization to promote donations, or about a teacher that is making a difference in a student's life, or getting people to think twice about drunk driving. I want to make an impact and I am hoping I did in someone's life but I feel this week I failed because Krystal is no longer on this earth.

Always, Maria