Amador County – Amador Superior Court Judge Susan Harlan will hold a Driving Under the Influence sentencing with an audience of approximately 300 students and faculty 1:45 p.m. Tuesday, May 22 at Argonaut High School.

Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency’s Friday Night Live coordinator Megan Taylor announced the sentencing of an Amador County resident who “was recently arrested for DUI and chose to participate in this assembly in order to demonstrate to the students at Argonaut High School the consequences of drinking and driving.”

Taylor said following the sentencing, A-TCAA’s Friday Night Live program and members of the Amador Juveninle Justice youth Advisory Board will facilitate an interactive panel discussion.” The panel includes Harlan, Sheriff Martin Ryan, District Attorney Todd Riebe, CHP officer Craig Harmon, Chief Probation Officer Mark Bonini, Public Defender Randy Shrout and a recent victim of DUI crime.

Harmon reported that 159 DUI arrests and 46 DUI-related collisions occurred in Amador County in 2011. It is estimated 40 percent of all traffic accidents with a fatality are alcohol related. Taylor said motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people age 15-19, with the primary collision factor being alcohol.

In order to further decrease the number of alcohol-related deaths involving drivers under age 21 who have been drinking, Taylor said it is necessary to continue to raise awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving among this population through multiple traffic safety prevention programs such as the DUI Court in Schools program.

She said counties across the state are implementing similar programs. The Amador program was funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“The intent of the panel is to allow for significant dialogue among the panel and students in attendance,” Taylor said. “Following the panel discussion, Toni Fancher will speak about the consequence and impact of a DUI in a person’s life.”

Taylor said they hope the “sentencing will teach students about the very real and severe consequences of driving under the influence.” She said “too many lives continue to be altered or lost due to drinking and driving. I hope this experience will convince students to avoid making a terrible mistake.”

Conducting a DUI sentencing at a high school is an innovative strategy to help reduce community alcohol problems, including motor vehicle crashes, Taylor said. Students will witness the legal implication and learn about the consequences.

Drinking and driving continues to be a leading cause of collisions resulting in injury or death, and statistics show 30 percent of Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related motor vehicle crash at some point in their lives.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.