DUI_charged_w/_murder
i've done my almost
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 1,934
DUI_charged_w/_murder
I drove all the time when I was drinking.
I didn't always set out too, but I would drive to go to other bars, to get drugs, to take girls home, to go to other parties.
Heck, I'm sure even when I'd stay the night somewhere, I'd still be legally drunk the next morning when driving home.
During the last 1 1/2 years of my drinking, I started blacking out, but I'd still drive. I totalled my car, twice, and got two duis, both in total blackouts. I'm very lucky no one was seriously hurt.
A friend of mine sent me this link.
I shuttered. This could have been me...
[UPDATED with Amended Complaint, Not Guilty Plea, Mother's Anguish:] Austin Jeffrey Farley Charged with Murder in DUI Death of Ashton Sweet - Orange County News - Navel Gazing
Reading stories like this make me sad and grateful all at the same time.
but for the Grace of God go i
Kjell~
I didn't always set out too, but I would drive to go to other bars, to get drugs, to take girls home, to go to other parties.
Heck, I'm sure even when I'd stay the night somewhere, I'd still be legally drunk the next morning when driving home.
During the last 1 1/2 years of my drinking, I started blacking out, but I'd still drive. I totalled my car, twice, and got two duis, both in total blackouts. I'm very lucky no one was seriously hurt.
A friend of mine sent me this link.
I shuttered. This could have been me...
[UPDATED with Amended Complaint, Not Guilty Plea, Mother's Anguish:] Austin Jeffrey Farley Charged with Murder in DUI Death of Ashton Sweet - Orange County News - Navel Gazing
Reading stories like this make me sad and grateful all at the same time.
but for the Grace of God go i
Kjell~
Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 645
Kjell,
That could have been many of us, myself included. But for the grace of God ...
A friend of mine has a 19 year old daughter who was involved in a auto accident over the 4th of July weekend in 2010. The accident resulted in the death of the other driver and alcohol was involved (i.e., the girl had been drinking at a party just prior to the accident). She is going on trial for aggravated vehicular manslaughter, the trial is scheduled for June. It is a tragic, tragic situation, two lives, two families devastated.
What I can do today is work the best AA program of recovery that I can possibly work each day in order to continue sobriety and grow in the spiritual path that I am on. I can share the 12 step message of recovery and the spiritual awakening that results with other alcoholics who want it. If I do these things diligently and faithfully, I believe I will never take another drink and I will never again drive while under the influence of alcohol.
Susan
That could have been many of us, myself included. But for the grace of God ...
A friend of mine has a 19 year old daughter who was involved in a auto accident over the 4th of July weekend in 2010. The accident resulted in the death of the other driver and alcohol was involved (i.e., the girl had been drinking at a party just prior to the accident). She is going on trial for aggravated vehicular manslaughter, the trial is scheduled for June. It is a tragic, tragic situation, two lives, two families devastated.
What I can do today is work the best AA program of recovery that I can possibly work each day in order to continue sobriety and grow in the spiritual path that I am on. I can share the 12 step message of recovery and the spiritual awakening that results with other alcoholics who want it. If I do these things diligently and faithfully, I believe I will never take another drink and I will never again drive while under the influence of alcohol.
Susan
Practice Sobriety
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: KC missouri
Posts: 885
Originally Posted by susanlauren 
Kjell,
That could have been many of us, myself included. But for the grace of God ...
A friend of mine has a 19 year old daughter who was involved in a auto accident over the 4th of July weekend in 2010. The accident resulted in the death of the other driver and alcohol was involved (i.e., the girl had been drinking at a party just prior to the accident). She is going on trial for aggravated vehicular manslaughter, the trial is scheduled for June. It is a tragic, tragic situation, two lives, two families devastated.
What I can do today is work the best AA program of recovery that I can possibly work each day in order to continue sobriety and grow in the spiritual path that I am on. I can share the 12 step message of recovery and the spiritual awakening that results with other alcoholics who want it. If I do these things diligently and faithfully, I believe I will never take another drink and I will never again drive while under the influence of alcohol.
Susan
That could have been many of us, myself included. But for the grace of God ...
A friend of mine has a 19 year old daughter who was involved in a auto accident over the 4th of July weekend in 2010. The accident resulted in the death of the other driver and alcohol was involved (i.e., the girl had been drinking at a party just prior to the accident). She is going on trial for aggravated vehicular manslaughter, the trial is scheduled for June. It is a tragic, tragic situation, two lives, two families devastated.
What I can do today is work the best AA program of recovery that I can possibly work each day in order to continue sobriety and grow in the spiritual path that I am on. I can share the 12 step message of recovery and the spiritual awakening that results with other alcoholics who want it. If I do these things diligently and faithfully, I believe I will never take another drink and I will never again drive while under the influence of alcohol.
Susan
Keepin that for mah-self :day6
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 245
Yea, it's scary to think I realistically could have killed someone (and spent my life in prison) while driving drunk. I did it for the same reasons as you Kjell. All that stuff seemed SO important back then. I literally didn't care about my own life or anyone else's. Hard to believe looking back on it...
i've done my almost
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 1,934
Originally Posted by billsaintjames
All that stuff seemed SO important back then.
I'm with you Bill. I can't believe it when I think back on it.
Kjell~
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: New England
Posts: 5,285
Two weeks ago there was a drunk driving accident about 2/10th of a mile from my house (I live near the highway). It happened at 6:00 AM...A 26 year old mother of 3 was driving back from NYC where she had been celebrating her 26th birthday. She lost control of her car and swerved, causing an 18-wheeler to overturn killing the passengers (a man and a pregnant young woman). She was fine, except for the fact that she was so drunk she couldn't even stand up. They had to shut the highway down for 6 hours.
Yes that could have been me.
Yes that could have been me.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 336
A friend's husband (now ex) is in prison for 9 years on a felony wrong-way (on a freeway), DUI, and manslaughter. He hit his victim head on, killed the driver (50 yr old man father of 2) and caused life-long injuries to the passenger. He was pulled from his overturned SUV just before it brust into flames. He began his sentence in December 2009.
Just a regular guy in his early 30's with an excellent professional job as an RN with a bright future.
If alcoholism doesn't kill the alcoholic, it will look for someone else to kill.
Just a regular guy in his early 30's with an excellent professional job as an RN with a bright future.
If alcoholism doesn't kill the alcoholic, it will look for someone else to kill.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 2,391
I am so grateful for my sobriety and my life and the lives of my children. I was high and got in an accident with my children in the car. I was the only one hurt (very minor injuries). For whatever reason my blood was not tested and I was never charged. I live with that every day.
I'm not taking my second chance for granted.
I'm not taking my second chance for granted.
Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 449
SOBER.
Son of a B**** Everything's Real. Doesn't get any more real than the fact that if I rest on my laurels - it could still be me.
When the book says I'm selfish, self centered, a great place for me to start was all the times I drove drunk. I was getting irritated at somebody saying "It's just one DUI" about her charge, and it was irritating me because it brought forth the ugly truth for me that I only got caught once. But I drove drunk, all the time. The notion of hurting myself or someone else never entered my head because I had to get more booze or get to a place of "comfort" for myself, "my way". Me, me, me, that's all it was about.
Sobering indeed. Glad I don't do it anymore and that I have a solution that if I take action, I won't have to do it again.
Son of a B**** Everything's Real. Doesn't get any more real than the fact that if I rest on my laurels - it could still be me.
When the book says I'm selfish, self centered, a great place for me to start was all the times I drove drunk. I was getting irritated at somebody saying "It's just one DUI" about her charge, and it was irritating me because it brought forth the ugly truth for me that I only got caught once. But I drove drunk, all the time. The notion of hurting myself or someone else never entered my head because I had to get more booze or get to a place of "comfort" for myself, "my way". Me, me, me, that's all it was about.
Sobering indeed. Glad I don't do it anymore and that I have a solution that if I take action, I won't have to do it again.
Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oxnard (The Nard), CA, USA.
Posts: 13,860
Had I not taken an hard interest in changing the direction of my life, I could easily see my name in the news for the same thing. It took sobering up to make me see how insane my addiction driven life really was...a tragedy waiting to happen.
Servant of God
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 214
All of the cuteness of the disease is quickly extinguished when cold reality like this is presented. I would often laugh off the serious nature of alcoholism and at times glamorize that "party like a rockstar" lifestyle. It is hard not to indulge in the drama of it all sometimes and take my indiscretions too lightly because I knew I could always "turn it around" when I needed to. It all would make for another great comeback story, right?
Then something like this story is presented and it stops you dead in your tracks. This disease, untreated, will kill us and recovery is a matter of life and death and needs to be treated as such.
Then something like this story is presented and it stops you dead in your tracks. This disease, untreated, will kill us and recovery is a matter of life and death and needs to be treated as such.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 284
One week ago yesterday, my 54 year old cousin was killed in a car accident. Her husband was driving drunk on a gravel road. He and another passenger had minor injuries. He and my cousin had a very close marriage; both have/had been alcoholics for years. 3 grown children, 4 grandchildren.
They live in a rural area in the midwest where you could drive drunk every night for years and never get caught by the cops. It was always okay and nothing ever happened, until it did.
Her husband may face criminal charges. But no jail cell would be worse than living with the fact that you killed your own wife while driving drunk.
They live in a rural area in the midwest where you could drive drunk every night for years and never get caught by the cops. It was always okay and nothing ever happened, until it did.
Her husband may face criminal charges. But no jail cell would be worse than living with the fact that you killed your own wife while driving drunk.
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