Barrettone Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 (edited) Long story short, my cousin (a great 27 year-old on his way up...graduated from MSU with a degree in Urban Planning and was working in the family's land development business) was snuffed out by a drunken jackass kid (18 years old) after mommy and daddy gave his ass the keys to the Bennington deck boat even though he already had TWO DUI's in the last two years and didn't even have a drivers license!!! He had just come off a tether two weeks prior for Christ's sake!!! Anyway, he (and his other 3 drunken buddies) ram the parked boats, launch over them, snaps my cuz's neck and maim another girl (closed head injury...read: brain damaged) and they later find out he was going about 30mph at NIGHT (12:30am) through a no-wake zone (no-wake even during the daytime that is). Didn't even see the lights on the other boats because he was so blasted, and had weed on the boat to boot. Fast Forward 18 months to this little f**kers trial. Gets convicted on all counts (up to 15 years (negligent homicide), 5 years (driving drunk causing serious injury), 2 years (violation of parole), and 2 years (violation of parole). My uncle personally funded the re-creation experts and professional witnesses for the prosecution. Sentencing is February 1'st. Whole family went to Mike's grave the minute after the trial to try to make peace with it all. The little bastard will probably only serve 8-10 since everything has to be run concurrently since it wasn't murder, but negligent homicide. Couldn't get him on anymore because it was damn marine law which is a totally different animal. Hell, DUI isn't even until .10. There is no impaired...couldn't believe it. I hope the judge hammers this guy for everything he can...we'll see. Our family helped put him on the bench, so he knows the havoc it has wreaked first-hand. (FYI...the Michigan Supreme court upheld his hearing the case...no conflict of interest.) He's a good man...he'll do the right thing. RIP Mike...we got the bastard. He won't hurt anybody else now. Mommy and Daddy are next...on principle. Thanks...Just needed to vent a little. Edited December 21, 2006 by Barrettone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ima45dv8 Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 Sorry for your loss, Jeff. Let us know if the judge steps up and hits a long one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronEqualizer Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 Man.....sorry to hear about your cuz......I know nothing will bring him back but at least some satisfaction will come from knowing the little bastard will pay dearly. Hope he likes making kissy face with Bubba and grabbing his ankles and squealing like a pig for Bubba junior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micah Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 Jeff, I too am very sorry about your loss. My cousin and great friend lost his life to a drunk driver years ago...no answers will help, just love to heal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harmon Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 we have a judge in texas who told a Inmate convicted of Intox manslaughter and Repititon of a felony the follwing: "The state of texas finds you guilty of all counts...you are sentenced to 55 years for intoxication manslaughter and twenty years for repitition of a felony. these sentences will be consecutive...."now get your sorry ass out of my Court room!" we need more judges like that! Sorry for your loss. Take care..and lets us know how it turns out./ Harmon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanM Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 Sorry to hear about your loss. I race sailboats and this year a fellow competitor was killed at a regatta on Clear Lake CA. They were out for an evening sail and were run over by the Sheriff out for a highspeed joyride despite the fact that there was a 10mph speed limit after dusk. You're right, once you step off land, the laws change dramaticaly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougBarnes101 Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 Jeff, Sorry for your loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougCarden Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 Jeff, wow......The next Drunk I hook up I will be thinking about your cousin......it is that simple.....everyone that gets off the street is a life saved, one way or the other.... Regards, DougC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrettone Posted December 21, 2006 Author Share Posted December 21, 2006 (edited) Man.....sorry to hear about your cuz......I know nothing will bring him back but at least some satisfaction will come from knowing the little bastard will pay dearly. Hope he likes making kissy face with Bubba and grabbing his ankles and squealing like a pig for Bubba junior. We are gonna get him some Lava Soap-On-A-Rope...seriously. Jeff, wow......The next Drunk I hook up I will be thinking about your cousin......it is that simple.....everyone that gets off the street is a life saved, one way or the other.... Regards, DougC Thanks Doug, I was taught that the cab was ALWAYS cheaper (when I turned 21 the very uncle that lost his son beat it into my head...he even bought me and all the other kids (over 21) in the family our own personal breathalyzers for our key chains when they came out so there were no excuses.). He explained to me that I could pay for 50 $100 cab rides before I would even come close to equalling what ONE DUI costs (court costs, fines, attorney fees, probation oversight costs, substance abuse classes, loss of license for 6 months, etc)...PLUS I never endanger anybody. Some people just can't break down a stage. I am 37 years old and have had to leave my car and pay 17 times when I didn't have a designated driver. Seems like a sucker bet to me...I am way ahead of the game. I appreciate everybody chiming in with words of encouragement. Just make sure you live by example and tell your freinds and family you expect the same from them. Edited December 21, 2006 by Barrettone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrettone Posted February 7, 2007 Author Share Posted February 7, 2007 (edited) Sorry for your loss, Jeff. Let us know if the judge steps up and hits a long one. Well everybody...He put one out of the park!!! Gave him the MAXIMUM for all counts. He's gotta serve a minimum of 100 months to 15 years (under marine law all counts a have to be served concurrently). I guess Michigan has a 2/3 rule (for serving a sentence), plus they work on a 10 month year for incarceration. (I think marine law needs to bring back keel-hauling and flogging if they are not gonna update the laws to the 21'st century's needs.) Anyway, he won't be on the streets for AT LEAST 8 years and 4 months, and that is if this punk can actually do his time with no screw-ups (I doubt he can). The judge absolutely BLISTERED his parents and told them that their son perpetrated these acts because THEY ENABLED HIM to do so!!! I feel most sorry for the girl that was hurt so badly in all this. She won't have the joys of a career, or even be able to do the physical things she used to (she was a baton twirler, and great athlete). Now she has lost most of her equalibrium, and has powerful migranes due to a chunk of her brain having to be removed. I hope she takes them to school in civil court. It was gut-wrenching to hear the impact statements from everybody. I can't believe my aunt and uncle had the courage to deliver them. I can't possibly imagine having to eulogize my son like that in a public forum. Bottom line is...don't drink and drive...the cab is ALWAYS CHEAPER!!! Thanks for listening everybody...it helps to share sometimes... Edited February 7, 2007 by Barrettone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bountyhunter Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 (edited) RIP Mike...we got the bastard. He won't hurt anybody else now. Mommy and Daddy are next...on principle. Thanks...Just needed to vent a little. Sorry you lost sonmebody because of this guy's total lack of human decency. You really hit on my pet peeve: the modern notion of heaping sympathy onto drunk drivers because they are the "victims" of a disease...... reheumatoid arthritis is a disease, diabetes is a disease, asthma is a disease (I have them all): But when some dipstick drinks a snootful and gets in a car it's not a disease, it's a man who doesn't have any concept of responsibility. Edited February 7, 2007 by bountyhunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 What bountyhunter said. Meanwhile, I am so, so sorry for your loss. That punk deserves his face stepped on (and no doubt it will be while in prison), but his parents deserve to pay a price, too. Dumb-asses! Jeez!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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