The consequences of drunk driving: another "life interrupted" while a local program gets some much deserved recognition

  Received a lot of email and comments on the death of Kathy O'Daniel, the 54-year-old Bakersfield resident who was killed in an apparent drunk driving incident outside Santa Rosa. Kathy and her husband Chuck lived in Bakersfield for years, raising five kids and always remaining active in their church, and they left behind many friends. Kathy was invariably cheerful and a terrific, devoted mother, and folks were understandably stunned to hear of her death. (read the previous post here) Services have now been set for Saturday, Sept. 26, at 11 a.m. at Calvary Chapel Petaluma, located at 1995 McDowell Boulevard. Meanwhile, I hear that Kathy's 15-year-old daugher Kelcee, who was injured in the accident, is doing better but has a long recovery in front of her.

 Given the latest tragedy it was good to learn that the local effort to spread the word on the dangers of drinking and driving won some much deserved recognition. The program is called "A life Interrupted DUI Mobile Crash Exhibit" and is run by the Bakersfield Police Department and some concerned citizens, including local businesses like State Farm Insurance, Hall Ambulance, W.A. Thompson and families who have lost children in traffic crashes. The program was just named the California Crime Prevention Program of the Year, a well deserved honor for these folks who have worked so hard. One of those involved is Nancy Chaffin, the Californian's Human Resources vice president who lost her own son Jeff in a DUI incident eight years ago. In that incident (Jeff was not driving) Jeff was among four teenagers killed when Michael Hugh Curtis crashed on Seventh Standard Road. The program started in 2002 and involves taking the wreck of a car to local schools and showing kids what could happen. I've seen the presentation and it's a moving and (hopefully) effective program.  (that's a picture of the trailer below)

 Police chief Bill Rector  has thrown his full support behind the program as have companies like Three-Way Chevrolet, which donated a new Chevy truck, and State Farm which threw in $68,000 to build the trailer. Every death is tragic, and no one affiliated with the program is claiming this is a panacea, but it is encouraging that only one teen died locally in an alcohol related accident in 2007, compared to 12 in 2002. There was also an 18-month period between 2007 and 2008 when there wasn't a single teen killed.

 Pictured above are Nancy Chaffin, Police Chief Bill Rector and Sgt. Greg Terry. Photo courtesy of The Californian.