MAD With One "D"

I've just started to be calm enough to post this blog entry. For the last two weeks I've been mad with one "d"...because it happened again.

Roy McConnell and his 3 sons were killed two weeks ago by a suspected underage, drunk driver who blew through a red light in St. Petersburg, FL and violently crashed into Roy's car. All of his kids were with him in the car. All of their wives/girlfriends were waiting at the beach house for them to return. They never came home.

I knew Roy from church. He was a fine drummer, triathlete and family man. He told me more than once that he admired my passion for stopping drunk driving. He was a friend of MADD on Facebook. He believed in the good in people and was a strong man of faith.

This crash was 100% preventable just as every other drunk driving crash is! Someone made a choice to drive after drinking and he is now accused of killing my friend and his 3 sons...devastating a family and a community.

If we do nothing, if we say nothing, then we change nothing. Please help us end this violent crime.

Donte Stallworth Charged with DUI Manslaughter in Fatal Crash

"Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth was charged Wednesday with killing a pedestrian last month while driving drunk in Miami."

Stallworth’s blood alcohol content was .126, above the legal limit of .08, according to results of a blood test. Read the complete story on MSNBC.

In 2007, nearly 13,000 people were killed by drunk drivers with a BAC of .08 or above. Take a stand against drunk driving. Join MADD in the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving.

Florida Man Faces DUI Charges After Hitting Parked Car – with Sheriff’s Deputy Inside

A Naples man faces DUI charges after hitting a patrol car in which a Collier County Sheriff’s deputy was completing paperwork for a traffic stop. Read the complete story from Naples Daily News.

Sign the Pledge to Eliminate Drunk Driving and support MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving.

Florida Woman Arrested for 10th DUI

Sheriff’s officials are calling it a local record: an Ellenton woman was jailed Saturday on her 10th drunken-driving arrest.

Data from the Florida Department of Transportation shows there are about 108,000 drivers in Florida with more than three DUI convictions. Read the complete story from the Sarasota, Florida Herald Tribune.

Research shows that individuals convicted of drunk driving for the first time have driven drunk more than 87 times before their first arrest. People drive drunk because they can. MADD advocates mandatory ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk driving offenders.

Call on your lawmakers to support ignition interlocks for all convicted DUI offenders.

Florida Mother, Daughter Arrested on DUI Charges

Read the complete story from TCPalm.com.

2 people in 1 Car Accused of DUI

A Florida couple was arrested for DUIs at the same time, in the same car, according to reports. Read the complete story from the Naple News.

Learn about the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving.