'It's Really bad' (4 teens killed in NM highway crash by drunk driver)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | June 30, 2009 | Phil Parker And Kiera Hay

[CedarDave]

Owens is in the Santa Fe County jail charged with four counts of vehicular homicide and one count of great bodily injury by vehicle. He is scheduled to be arraigned today. His history includes previous DWI and drug convictions.

Link to a better story but since AP will give link only:

4 teens killed in NM highway crash

The 911 calls have been released and friends of those in the first car who were following were the first to arrive and describe the scene. There is a link to the calls below. Warning, they are graphic with graphic language.

Suspect's exam revealed no addiction

Northern NM roads can be death traps after dark on weekends with drunk drivers everywhere. Drive in daylight if you are going to visit.

[CedarDave]

Photo: Rose Simmons, 15, and Avree Koffman, 16, are shown at a Riverfest event organized by Earth Care International. Both teens were Earth Care youth allies organizers, who put in more than 250 hours of work on community sustainability projects. Rose died in the crash early Sunday, and Avree is expected to recover from her injuries.(Photo courtesy Earth Care International)

[DCBryan1]

Poor girls. I wonder what their chances would have been had they been in a...gasp...evil SUV?

[CedarDave]

Graphic audio/video:

911 Call: 4 Teens Killed

[sofaman]

Hi Dave. This is tragic. My prayers for all these kids and their families. Truly horrific.

[the_devils_advocate_666]

A good reason not to have your 15/16 year-olds out driving around after midnight.

[reagan_fanatic]

As in too many of these cases, the perp survives. The drunken bastards who cause accidents like this should be the ones to die.

[greyfoxx39]

NM Ping

If you want on or off the NM Ping list, please FReepmail me.

Access to the ping list is available to anyone by going to my FR home page.

[EyeGuy]

“I wonder what their chances would have been had they been in a...gasp...evil SUV?”

####

A HIGHLY legitimate question.

They still may not have survived, but yes, their chances would have been much better. The elevation out of the roadbed alone is of tremendous advantage.

[cripplecreek]

There was a bad one in my old hometown over the weekend with 7 injured 5 critical. As of last night there were no fatalities. Just kids doing the exact same stupid crap I did at that age.

[DCBryan1]

were killed shortly after midnight Sunday

Didn't see that...thanks...

Good point. Teenagers of that age shouldn't be out at midnight...agreed.

I always resented my parents making curfew at 10pm (their bedtime) and said that when I went off to college, as an adult, I could stay out as late as I wanted to. Now, being older, I thank them for being so stern with me.

[cripplecreek]

The vehicle in post # “was” and SUV. However so far all seven passenders are still living.

[CedarDave]

Thanks, greyfoxx. Horrific accident. You just don’t drive in northern NM after dark on weekends. Kids were all high achievers. Their friends who were behind them and saw the whole thing will need help and counseling to get through this.

[DCBryan1]

Just kids doing the exact same stupid crap I did at that age.

The dumbest story I ever heard was five (5) teenage boys taking their dad's BMW M5 out on a runway to see how fast it would go......

For some reason, no one in the car figured out that aircraft runways, do eventually end.

IIRC the car left the freeway at 150+ MPH and flew into a 300 year old tree. The police/EMT at the scene said that it was the most gruesome scene they ever encountered and that they had to use DNAblood types to match the body parts together.

Even the superior safety of a BMW can't compete with mother natures's laws of physics

[mad_as_he$$]

Here in Nevada there is a State curfew for kids under 18. Midnight and they will haul them in and call the parents.

[NaughtiusMaximus]

good reason not to have your 15/16 year-olds out driving around after midnight.

40 years ago my old football coach used to tell us "Boys, nothing good happens after midnight." We used to snicker but he was right. Lots of formerly rich and living NFL players would have benefited from his advice.

[DCBryan1]

Here in Nevada there is a State curfew for kids under 18

When I was a brat...I would have hated that law, until of course it was too late. Wish we would do that here.

[Just another Joe]

40 years ago my old football coach used to tell us "Boys, nothing good happens after midnight."

According to my mother it was 11:00 PM.

Condolences to the families of those involved.

[cripplecreek]

Even the superior safety of a BMW can't compete with mother natures's laws of physics

Unfortunately I think kids don't even have the slightest grasp of fundamental physics these days. I did stupid reckless crap but I always had some kind of awareness of road conditions, inertia, and reactions etc. My screw ups tended to be more the result of underestimation than complete oblivion.

Kids these days think that when you slam on the brakes the car stops like magic.

[vladimir998]

“Kate Klein, Alyssa Trouw, an Julian Martinez, all 16, and Rose Simmons 15 were killed shortly after midnight Sunday when the Subaru in which...”

I’m sorry these poor kids died.

Having said that, I have to say this: four teenagers, not a single one of them over age 16, out past midnight on a Sunday night (yes, even though it’s summer)...not a good idea.