Article:
Posted on November 25, 2009
by Craig Civale
DALLAS - So far in 2009, there have been eight wrong-way crashes resulting in four deaths on the Dallas North Tollway.
Almost all of the eight cases involved drivers who were drunk. Now, families of the victims have taken matters into their own hands through a public service announcement.
Those who died innocently in wrong-way crashes included a recently married couple, two high school students and a 25-year-old volunteer.
"It still sometimes doesn't feel like it really happened," said Jeanine Melbye, the aunt of one of the victim's.
The way he died is something Melbye said she just can't get out of her mind "every minute of every day since June first."
That first day of was when a wrong-way driver slammed head on into Carl Lotspeich while he was driving home on the Dallas North Tollway.
"It ended his life, but it changed all of ours, our entire family," Melbye said.
The North Texas Tollway Authority has made minor changes to the roadway to try and prevent accidents, but the victims' families said they ultimately believe it comes down to getting drunks off the road.
"Our lives have been devastated by this, and I don't wish that upon anyone," said Kristin Schor, whose son, Trevor, died in a wrong-way crash.
The pain is something she shared with her husband, Kevin, and the families of other victims. Watching reports on other wrong-way deaths, the families decided to team up. Through PSAs, four families of victims said they hope to show the potentially devastating aftermath created by driving drunk.
"I think would help them make a better decision," Mr. Schor said.
Kara Taylor is among those who was profiled in a PSA. The 16-year-old Little Elm student was killed in a wrong-way crash on the tollway in May.
German and Erika Clouet, who died at the hands of a drunk driver in 2008, also appear in a PSA.
"These were people who were not at fault," Mr. Schor said. "They didn't do anything wrong."
The 30 second videos show photographs of the victims alongside images of their crushed cars.
"When I see the car, I think of his last minutes alive in that car and how tragic and how unnecessarily heartbreaking it is that's how he died," Melbye said of her nephew.
Their faces the families hope people will remember during the holidays, which can be a time for celebration and drinking.
"It only takes one to save somebody," Mr. Schor said. "So, we're not going to know who was saved, but we feel like this is going to help."
