Drinking disaster teaches students to be careful

It was raining and she had been drinking. She was headed northbound on highway 78. Losing control and swerving into the southbound lane was the final act for a 17-year-old girl who lost her life to the accident.

In the back parking lot of the school on a trailer, sits her demolished car. Her family requested the impound to not crush it more than it already had been in order to educate high school students about the dangers of drinking and driving. Although the crash happened two years ago, the story is not dead.

Officer V.S. Varner had the car brought to East to show students what can happen.

“We put it out there for prom and to show what can happen if you drink and drive,” Varner said.

The girl was not drunk, she was only slightly intoxicated.

“You don’t have to be drunk to crash,” Librarian Vicki Townsend said, “It’s to let students know what could happen.”

Security measures will be taken at the prom to avoid a reoccurrence of this tragedy.

“I’m hoping [the car] makes everyone stop and think,” Security officer Mr. Knaggs said, “There will be a breathalyzer at the prom both before and during.”

While the girl was alone in the car, on prom night, more than one person may become a victim.

“I hope everyone will realize that it’s not just their life they’re responsible for, it’s also the person sitting next to them,” Varner said.

So be careful on prom night Raiders.

“Don’t [drink and drive], it’s not worth the risk of going to jail or being dead,” Varner said.