...Romance Author...

Another View of Impaired Driving

On October 15, 2000, a drunk driver crashed his vehicle into a green 1994 Ford Aerostar van at more than 100 miles per hour, killing Heather and Shannon Mayes. Heather, 14, had just attended Heritage High School’s homecoming dance. Her sister, Shannon, was a junior at the University of Michigan at the time. Shannon came home that weekend specifically for her little sister’s first big dance.

It’s been just over ten years since Ron Mayes’ daughters were killed by a drunk driver. Christopher D. Sandoval, then 20, remains imprisoned at Chippewa Correctional Facility, with seven to 15 years remaining on his sentence.

Mayes and his wife, Laurie, often wonder if the accident could have been avoided, playing the “what if” game. What if they’d left earlier? What if Shannon had seen a raccoon and slowed down?

What if someone had intervened at some point before Sandoval made the choice to get in his car drunk that night?

Mayes is now one of the coordinators of a Saginaw-based anti-drunk driving group called AVOID (Another View Of Impaired Driving). Their hope is to catch drunk-driving offenders before a tragedy occurs. So far, there have been no repeat offenders attending their meetings that they know of.

Two years after the accident, Mayes started the Saginaw MADD chapter. Then in 2004, along with Cheryl Whittsit, whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Mayes began AVOID. The new chapter enabled them to better use dollars locally, rather than sending it to the MADD headquarters.

The group meets the third Tuesday of every month, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. With the dedicated support and assistance of Judge Mike Thomas, and Judge Kyle Higgs Tarrant, Mayes was able to get referrals from the courts, requiring convicted drunk driving offenders to attend AVOID victim impact meetings. The charge is $35.00 per person and once the one-hour session begins, the doors are locked, and attendees are not allowed to leave until its conclusion. Ron often recounts the story of his daughters’ death there, bringing Heather’s blood-stained dress and showing a photo of the wrecked vehicle to drive home the point.

Chris Leipert, Saginaw Township Fire Department night captain, is just one of the many speakers whose own story hopefully makes an impression on the subject of drunk driving. Leipert, who has been with the fire department for 15 years, was a neighbor of the Mayes family at the time of the accident and was called to assist. Shortly after arriving on the scene, he recognized the vehicle, and then saw Ron Mayes. It was because of that experience and others, that Leipert became involved with AVOID.

Val Henderson, whose sister was killed by a drunk driver, has been a speaker since the beginning. Gail DeCaire, a retired R.N. and secretary for AVOID, is deeply committed to preventing drunk driving incidents and potentially tragic outcomes.

AVOID is a licensed, non-profit organization and accepts donations. It is also available to non-offenders, such as concerned spouses or parents who would like to bring their kids. Grants are available for law enforcement agencies to address underage drinking and drunk driving.

If you are interested in making a donation, or would like more information about AVOID, contact Ron Mayes, 529-1277.

 

 

 

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