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Local News 
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Highway 9 crash is worst alcohol-related accident in Snohomish County in 14 years MARYSVILLE — The crash Sunday that claimed four lives along Highway 9 was the deadliest drunken-driving incident in Snohomish County in recent memory, experts said.Drunken driving is the leading cause of traffic deaths statewide and across the country. Each year, about 11,000 people die in drunken driving-related crashes in the U.S., said Carl McDonald, a national spokesman for Mothers Against Drunk Driving. He called the loss of four lives “horrific.” Sunday’s collision was the deadliest alcohol-related crash in the county since at least 1995, Snohomish County DUI Victims Panel coordinator Tracy McMillan said. The deadliest crash in the state blamed on alcohol killed 11 near Wenatchee in 1994, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. Increased education and enforcement efforts combined with safer vehicles has helped reduce the number of deaths in recent years, said Lowell Porter, the commission’s executive director. Still, more needs to be done to curb drunken driving. “We haven’t gotten to where we want to be, which in this particular area is zero,” he said. Advocacy groups are lobbying to install ignition locks in all new cars that would stop people from driving if intoxicated, McDonald said. Washington and some other states already can require the devices for people convicted of drunken driving. McDonald said hopes new cars will feature the devices within the next 10 years. Between 1993 and 2008, there were 712 fatal crashes in Snohomish County, killing 777, according to state statistics. Several fatal crashes in Snohomish County have occurred that haven’t been linked to alcohol or drugs. In August, three men died in a wreck near Monroe. Prior to that, three people died on Memorial Day 2005 on I-5 near Marysville. The deadliest crash in Snohomish County records occurred just before midnight on Aug. 29, 1998. Two cars collided on Highway 9, not far from Sunday’s crash site. A driver drifted into the wrong lane and over corrected. Four people in one car and one person in the other car died. Icy conditions are blamed for taking 16 lives in 1945 near Lake Chelan in what remains the single deadliest crash in state history, records show. Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437, jholtz@heraldnet.com. |
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COMMENTS
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The penalty in the US for drunk driving is paltry compared to the European countries that do not have his problem. Here, one can kill on the highways and have a dozen attorney's waiting to take the case. A first offense and pleading manslaughter and chances are you go free with a bit of probabation. Just look how many reoffender's are driving. One caught drunk driving should spend a minimum of a month in jail for the first offense; no exceptions!
When is someone in our government going to take this seriously?
clayton wright | Dec 7, 2009 11:50 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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If you attack the driver and cry about drunk drivers your post doesn't get wiped out, otherwise it does. Talk about censorship and political overview!
RJ Tellulater | Dec 6, 2009 4:52 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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THIS REMINDS US OF THE CRASH EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN 3 YOUNG MEN WHERE KILLED ON 522. RUSH TO JUDGMENT OF THE PICKUP DRIVER? WHAT DID THE TOXICOLOGY TEST ON THE 3 KILLED SHOW? RUMOR IS THEY HAD BEEN AT A LOCAL BAR UNTIL CLOSING. IT ALL NEEDS TO STOP.
ed gibson | Dec 6, 2009 4:16 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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A drunk driver killing 4 innocent and mature members of our community is absolutely unacceptable, and this needless accident should energize all of us to be pro-active advocates against impaired driving, of any kind.
Yet, as has been pointed out, in an earlier letter, this particular intersection does have issues that must be addressed.
Not justifying the dispicable actions of a driver who is impaired, at any level, but this sort of accident could easily have also happened to a sober driver, given the deceptive conditions of this intersection.
Something must be done to improve the visability, and to improve the alert, to drivers, of the location of this stop sign.
I fear that we will focus on this drunk driving incident as the cause of the horrible accident, and not focus on the terrible cause for possible future incidents at this intersection, due to the conditions that exist.
Bruce Berquist | Dec 2, 2009 7:12 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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A drunk driver killing 4 innocent and mature members of our community is absolutely unacceptable, and this needless accident should energize all of us to be pro-active advocates against impaired driving, of any kind.
Yet, as has been pointed out, in an earlier letter, this particular intersection does have issues that must be addressed.
Not justifying the dispicable actions of a driver who is impaired, at any level, but this sort of accident could easily have also happened to a sober driver, given the deceptive conditions of this intersection.
Something must be done to improve the visability, and to improve the alert, to drivers, of the location of this stop sign.
I fear that we will focus on this drunk driving incident as the cause of the horrible accident, and not focus on the terrible cause for possible future incidents at this intersection, due to the conditions that exist.
Bruce Berquist | Dec 2, 2009 7:12 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
Post reply
A drunk driver killing 4 innocent and mature members of our community is absolutely unacceptable, and this needless accident should energize all of us to be pro-active advocates against impaired driving, of any kind.
Yet, as has been pointed out, in an earlier letter, this particular intersection does have issues that must be addressed.
Not justifying the dispicable actions of a driver who is impaired, at any level, but this sort of accident could easily have also happened to a sober driver, given the deceptive conditions of this intersection.
Something must be done to improve the visability, and to improve the alert, to drivers, of the location of this stop sign.
I fear that we will focus on this drunk driving incident as the cause of the horrible accident, and not focus on the terrible cause for possible future incidents at this intersection, due to the conditions that exist.
Bruce Berquist | Dec 2, 2009 7:11 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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This horrific accident at Hwy.9 and 108th st NE has brought back memories of the loss many years ago of one of my softball team members. This same intersection took the life of Lori Lingenfelter. A young child with such a bright future. My prayers are for all those who have lost love ones at this intersection.
This intersection has a slight rise just before the approach to SR9 making it impossible to see the stop sign and prepare for the stop. It is also deceiving by having a view of 108th St extending east before you are aware of the North South Hwy 9.
The county road crew should put an extension to the existing stop sign post and raise another sign higher and in view over the rise in 108th. Even a solar powered RED flashing light would help us all.
By the way: this is NOT an excuse to drive impaired. The punishment should fit the crime.
(...I wonder what punishment will bring back our loved ones??!)
Marc Mikkelborg | Dec 2, 2009 6:01 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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and drunk driving is our national sport. Evidence? Drunk driving is NOT the #1 cause of traffic deaths in Europe.
I suggest three solutions. First, require the alcohol detecting do-dads to be installed in every new car. It would be much cheaper than air bags.
Second, make a drunk driving a felony with a minimum jail time.
Third, confiscate the vehicles of all drunk drivers in the same way that guns associated with other crimes are confiscated. This will never happen. Why? Because new cars are owned by banks, not people. People don't make payments on confiscated cars. Nothing will ever be permitted to interfere with bank profits.
bill wald | Dec 1, 2009 9:18 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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Yet another selfish, drunk idiot behind the wheel, wiping out 4 people. Most likely will be bailed out, told to show up in court, not show up, and then go back to drinking and driving, loose on the street to kill again. They are the worst menace to society, because it's "okay" to drink. So, drive your car to the mini mart, and get some more beer, then drive home. It's okay - when you run out again, you can just drive back and refill, and after all, it's only a couple of miles to your house. Go out to eat - have a few drinks, it's okay, you will probably be sobered up in time to drive home. After all, you didn't get cut off while you were there, so it's okay. Make sure you go to some sporting events and drink - everybody else does, so it's okay! What are they gonna do..pull over EVERYBODY? This is a sick, sad society, with a justice system that has it's values terribly skewed. No, I don't drink, but I have a huge chance of being "accidentally" killed by someone who does.
melissa snell | Dec 1, 2009 4:02 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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