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•Volunteer sentenced to 12 years for sexual assault.
Robber of Mukilteo coffee stand sentenced to 12.5 years.
Robber of credit union gets 13 years.
Drunk driver kills pedestrian in wheelchair, sentenced to 5 years.
Drunk driver, second offense, kills woman, sentenced to 6.3 years.
This entire list of events has happened in our area and been reported by the media. When did the killing of a person or family member become such a low priority to the citizens of Washington state? The police, prosecutors’ and judges’ hands are all tied due to the sentencing laws for vehicular homicide — the term used when a death results from DUI. Only the Legislature can make changes. Please contact your local representatives and demand that the sentence be increased so that the penalty fits the crime.
Drinking and driving is a choice. Life is full of choices and consequences for those choices. If you drink and drive then you need to be prepared to pay the consequences.
Our society too often treats killing someone while driving drunk as an accident instead of the violent and offensive crime that it is. Let’s work toward the elimination of drinking and driving so maybe the next time it happens, it will not be your child or family member, as it was mine.
We thank you for your support.
Jan Stivers
Meghan Stivers’ mom
Lake Stevens
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