DUI Court Schools Students on Consequences of Drunk Driving

The gym at Christopher High School was the scene of a Santa Clara County courtroom Tuesday morning, as over 250 high school seniors had the opportunity to witness a formal court sentencing, and learn about the consequences of driving under the influence.

The DUI Court is part of the Traffic Safe Communities Network under the county’s Public Health Department, and is designed to transfer an actual DUI case from the courthouse to a local high school to raise awareness of the dangers of drunk driving.

According to Susan Lowery, a health education specialist with the Public Health Department, the program has been hosting the court hearings in local high schools since 2000.

Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Deborah Ryan presided over the sentencing of a county resident who pled guilty to driving under the influence on Sept. 1. The resident was read his sentencing, consisting of court fines and community service, to the audience of students.

The hearing was followed by a panel discussion about the ramifications of driving under the influence, led by Ryan, members of the court system and the California Highway Patrol.

“The purpose of this program is to educate students that you shouldn't drink and drive period, and there are consequences to it,” said Ryan, who was participating in her second DUI Court.

County Deputy District Attorney Kim Smith educated the audience about the penalties of possessing alcohol as a minor, as well as the social-host laws that make parents liable for serving alcohol to minors in their home.

“There is a harsh consequence for just standing around with alcohol,” Smith said.

The program also featured testimony from County Public Defender Emanuella Chrysoglou and California Highway Patrol Officer Jaime Rios, who practiced real-life field sobriety tests on students, and discussed the horror of finding dead victims at the scene of an auto accident.

“I’ve gone out to a countless amount of fatal accidents. I’ve seen 12 just this year alone,” Rios told the audience. “Please make the right choices because I don’t  want to arrive to a scene and find one of you there.”

The program wrapped up with Steve Benjamin, a computer engineer and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) volunteer, who shared the story of how his wife was killed in a late-night auto accident.

“No one should have to die in front of their own home surrounded by a bunch of strangers,” he said of his wife.

MADD representatives also had a crashed car on display that was located outside of the school’s gym.

Christopher High senior Devin Luna said he left the gym Tuesday with a better understanding of the consequences of drinking and driving.

“It’s not worth it because you could lose your life or affect someone else’s life and family dramatically,” Luna said.

Senior Kayla Lemos said that driving under the influence of alcohol is very easy to do, and that it's something that shouldn't be taken lightly.

“You should never drink and drive under any circumstances,” she said. “This is reality, and stuff like this happens everyday.”