Egregious Trumps Exemplary
The scourge of drunk driving continues to haunt society. The abandonment of responsibility toward others - driving a potentially lethal instrument to maim and kill others while under the influence of alcohol - deserves a response in acknowledgement of the damage done to society.
How, after all, can one restore a life taken? Or give hope back to someone whose life aspirations have been destroyed as a result of an accident they were unable to avoid?
An Ontario Superior Court judge felt sufficiently taken with the background and character of a former National Hockey League player to describe him as an "exemplary" citizen. Who, nonetheless, exercised extremely poor judgement in deciding to drive his rented car while inebriated.
In the process causing an accident that claimed the life of a friend, and giving grave injury to the driver of the vehicle he rammed into.
And while the judge claimed to have been impressed by the sterling character of the person charged with driving while drunk, and to have been impressed also by the letters of support presented to him from people who thought highly of this drunk driver attesting to his sterling character, he felt the dire necessity to deliver a message of "general deterrence".
"These offences have been and continue to be a serious problem in our community. They have a far greater impact on Canadian society than any other crime", said justice Alexander Sosna, in sentencing Rob Ramage to four years in prison, and prohibiting him from driving for five years. Mr. Ramage's punishment will exceed his prison term, if it is upheld.
This man who was incapable of disciplining himself to refuse to drive when his blood alcohol level was between two and a half and four times the legal limit, plans to appeal his sentence. But if it is upheld he may face another reality; that he may not be permitted to live or work in the United States where he now has a nicely remunerative position as a financial advisor.
Reasonable people can only hope that the sentence - said to be extreme for the offence, but in the opinion of many, not severe enough to reflect the taking of one life, the near-destruction of another - will be upheld.
There are consequences to selfish decision making. Past time people understood that.
How, after all, can one restore a life taken? Or give hope back to someone whose life aspirations have been destroyed as a result of an accident they were unable to avoid?
An Ontario Superior Court judge felt sufficiently taken with the background and character of a former National Hockey League player to describe him as an "exemplary" citizen. Who, nonetheless, exercised extremely poor judgement in deciding to drive his rented car while inebriated.
In the process causing an accident that claimed the life of a friend, and giving grave injury to the driver of the vehicle he rammed into.
And while the judge claimed to have been impressed by the sterling character of the person charged with driving while drunk, and to have been impressed also by the letters of support presented to him from people who thought highly of this drunk driver attesting to his sterling character, he felt the dire necessity to deliver a message of "general deterrence".
"These offences have been and continue to be a serious problem in our community. They have a far greater impact on Canadian society than any other crime", said justice Alexander Sosna, in sentencing Rob Ramage to four years in prison, and prohibiting him from driving for five years. Mr. Ramage's punishment will exceed his prison term, if it is upheld.
This man who was incapable of disciplining himself to refuse to drive when his blood alcohol level was between two and a half and four times the legal limit, plans to appeal his sentence. But if it is upheld he may face another reality; that he may not be permitted to live or work in the United States where he now has a nicely remunerative position as a financial advisor.
Reasonable people can only hope that the sentence - said to be extreme for the offence, but in the opinion of many, not severe enough to reflect the taking of one life, the near-destruction of another - will be upheld.
There are consequences to selfish decision making. Past time people understood that.
posted by Pieface | 6:22 PM
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