A drunk driver ended my police career. Kansas lawmakers with DUIs need accountability
I was a police officer stopped on the side of the road — a routine traffic stop — in the middle of the night. I turned, and the last thing I saw was headlights. I was hit by a drunk driver traveling at 50 miles per hour.
The devastation wreaked by drunk drivers is real — I know firsthand. I endured years of rehab for my injuries. For more than 20 years, I’ve woken up every single day in pain. I was forced to leave my career in uniform because of that one devastating night. And I’m not alone.
According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, drunk and drugged driving are leading killers on our roads. Every 50 minutes, an American is killed in a drunk driving crash. And roughly 300,000 people are injured in DUI crashes each year. Another alarming fact is that the average drunk driver has driven impaired 80 times before their first arrest. It is a dangerous and violent crime.
When I woke up last week to yet another arrest of a Kansas legislator on the allegation of drunk driving, I was simply angry. Angry on behalf of victims who struggle with the physical and mental pain of surviving a drunk driving crash. Angry for the families who will never see their loved ones again. Angry at the complete lack of accountability — or even concern — in the Legislature, despite its members’ ongoing problems with drunk driving.
This is the third legislator to be arrested for DUI in the last year. It is time for the Legislature to acknowledge there is a serious problem. Maybe lawmakers believe they’re above the law. Maybe they don’t think it’s a big deal. Maybe they don’t think they will be caught. Whatever the cause, leadership needs to do something before a Kansan is killed by a legislator.
For years, I’ve worked with MADD to address this pervasive problem. Each year, MADD provides groups, such as the National Football League, with a program that highlights the dangers of drunk driving. It is typically presented by a victim who describes the impact drunk driving had on their life. The Legislature should incorporate a similar mandatory program to make clear to its members how serious driving after drinking really is for them and our communities.
Not only that, but there needs to be real accountability for the crime. It’s appalling that a legislative leader can take law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase, going the wrong way on the highway, endangering other innocent drivers and berating the arresting officers, yet still remain in elected office. Any other Kansan would face serious consequences — likely personal, professional and criminal.
The justice system should treat all drunk and drugged driving cases as the violent, 100% preventable crimes that they are. I will be watching our legislators to see if they care enough about the people of Kansas to make a change.
There is never any excuse to drive while impaired — no matter who you are or what title you have. It puts innocent lives at risk every time.