Published March13, 2008

Don't let happy hour turn into 30-year sentence

This was the stark warning PHS parents and students received during an Anti-Drug Coalition two-day effort to raise awareness about the severe consequences of drug and alcohol abuse.
The sentence is also a harsh reality for the keynote speaker at Monday’s forum, inmate Chris Sandy.
Sandy, who is now serving a 13-year prison term followed by 17-years of probation, was found guilty on two DUI counts and two counts of vehicular homicide after making the decision to leave a party under the influence of alcohol.
“I killed two innocent people, and I won’t have my complete freedom until I am 53 years old. I don’t have a life anymore,” he said, while sharing his tragic story with PHS parents and students at different talks Monday evening and Tuesday morning.
Sandy made the point that his story is not as uncommon as many people think.
“I meet people in prison all of the time with similar experiences,” he said, and spoke about a successful young mother sentenced to 10 years for a DUI and vehicular homicide. “She had a six-month old, but she is in prison right now for the same thing.”
Lori Pieraerts, president of The Pickens County Anti-Drug Coalition, said, “This was our pre-prom program. We are trying to prevent drinking and driving before the partying that goes on during the prom in April, and I really think Chris’ story touched a few people’s lives last night.”
Sandy, who has shared his story with over 75,000 students, has devoted his life to preventing others from “complicating their own lives,” as he has done. “I will do everything in my heart and will to do the best I can to help,” he said.
Sandy has plans of continuing to speak after his parole date in April of 2010, and is in the process of writing a book for drivers education courses about his experience.
Also, as part of the “Straight Talk About Substance Abuse” forum, mother and Ruth House resident Lisa Whitfield spoke about the loss of her teenage son who died as a result of relaxed drinking restrictions at her home.
“I was the party pad,” she said, “and I would buy alcohol for my son and his friends, but I paid the ultimate price for my poor decisions.”
Whitfield’s son was involved in a car accident on the way to a party, as Sandy was, but according to Whitfield, the driver of the vehicle was not actually under the influence at the time of the crash.
“It wasn’t officially alcohol that killed my son, but the mindset and the thought of drinking that did. I allowed the mindset to take root,” she said.
Kroger pharmacist Tom Mills was also invited to speak about the epidemic of prescription drug use among high school aged children, and he fielded questions from the audience about the dangers of mixing prescriptions and the highly addictive nature of pills.
“I don’t see kids coming in to get prescriptions, but they are getting them from somewhere,” Mills warned parents. “You need to pay attention to your old prescriptions just sitting around.”
The forum ended with a SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) representative handing out Contracts for Life, meant to “facilitate communication between young people and their parents” about the dangers of poor decisions regarding drugs, alcohol, and peer pressure.
Pieraerts said of the two-day forum, “I was very pleased, and I think it turned out great. But [The Pickens County Anti-Drug Coalition] is pledging to do more in the future. It is our job to provide education to the community.”
If you would like to join the coalition or make a donation, please call Lori Pieraerts at 706-994-6580.