Nothing will bring them back, but imagine if it were your child. Is three years really sending the message to others that what happened is truly tragic and unacceptable?
Sixteen months ago a drunk driving 22 year old - in Grand Prairie, Alberta - had an accident. Accidents can, and do, happen but in this particular incident the lives of four promising high school football players were lost and all because someone made a poor decision.
The case finally had its day in court at the end of February and when all was said and done it left a "bittersweet" taste in the mouths of the families, who are left behind to mourn. While the now 23 year old driver - Brenden Holubowich - plead guilty to what he had done, 11 charges against him - including that of impaired driving - were dropped and a sentence of just three years of jail was recommended.
Rightfully upset, the families of the victims say the outcome was far too lenient and what it all amounts to is about nine months per lost child. Two others, not including the families, have also been left scarred following the accident. Their was one surviving youth in the car that was hit that day, who was taken to hospital with injuries and also a driver who was not drinking and carrying the students. This individual spent months in the hospital and doctors say he will never fully recover. He has brain and ear damage. He can no longer drive or play sports, he's battling depression and reportedly talks about suicide.
Holubowich was driving 120 km per hour that night in an 80 km zone. He didn't stop to check on his victims after he t-boned them, nor did he call 9-1-1. Instead he fled the scene.
While it's true no sentence can repay the families or bring back the young lives that were lost, what kind of message are we sending to other potential drunk and dangerous drivers? That it's okay, you'll just wind up with a slap on the wrist and if you "feel bad" about what you've done it makes it all better?
Yes, we're talking about a young man who is no doubt remorseful and will hopefully learn from this whole happening, but what about the real victims in all this? What about the lives that were lost? Something just doesn't seem right.
