On Monday, Maryland appeared again on the lives of 120 residents misplaced to impaired driving over the previous 12 months, and Gov. Larry Hogan introduced a grant that evening reduce these losses in the long run.
On Monday, Maryland appeared again on the lives of 120 residents misplaced to impaired driving over the previous 12 months, and Gov. Larry Hogan introduced a grant which may reduce these losses in the long run.
Speaking on the 18th annual Maryland Remembers Event, Hogan mentioned the state has been working arduous enacting new legal guidelines to carry down the variety of fatalities due to driving below the affect.
“With your support, we enacted Noah’s Law, to require ignition interlock devices for anyone convicted of drunk driving in Maryland,” Hogan mentioned. “After a multiyear effort, we successfully enacted the Repeat Drunk Driving Offenders Act, to impose stronger penalties on drunk and drugged driving offenders.”
The Repeat Drunk Driving Offenders Law bought its first check earlier this 12 months. In May 2020, Todd Beaker, 58, who had eight prior convictions for drunk driving, crashed head-on into 27-year-old Bennett Kriewald, who was disabled because of the crash.
Kriewald’s mom, Kimberly Sizemore, spoke on the ceremony, saying her son had taken that time off work to attend his grandmother’s funeral. It was 2:30 p.m. when he was struck by Beaker whereas pulling out of a retailer.
Before the crash, Sizemore mentioned, Kriewald was an electrician, had simply closed on a home on the water and was about to purchase a ship. But the collision modified all the things. Due to his accidents, he misplaced his job, couldn’t climb a ladder or absolutely bend his hand, and had issue strolling.
“He can no longer continue in that career he spent years building on, to fully enjoy the lifestyle that he worked so hard for,” Kriewald mentioned. “The ongoing financial implications, medical bills, loss of wages, inability to work, are devastating for Bennett and are ongoing still to this day.”
While nothing will restore the harm finished to her son, Sizemore took some consolation in the brand new regulation that allowed harsher penalties towards the person who hit Bennett.
“Todd Beaker was sentenced to two consecutive 10-year sentences for his impaired driving convictions,” Sizemore mentioned. “I can now breathe easier knowing he is officially off our roads.”
But she mentioned there’s something every of us can do to try to reduce the variety of impaired driving tragedies.
“On the day of Bennett’s crash, someone saw Todd Beaker stumble into the liquor store and allowed him to return to his car and his driver’s seat,” she mentioned. “Please, if you see someone driving impaired, step up and stop those involved.”
Hogan additionally introduced that Maryland has gotten a grant from the Governors Highway and Safety Association that he hopes will reduce down on impaired driving through the vacation season. The grant will supply $10 ride-share credit to Marylanders all through the state. Maryland is one in all simply 5 states to obtain the grant.
“Last year, over 1,300 people were arrested in Maryland from Thanksgiving Day to New Year’s Day for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs,” Hogan mentioned. “We hope that this creative new initiative will encourage more Marylanders to make better choices.”
Like WTOP on Facebook and comply with @WTOP on Twitter to interact in dialog about this text and others.
Get breaking information and every day headlines delivered to your e mail inbox by signing up right here.
© 2021 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This web site just isn’t supposed for customers positioned inside the European Economic Area.