Impaired Driving Educational Program Stirs Emotions at Bella Vista High School

Every 15 minutes someone is killed as a result of an alcohol-related driving collision.

That was the main message conveyed to Bella Vista High School students Tuesday and Wednesday by California Highway Patrol, Sacramento Metro Fire representatives and Every 15 Minutes, an organization educating high school students on the dangers of driving while impaired.

As students filed into the stands of B.V.’s football field Tuesday, the grim scene of what the aftermath of an alcohol-related auto collision may look like greeted them. The cars were shrouded by tarps until all students had been seated. When the tarps were removed, the scene revealed the aftermath of a collision involving four Broncos students, including Kelly Logue, Leah Parrish, Cody Ollinger and Umberto “Huey” Trejos.

The scene depicted Trejos driving Ollinger back from a party when they ran a red light, striking Logue and Parrish. Trejos’ car broadsided Logue’s, upending it. Bottles of alcohol were scattered about Trejos' car. Logue, not wearing her seatbelt, was ejected from her car while Parrish's legs were trapped underneath the passenger seat. Ollinger, also not wearing his seatbelt, was ejected through the windshield.

“You just remind yourself, it isn’t real,” mother of Kelly, Susan Mackay-Logue said. “It’s important for the family.”

The scene portrays the real toll an alcohol-related car accident might take. Ollinger was pronounced dead on arrival and was transported some time later to a Sacramento County morgue where his parents were told to meet to identify his body. Logue was taken by helicopter to Mercy San Juan where she was later pronounced dead due to a number of injuries sustained in the accident. Parrish was transported by ambulance to Mercy San Juan as well where she remained in critical condition. Trejos was placed in handcuffs and taken to Sacramento County Jail where he was booked on charges of driving while intoxicated.

Kelly’s family, including her mother and father, Susan and Kevin as well as brother, Kj, were told to meet at Mercy San Juan. Though, in their minds they knew Kelly was just pretending it was more than a little difficult not to get swept up in the moment.

“I knew that I was supposed to do something,” Susan said. “I just didn’t know what.”

For Kj, it was a mixed bag of emotions.

“It was weird to see her not talk,” Kj said.

Kj was given a few minutes while in the room with Kelly and though the film crew from Every 15 Minutes was a constant reminder none of it was real, seeing his sister lying on the gurney certainly had an effect on him.

“I told her that I loved her,” Kj said. “I don’t know why, but I just apologized for not being there for her.”

Though statistics might show the amount of time between every death as a result of an alcohol-related car accident has changed, the sentiment remains the same.

“While it is a simulated program, it is nonetheless very real and many of our kids have had experiences where they realize this could happen,” Bella Vista principal, Peggy Haskins said.

“I think student responses are going to vary depending on life experiences, but it’s a powerful lesson students will probably remember forever,” Haskins said. “And some will dismiss it immediately, because it simply doesn’t connect with them.”

According to the most recent statistics compiled by the CHP, alcohol-impaired driving fatalities (fatalities in crashes involving at least one driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 or greater) decreased 7.6 percent from 1,025 in 2008 to 950 in 2009. Since 2005, that statistic has dropped 26.8 percent. As a percent of total fatalities, alcohol impaired fatalities increased from 30 percent in 2008 to 31 percent in 2009. This number has remained virtually unchanged in the past five years, according to CHP statistics. California is slightly better than the national average of 32 percent. Statewide DUI arrests decreased 3 percent from 214,811 in 2008 to 208,531.

On Wednesday morning beginning at 10:30, students, teachers and parents will meet in the main auditorium to listen to letters written by parents and friends as well as obituaries of those killed in Tuesday’s mock accident.

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