Crime and Punishment: Drunk driver kills 5
So what is the appropriate punishment for this guy (24) that drives drunk, kills 5 and ruins the lives of 3 others?
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Police: Drunken driver kills 5 in Ohio
By JOHN SEEWER, Associated Press Writer
A drunken driver went about four miles down a highway in the wrong direction before his pickup truck slammed into a minivan, killing a woman and four children and injuring three others, police said Monday.
Michael Gagnon, 24, drove north in the southbound lane of Interstate 280 late Sunday, colliding with the minivan and leaving scattered toys, stuffed animals and bits of gift wrap along the edge of the road, Toledo police said.
Gagnon, had a blood-alcohol level of .254 after the crash, more than three times Ohio's legal limit of .08, police said. He was charged Monday with aggravated vehicular homicide.
Gagnon's brother, Samuel Gagnon, told The (Baltimore) Sun they had been drinking at a hotel Sunday night and that his brother left in the truck without telling anyone before their sister arrived to drive them home.
Samuel Gagnon declined comment to The Associated Press.
Michael Gagnon stopped at a fast-food restaurant just before the crash. Workers called to alert police, but Gagnon left before an officer arrived, said Lt. Hank Everitt of the Oregon Police Department. Soon after, a 911 call came in about a driver going the wrong way on the interstate, he said. Other drivers also alerted police before the crash, he said.
Both drivers tried to avoid each other, but the crash ripped a side door off the minivan, throwing out some of the victims, police said.
Bethany Griffin, 36, Jordan Griffin, 10, Vadi Griffin, 2 months, Lacie Burkman, 7, and Haley Burkman, 10, were killed, according to police. All are from Parkville, Md.
Three others who were in the minivan were taken to St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center. Danny Griffin Jr., 36, and Beu Burkman, 8, were listed in serious condition, while Sidney Griffin, 8, was in critical condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Gagnon also was taken to a hospital, but his injuries did not appear to be as serious, Santiago said. There was no telephone listing for him or his family in Adrian.
