By: Robert Barrington, Ad Editor
Ten years ago, 24 year old University Of West Florida senior Eric Smallridge left a bar where he had been watching a favorite band with some friends. Smallridge was drinking beer, but like other times, he did a self-sobriety field test by standing on one leg and putting his index finger on his nose and felt he was sober enough to drive. While driving home, a white car in the right lane that was ending cut into his lane. Smallridge swerved his truck into the left lane in order to avoid a collision with the white car, but ended up hitting another car in which two college girls were riding. Their car spun out of control and hit a tree. The impact killed the girls.
While being treated in the ambulance, Smallridge was approached by a police officer and told that he would be required to give a blood sample. “Why, I was just trying to avoid an accident.” Smallridge said. The officer responded with, “Don’t tell me you don’t know that there are two dead girls in the other car.” Smallridge said at that point, his life changed forever.
Smallridge was convicted of two counts of DUI manslaughter that carried 15 year sentences each. The judge had the choice of either sentencing Smallridge concurrently or consecutively; the judge chose to give him two consecutive 11 year sentences adding up to 22 years with eight years of probation. Before the accident, Smallridge’s biggest concern about driving under the influence was he might get a DUI. Killing someone never occurred to him.
No one intentionally drinks and drives with the thought of taking the lives of innocent people.
The choice to drink and drive is a selfish decision that involves calculating the chances of getting caught and dealing with a license suspension and fine, and not really thinking about anyone else on the road.
Smallridge noted that if Florida’s DUI laws were more severe, he would not have driven home that night, two innocent girls would still be alive, and he would not be in a maximum security prison. First offense DUI punishments should be extreme enough to deter people from driving while under the influence. The current law in Florida for first time DUI offenders is a 180-day suspension of one’s license, and a fine of a few hundred dollars. Smallridge commented that the penalty for first time offenders is not enough of a deterrent to stop many people from driving after consuming alcohol. Florida should follow the example of other countries with harsher first time DUI offences.
* Is Smallridge’s sentencing a fair punishment?
*Was Smallridge justly punished for taking the lives of two innocent girls, or was it “an eye
for an eye” sentence?
*Did the judge use Smallridge as an example of what would happen to you and me if we
decide to drink and drive?
*If so, then why do so many people continue to drive under the influence?
Smallridge did not intentionally try to kill anyone, but he was sentenced to a maximum security prison for 22 years. Smallridge said that in prison he is treated the same as if he intentionally murdered the girls, and on the outside, the girl Smallridge loved is now married to someone else while he serves his jail sentence and the world passes him by. The choice to drink and drive resides solely with you; however, the consequences will be shouldered by you and the people that you harm.
