Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Tragedy on I-280

If you are from Toledo, I am sure that many of you have heard of the tragedy that occurred on I-280 on December 30, 2007 when a family of eight was hit by a drunk driver by the name of Michael Gagnon who was traveling north on southbound I-280. His blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit. His drunk driving resulted in the deaths of five of the eight people in the van, the mother, 36 year old Bethany Griffin, and her daughters: Jordan, 10, Lacie, 7, Haley, 10, and 8 week old Vadi.

He has been charged with their deaths and is now spending time in the Lucas County Jail. I have seen the photos from the crash scene and what really struck me was the infant car seat laying on the interstate surrounded by pink blankets. The sight of this sent chills down my spine, especially since I am pregnant with a baby girl.

I hope Gagnon is put away for good, although I would rather see the scumbag dead then alive. It is despicable how one man's selfish actions have wiped out an innocent family, a mom who will not be around to comfort her remaining children and husband and little girls who will never grow up and become mommies someday. This tragedy just reminds me how precious life is and how the drunk driving laws in this country need to be harsher and carry stricter penalties so that drunks who drive are not given a free ticket to drive under the influence and have the ability to take innocent lives. My fervent wish is for this scumbag to rot in eternal hell.