Gallo's mother, Sandra Sagahon, and his father, Thomas Gallo, said the crash was an accident and that their son never meant to hurt anyone.
He was an alcoholic, but he's not a monster, they said.
http://www.ktla.com/landing_mostint...rt-Crash-Was-an-=1&blockID=262344&feedID=1080
Oh....okay.......well since he didn't MEAN to do it..........
The family of the drunk driver is receiving death threats! They made a completely reasonable statement regarding their alcoholic son, whose life as he and they knew it is over and whose burden must be unimaginable. Their statement did not imply that he should be given some sort of free pass. You'd say they same thing about me if I had been the one driving that van and, as far as I'm concerned, there but for the grace of God....
My prayers to everyone hurt by this tragic accident.
J :blowkiss:, you know as well as I, that the parents statement reeks of enabling and although I do not hold the parents responsible for what the son did, their statement makes me angry and I'm not even related to Adenhart.
Seriously, what parent is going to say "the crash was intentional and our son meant to hurt the people he killed!"
Have some respect for the family and friends of the people who died. I would have much rather that the statement from the parents been along the lines of "Our prayers go out to the families of the people who died when our son made the choice to drive drunk."
I think it is TERRIBLE that they are receiving death threats! ILY
I couldn't disagree with that statement more strongly. None of us know that, just as we don't know that the quote that made the paper wasn't preceded by ten minutes of quotes from the driver's family about how crushed they are at the loss of life caused by their son's choices! I can't tell you how many times I've see that happen - when I was a reporter and in other news stories I read.
None of us know everything those parents might have said or how they are feeling right now. Let's not turn this into an Us vs. Them thing. Let's not assume the worst of these parents and get all indignant.
The fact of the matter is that five young lives full of potential have been obliterated - and countless other lives have been forever shadowed - because of drunk driving (definitely) and because of addiction (probably).
The parents and the surviving driver are easy targets for our anger and confusion, but believe me - there are no winners here.
God, how I love you!.....
This was a terrible tragedy but I can't say that it was an accident. This driver, with a suspended licensce made a decision to drink and then get behind the wheel of his father's minivan. By making this choice he turned that minivan into a loaded weapon - no different that someone walking down the street with a loaded gun, safety off - jostling aroun with the possibility of firing.
This choice was not made because he was an alcholic - that may have been why he drank but not why he drove.
I am aware of instances when a person with a history of drunk driving has some sort of court-ordered breathalyzer attached to their car - if they blow above the limit - the car won't start. But that's not the norm, I don't think - I'm sure it is pricey and it is certainly not foolproof.