Wifey B: Last July 4, Sheyenne Marshall, a 17 year old, was on Lake Norman, our old boating grounds near Charlotte NC. She was on a kneeboard when a passing boat with a drunk operator struck her. She died. NC is one of the toughest states when it comes to DUI's on the road. However, operating a boat while impaired is only a misdemeanor. No felony law existed, not even for an impaired operator who caused a death. They're not the only state. The NC House passed Sheyenne's law to change that on Thursday, unanimously. Hopefully the senate will and the governor will sign the new law.
July 4 was one of the few days we didn't get out on the lake, at least until everyone else cleared off in the evening. The insanity, the drunken operators, scared the bloody he.. out of us. Last year 7 people died in alcohol related boating accidents in NC. Cheyenne was such a beautiful child. I was just looking at a photo with her and her father. I can't imagine the parents' suffering.
In less than 2 months we face another July 4, a day to celebrate. Why the freak can't we do it without killing innocent kids.
It's an epidemic. I'm not talking one or two beers, yes the classic answer, I only had two beers. I'm talking people who wouldn't drive a car drunk, jumping into a boat. I'm talking people who have lost their driver's license for life getting out and operating a boat. Yes, we knew of such a guy and the game warden did catch him circling a small fishing boat over and over to watch the fisherman being tossed wildly by his wake.
I'm not asking for responses here, just asking that you all think about it.
July 4 was one of the few days we didn't get out on the lake, at least until everyone else cleared off in the evening. The insanity, the drunken operators, scared the bloody he.. out of us. Last year 7 people died in alcohol related boating accidents in NC. Cheyenne was such a beautiful child. I was just looking at a photo with her and her father. I can't imagine the parents' suffering.
In less than 2 months we face another July 4, a day to celebrate. Why the freak can't we do it without killing innocent kids.
It's an epidemic. I'm not talking one or two beers, yes the classic answer, I only had two beers. I'm talking people who wouldn't drive a car drunk, jumping into a boat. I'm talking people who have lost their driver's license for life getting out and operating a boat. Yes, we knew of such a guy and the game warden did catch him circling a small fishing boat over and over to watch the fisherman being tossed wildly by his wake.
I'm not asking for responses here, just asking that you all think about it.