DWI task force maps out "get tough" plan
DWI task force maps out "get tough" plan
BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - Louisiana could soon close some big loop holes in DWI laws. Close to half of all crashes in Louisiana in which someone dies involve a driver who's intoxicated. A vehicular homicide task force met with prosecutors Monday to map its "get tough" plans.
"We've got to change the way we look at DWIs in this state," said Danny Smith. He helped establish the state's first DWI court in Houma. He says he did it because drunk drivers kept getting away with little more than a slap on their wrist. "Everybody's in denial. No one wants to believe we have a drinking problem and it's our culture and we need to go easy on them."
The DWI Vehicular Homicide Task Force that met Monday is not interested in more mercy. It is looking for more ways to punish people who drive drunk in Louisiana. "I think it's time people who drink and drive get inconvenienced," said Smith. "I think driving under suspension has to be looked at a lot more seriously," added Mothers Against Drunk Driving advocate Tammy Matzke.
The task force came up with three different immediate needs for legislation. One is to increase penalties for driving with a suspended license from a fine to criminal charges. Another is to increase penalties for refusing to take a breathalyzer test. The last is to limit the information discussed in pre-trial hearings, so fewer DWI cases get thrown out of court. "We may have to dismiss case if there is a conflict in testimony and that's what they're hoping to use it for, impeachment of officers' testimony," said Norma Broussard, a prosecutor in Jefferson Parish.
She says defense attorneys often use pre-trial hearings to get the arresting police officer to say one thing, and then get them to say something different in the actual trial. In the end, the alleged drunk driver gets off scot-free. "Last session, we tried to get it changed and it didn't go far, so we're hoping that it will happen," added Broussard.
The task force was hand-picked by Governor Bobby Jindal, so the members are hoping their recommendations for new legislation will hold greater weight in the upcoming session. "I think we're behind the ball, so legislation like this will catch us up, so we can prevent more fatalities," said Broussard.
BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - Louisiana could soon close some big loop holes in DWI laws. Close to half of all crashes in Louisiana in which someone dies involve a driver who's intoxicated. A vehicular homicide task force met with prosecutors Monday to map its "get tough" plans.
"We've got to change the way we look at DWIs in this state," said Danny Smith. He helped establish the state's first DWI court in Houma. He says he did it because drunk drivers kept getting away with little more than a slap on their wrist. "Everybody's in denial. No one wants to believe we have a drinking problem and it's our culture and we need to go easy on them."
The DWI Vehicular Homicide Task Force that met Monday is not interested in more mercy. It is looking for more ways to punish people who drive drunk in Louisiana. "I think it's time people who drink and drive get inconvenienced," said Smith. "I think driving under suspension has to be looked at a lot more seriously," added Mothers Against Drunk Driving advocate Tammy Matzke.
The task force came up with three different immediate needs for legislation. One is to increase penalties for driving with a suspended license from a fine to criminal charges. Another is to increase penalties for refusing to take a breathalyzer test. The last is to limit the information discussed in pre-trial hearings, so fewer DWI cases get thrown out of court. "We may have to dismiss case if there is a conflict in testimony and that's what they're hoping to use it for, impeachment of officers' testimony," said Norma Broussard, a prosecutor in Jefferson Parish.
She says defense attorneys often use pre-trial hearings to get the arresting police officer to say one thing, and then get them to say something different in the actual trial. In the end, the alleged drunk driver gets off scot-free. "Last session, we tried to get it changed and it didn't go far, so we're hoping that it will happen," added Broussard.
The task force was hand-picked by Governor Bobby Jindal, so the members are hoping their recommendations for new legislation will hold greater weight in the upcoming session. "I think we're behind the ball, so legislation like this will catch us up, so we can prevent more fatalities," said Broussard.
The task force meets again on March 2nd to finalize its changes. Representative Jonathan Perry of Abbeville is a member of the task force and offered to sponsor the legislation in the next session, which starts April 27th.