How can you make your way to jail if you kill (or nearly kill) someone on a Maryland road? A Fort Washington man who nearly killed two people was sentenced yesterday to six months in jail and a year of house arrest. The key is being drunk. Otherwise, Maryland law continues – despite a bill pending before the Maryland legislature this year – to let you off with a few traffic citations. In this case, the man pled guilty to causing life-threatening injuries while driving drunk. As part of the plea bargain, other related charges were dismissed.
Personally, I think we could save lives by being tougher on drunk drivers that cause serious and fatal accidents. The more difficult call is the one Maryland legislators are dealing with now. Is there justice in letting people slide who negligently kill another person in a Maryland car accident? Usually, the at-fault driver is a good guy/gal who just made an awful mistake any of us could make. But, believe me, this nuance is often lost on the person who lost the love of their life, or their mother/father or son/daughter.