Rebecca, a straight-A student who never drank or did drugs, was killed when she and her best friend Vanessa were hit by a drunk driver, Robert, while walking home from a party. Vanessa survived but was paralyzed from the waist down. Robert received a 15-year prison sentence, but Vanessa protested that this was not enough punishment. Her protests attracted more supporters and convinced the judge to increase Robert's sentence. Though still unable to walk, Vanessa took some satisfaction that Robert would be in prison longer and unable to endanger more lives through drunk driving.

1. By: Joanna Fierro

2.  Rebecca was a straight A 16 year old student, never
drank, never did drugs. She was a perfect student and a
perfect daughter, Robert on the other hand, was a 17
year old alcoholic and drug addict.

3.  While going home from a party Robert, as always, was
drunk and high, he had no one to pick him up so he
decided to drive. Rebecca didn’t drink so her and her
best friend Vanessa had decided they would walk
home.

4.  While walking home, they decided to stop and get
something to eat, after they ate they continued
walking, and while crossing the street Robert was
driving carelessly and didn’t see them and ran both of
them over. Soon the ambulance came and took them
all to the hospital, when Robert woke up he didn’t
remember what had happened.

5.  He had a few scratches on his face and back pain but
nothing serious, the doctor told him what had
happened and told him Rebecca died on the way to the
hospital and that Vanessa would never be able to walk
again. The judge sentenced him to 15 years in prison.

6. Statistics show about 11,000
people die in drunk driving
accidents – one every 50
minutes, and 1 person injured
every minute per year.

7.  When the judge sentenced him to 15 years, Vanessa
screamed out that 15 years wasn’t enough. The judge
told her he had made his decision and he wouldn’t
change it.

8.  Vanessa was so upset she began to protest with all of
her friends in front of the court telling everyone it was
unfair he would only spend 15 years in prison paying
for what he did, and she would be paying for his
mistake her whole life, and more people began to get
involved and seeing how many more people began to
get involved the judge decided he would add more
years to Robert’s sentencing.

9.  Vanessa wasn’t completely happy, she lost her best
friend, and the ability to walk, but she was satisfied
that he would be sentenced for more years in jail
because she knew he wouldn’t be out there drunk
driving anymore and taking another persons life.