A drunk driving accident 6 years ago left Kenneth Smith paralyzed and without a father.

Late one night while he and his father were stopped at a toll booth on their way home from work, a black BMW driven by an intoxicated Ramchand Jagaroo smashed into their Ford F150, sending it flying over the bridge and onto a small island in the San Jacinto River. Jagaroo’s breath test showed he was way beyond the legal blood-alcohol limit.

Kenneth is now a quadriplegic. His father died in the crash. Though he has many hopes for his future, his greatest aspiration is to walk again. He is trying to raise $40,000 for a stem-cell treatment at a clinic in Central America. His doctors warn that it may be false hope, but Kenneth is trying anyway.

Jagaroo is serving time in prison for intoxicated assault and manslaughter. He denies any fault in the accident.

Last month, there was a drunk driving car crash in Utah resulting in the death of a passenger.

Jerome Richard had been drinking, and drove his truck onto a raised median to pass a car ahead of him. The truck flipped as he drove off of the median and his passenger, Shelynda DeJoelie was thrown from the car. DeJoelie died from the resulting injuries.

Under Utah State Law, Richard may be charged with automobile homicide. If convicted, he could spend up to five years in prison for this felony.

Drunk driving is an all-too common occurrence across the United States. Approximately every 30 seconds, there is another wreck that involves an intoxicated driver.

One possible way to curtail drunk driving is to install breath ignitions on the vehicles of repeat offenders. In order to start the car, the driver must breathe into the device. The car will not start if it detects alcohol on the driver’s breath. This ignition lock system could save lives by keeping drunken drivers off the roads.

Lee K. Nakashima, a 35 year old man, was in a car accident in Hawaii last year involving five vehicles.  He has been indicted on charges that he was under the influence of drugs when the wreck happened.

Nakashima was driving a 1989 Peterbilt dump truck when he rear-ended a Toyota pickup that was stopped in traffic.  The police reported that Nakashima had been speeding in the 45-mph zone prior to the accident.  The Toyota truck hit the back of a Honda sedan which was pushed into a Dodge pickup that hit a GMC vehicle according to police.

Six passengers were taken to a local hospital.  A 21 year old male who was in the back of the Honda suffered life-threatening injuries including a fractured skull, a punctured lung, and broken ribs along with face injuries to the eye socket, cheekbone, and nose.

Another passenger in the Honda has been unable to return to work due to dizziness and severe headaches after suffering a severe concussion, separation of his collarbone, and multiple disc injuries to his neck.  The driver of the Toyota pickup also has yet to return to work and might need surgery to repair a lower back injury.

Court records show that a blood sample from Nakashima at the hospital had marijuana, Valium, and hydrocodone in it.  He was released after posting $100,000 bail, but he has now been summoned to court.  He pleaded not guilty to ten charges in connection with the wreck.  His trial is set for July 6.