Letter To Massachusetts Governor Devol Patrick

Tonight I sent the following letter to Governor Deval Patrick, the Massachusetts Attorney General, the Mass. Secretary of State, and our Mass State and Federal Senators, Representatives, and Congressmen. If you would also like to write to Governor Patrick a list of contact information can be found here: Mass.gov.

Dear Governor Patrick,

I am writing to you today in regard to our state's Driving While Impaired laws. On Monday, March 5, 2007 my mother, Diane Carhart, was killed in an auto accident on Rt 130 in Sandwich. As we attended my mother's funeral today the man who hit her was charged with Vehicular Homicide . After the funeral it was revealed to me that this man, Christopher Parker of 20 Jody Lane, Forestdale, has a record that includes four driving while impaired charges. He also will be appearing in Falmouth District court on this coming Tuesday, March 13 on charges of operating under the influence of drugs in Bourne last October.

My mother was just 2 miles from her home in Forestdale, waiting to make a left turn into Tradewinds Plaza on Rt 130 when she was hit from behind by Mr. Parker who was driving at a very fast rate of speed. The resulting crash pushed her car into oncoming traffic where she was broadsided by an NStar pickup truck. Mr Parker's borrowed Honda Accord left no brake marks until after it was stuffed under my mother's Chevrolet Tracker. After being hit by the oncoming truck the Accord seperated from my mother's Tracker and then traveled 400 feet before coming to a rest. The driver of the NStar truck, Francine Abbott a 48 year old woman, suffered a broken pelvis and had both of her legs broken I am told. She had no chance to stop or avoid the accident according to the police. Mr Parker suffered a concussion and was treated and released.

Why was he allowed to be on the road? How can this kind of tragedy happen when this man has been convicted four times already, according to the Cape Cod Times, and yet he is not in jail at this moment? I was told he would recieve a summons to appear in court and that is also stated in the Times. This just doesn't seem right to me. My mother supported you in your campaign to become Governor because she was hoping for a fresh change for Massachusetts. Please do not let her down and allow this man to remain on the street putting other lives in jeopardy. Please look into and tighten the current Driving While Impaired laws as soon as you possibly can. I am at a loss as to why this man wasn't already in jail.

Sincerely,
Susan Linhares