Prosecutor Justin Crocker, center, talks about the DUI case after the drama unfolded last Friday. Peter Day / The Leader
-------------
By PETER DAY
Leader Editor
You could read it all over the faces of the high school prom-bound Lucerne Valley High School students: The consequences of drinking and driving are real — and potentially horrifying.
For one hour last Friday morning, the students sat in rapt attention in the school gymnasium, the same spot where many were expected to don formal attire and enjoy a high school rite the next day.
Produced in partnership with the Lucerne Valley Unified School District’s Majority Rules program, Friday Night Live and San Bernardino County Courts, the “DUI Court” reenacted a true-life court case. To bring home their point, the organizers used real 9-1-1 call audio and devastatingly bloody photos of a 20-year-old DUI victim who lost her life last year.
The key roles of the event were played by Honorable Kyle S. Brodie, who has seen more than his share of DUI dramas play out in his court room. Several assistant district attorneys and law enforcement officers effectively played themselves during the event.
Several Lucerne Valley students also participated in the drama including 9th-grader Ashley McClain, 10th-grader Victoria Gilmore and middle-schooler Bekah Hart.
But the contributions that made the biggest impact came from Rinna Kennedy, a Mothers Against Drunk Driving member whose younger brother was critically injured in a single-vehicle DUI accident, and a young woman who played “Cynthia,” the driver whose car crash killed the DUI victim.
The woman who played the part in real life was arrested for driving under the influence. She talked about being arrested, the legal costs, the humiliation and tainted future she faces for her actions.
Karol Thompson, the LVES office manager, is the district’s Majority Rules adviser. County health education specialist Amelia Lopez and others from the Friday Night Live program were present for the event.