Just over 4 years ago, a young man frantically slammed his brakes as his 1996 Camry accelerated out of control, reaching 90 mph. A moment later it crashed into another car killing a father and his two young children.
Desperately the man pleaded with authorities; he wasn’t drunk, he hadn’t been driving recklessly… he tried to stop.
But no one listened.
He begged the jury stating with conviction over and over again that he didn’t panic; he hadn’t mistaken the gas pedal, and he pressed the brake with all his strength.
But no one listened.
The young man was sentenced to 8 years in prison for criminal vehicular homicide, leaving his wife without a husband and his 4 young children without a father.
I remember this accident. I’m not sure why, but I recall wondering why no one believed him. He passed the Blood Alcohol Test and he seemed to be a decent person and a family man. But no one listened. I felt sympathy; what would I do if I professed something I believed to be true and no one believed me? There had to be more to this story, something the public wasn’t being told.
Even so, if my family was destroyed as quickly as this one, would I be able to see past the anger and grief to find truth and forgiveness?
I don’t know.
Just over a year later, Toyota recalled millions of cars for sudden acceleration.
Today, I woke early with my son. In the quiet of the house, I retrieved the morning paper and tossed it unceremoniously onto the kitchen table, then went about preparing breakfast. As I placed my son’s food down, my eyes caught the headline…”A Free Man”
It took another year, but the evidence is overwhelming… he tried to stop. But his attorneys failed him. They didn’t call an expert witness, didn’t uncover growing evidence on sudden acceleration, didn’t explain the lack of skid marks (anti-lock brakes), and declared, without consulting him, that he admitted negligence.
Yet it was the car that failed him, and the family who lost three loved ones.
I started to read and for a brief moment, I paused when the article said the victims’ families attended the hearing. My immediate reaction was: “Even now, they’re going to fight this?”
But I was quickly shamed.
They weren’t there to fight for his continued imprisonment… they were there because they believed him, they always had. And they wanted this young husband and father to be free. They’d found peace with the horrible tragedy, and wanted the world to be right… for every innocent victim, alive or dead.
I’m humbled.
I’m also filled with hope that in a world filled with such sad news, there is still beautiful grace. And it’s found in the most unexpected places.
Four years ago, three people lost their lives… this week, a young man found his again.
Tawn
Wow, what an amazing story. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteTo know that the other family was there by his side to support him at that hearing is just, well, amazing. For some it takes only moments to forgive, and for others, more time, But to know that they were there to show their support and to welcome him back into society, and to send him off to his own family and children is a true sign of grace.
I too am humbeled.
Kristin J.
hey Tawn, just found this thru your FB page - it's funny to think that this is just our local headlines, we have all heard about this a million times - but what a story, and when you tell someone else who doesn't live here, you get that reaction. And you discover that it's a really incredible story. I think he was on the Today Show this week.
ReplyDeleteI've followed this case closely. It is an example of over-zealous or uncaring prosocutors and incompetent or ambivalent defense attorneys. Nobody was truly looking for justice. Nobody but family and a few devoted supporters took the extra effort to investigate and overcome language barriers. Toyoto is no worried about their bank account and two civil suits. --T.C.
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