|
Margie Sadler (left) shows ribbons to Tina McComas. Each ribbon represents a death caused by a drunk driver.
|
Margie Sadler indicated a display of ribbons to Putnam Rotarians during their weekly luncheon meeting at Wellington's.
"Each one represents a death caused by a drunk driver," she said. "There were 142 killed last year. This year there are 160 deaths."
Her dad and two brothers were police officers. She looked for a husband outside the ranks of law enforcement, but "in spite of her best efforts" she married a police officer after all.
In 1973, she was the first female graduate of the State Police Academy at age eighteen.
"I could carry a gun," she said, "but I was too young to buy my own bullets."
Since retirement, Sadler has been active for three years now as a victim advocate in the volunteer organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
She and her husband teach drunk driving victim impact panels across the state.
"Drunk drivers have made a conscienious decision to drive," she said. "Deaths and injuries from drunk drivers are 100 percent preventable."
Penalties are lax, she noted, as she related the tragedy of B. J. Berkhouse. Over a year ago, B. J. was walking on Charleston's Capitol Street with his girl friend. A drunk driver drove onto the sidewalk and struck him down.
Berkhouse, who had no insurance, later suffered a stroke and remained in a coma for several weeks.
Six weeks ago B. J. was in a rehabilitation center in Virginia "learning how to walk again." Friends are raising funds to pay his medical bills.
"It was a crime with a vehicle," Sadler said. "The drunk driver got home confinement."
Sadler spends much of her time counseling victims and their families. "You got me through the night," one victim told her.
"This is a passion," Sadler told her audience.
"We attend every court hearing, asking questions, listening, assisting prosecution as we are able."