Drinking Alcohol: A Terrible Result and No Way To Fix It.

WINNIPEG – A Winnipeg woman responsible for a drunk driving crash that left her friend a quadriplegic will devote the rest of her life to helping others, a court was told Friday.

"I want to be held accountable for my actions," said Jakelynn Payne, her words wrapped in tortured sobs. "All I ever wanted was to set a good example for (my younger siblings). I never thought I would be in this position."

Payne, 22, pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of impaired driving causing bodily harm.

According to reports, on Feb. 26, 2010, Payne was behind the wheel of a Dodge Stealth driving south on Highway 59 when she blew through a red light at the Perimeter and collided with an eastbound tractor-trailer unit. The car drove under the trailer, had its roof sheared off, and went out the other side.

Friend and passenger Dawn Huston, now 30, suffered a catastrophic spinal cord injury and is now paralyzed from the neck down.

"She was a good friend, someone I could talk to and confide in and I miss her so much," Payne said. "Dawn’s life is ruined because I got behind the wheel and drove under the influence of alcohol."

Payne, Huston and another woman had been drinking at an East St. Paul residence earlier in the evening and were on their way to a social in St. Vital at the time of the crash.

Payne agreed to drive the women to the social but there was never any discussion of her being the designated driver, said defence lawyer Richard Wolson.

"The plan was not to drink a large amount of liquor beforehand," Wolson said. "The terrible error in judgment was made by all three ladies when they made the decision to get in the car having consumed liquor."

The Crown is recommending Payne receive a jail sentence of between five and 24 months. Wolson urged Judge Patti Umpherville to sentence Payne to no more than three months in custody, which she could serve on weekends.

In the year and a half since the collision, Payne has devoted herself to numerous causes, including the Elizabeth Fry Society, Winnipeg Harvest, the Christmas Cheer Board and others, Wolson said.

"Giving back to the community is what this young lady has decided she must do for the rest of her life," he said.

Huston was not present for Friday’s hearing. Her mother Lila declined to comment outside court, saying she didn’t want to be unfair to the Payne family.

Judge Patti Umpherville will sentence Payne Oct. 3.

dean.pritchard@sunmedia.ca

Driving Skills For Life to Teach Georgia Teens

The Ford “Driving Skills for Life” program will be coming to Chattahoochee High School in Johns Creek Tuesday for a teen driving safety fair.

Throughout the school day, students can get behind the wheel on course modules designed for vehicle handing and distracted/impaired driving.

The Ford Motor Company Fund’s Driving Skills For Life is a national safety initiative designed to help states increase awareness of the hazards of teen driving and teach beginning drivers skills to meet the demands of the road.

By Andria Simmons, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Good News About Teens

(From Reader’s Digest, July 2011)

For all the gnashing of teeth about kids today, teens appear to be getting their acts together:

Since 1990, the percentage of high school students who smoke or drink has declined.

Fewer teenagers drink and drive or ride with drivers who have been drinking. More students report wearing seat belts, and significantly fewer are involved in fatal car crashes.

Drinking Alcohol: A Terrible Result and No Way To Fix It.

Driving Skills For Life to Teach Georgia Teens

Good News About Teens

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Drinking Alcohol: A Terrible Result and No Way To Fix It.

Driving Skills For Life to Teach Georgia Teens

Good News About Teens

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