Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 21, 1997, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press local july 1997 John Douglas 6977292 features Buzz Currie email a3 Long Road of sorrow a drunk destroyed his family by Bud Robertson staff reporter Russell Plett is still trying to piece his life Back together after a drunk Driver killed his wife and infant son during a summer vacation two years it was the drunks fourth driving he is now serving a seven year prison is sentenced to a lifetime of remembering the sight of his 28yearold wife Maryanne and their 18monthold son Brandon As they Lay near their wrecked rental car on a stretch of Highway in South Ern i remember the said who now lives in and he remembers How he Felt when a bystander came up to the car where he was trapped inside and told him not to try to get out his family was already and i just died said who was saved by the cars air Maryanne and Brandon had been sitting in the Back and were thrown out by the Impact of the he and who were teaching in the Northwest Territo Ries at the were driving Down from Edmonton to meet his parents at Waterton National Park when they were broadside by a pickup it was driven by a 27yearold Man whose blood alcohol level was four times higher than legally the which had been veering Back and Forth across the Highway at speeds in excess of 120 Kilometres an flipped onto its and came to a Stop some 200 metres All three from the i was said that anger later turned to frustration at the Justice system for seemingly allowing such a Driver to be out on the roads where he could kill inno cent in the Driver had just served a six month sentence for drunk driving and his licence had been who is still undergoing treat ment for injuries he sustained in the said he int Able to work Hes still trying to get compensation for the Cost involved in Bury ing his but despite the fact that Plett is yet another victim of a drunks reckless disregard for he believes there is a Glimmer of Hope for future generations of Drivers who dare to Ven Ture onto the i do feel there is he there is a backlash coming and people Are starting to have Little patience with those who insist on get Ting behind the wheel of a vehicle with liquor on their he i has to be the big he and addressing the social problems that drive people to drink in the first this is the abstract for one of the worst impaired Drivers in it was supplied by Manitoba Driver and vehicle licensing Branch 1 May drive Over Fine 2 crash into parked vehicle Fine 3 drive Over Fine 4 drive disqualified Fine 5 March drive without insure 6 May drive Over Fine 7 june drive disqualified two charges Fine Ken free press Plett holds picture of Maryanne and killed by a drunk Driver in Alberta have you got a second drinking Drivers just cant ovoid most accidents by Bud Robertson staff reporter one that All it takes to avoid 80 per cent of All car but if you drink and you can kiss that extra second its said Ross chief instructor with the Labatt Road which stopped in Winnipeg yesterday at the end of its annual Cros Canada More than 70 people from professionals to Ordinary sunday Dri vers spent three hours at Assiniboia Downs learning How to get that critical extra some people have gone through Lavatts free program since its inception in this the program is touring with Fords pit pass where peo ple can test drive the company new its one thing to say dont drink and said its another to see graphically Why you dont want to drink and during the three hour the participants learn numerous Safe driving from effective braking to where to place the rear View or any kind of impair affects every person in a Dif Marc free press Labatt programs Andrea Hogg slickers Auto track at Ferent Bentley said As he pre pared to introduce himself to his Sec Ond group of participants for the but theres no doubt it affects at the Bare mini it gets rid of the on second statistics show More than car crashes take place in Canada every killing More than people and injuring the Cost to the insurance Industry alone is in excess of alcohol int the Only Demon affect ing people on the said Bent fatigue and overt counter medication can also affect a persons reaction while programs such As Lavatts Are definitely getting the message out to those who they Likely Arent reaching those who refuse to Stop drinking and he probably there least Likely to come to something like he adding those who least need to take such courses Are usually the ones who because they have an open he the attitude toward drinking and driving has been changing Over the last number of years and As More people take the maybe the message starts to if this Drivers behind look out 8 july drive disqualified jail 9 july drive without insurance Fine 10 july drive disqualified 11 july ran off Road jail 12 july drive disqualified jail 13 drive disqualified jail 14 no registration Fine 15 dangerous driving 16 drive disqualified jail 17 drive Over 18 collision with other motor 19 july dangerous driving jail 20 july impaired driving jail 21 july drive disqualified jail 22 dangerous driving 23 leave scene of 24 drive disqualified jail 25 fail to comply with right Otway at traffic control device Fine 26 collision with other motor 27 drive Over Fine 28 disobey police officer Fine 29 March speeding in 90 zone Fine 30 drive Over 31 april drive disqualified jail 32 fail to comply with restricted licence Fine True or false play ing Footsie con give you o Noil True discoloured toenails can be caused by a fungal Nail Aud this infection can be but now theres a simple treatment to cure fungal Nail because when you you dont want to Call 18005610990 or ask your doctor on your next get the toe 9 j Kravco pools spas i tabs pucks granular 6ko with Purchase of 6 pkg Sun tabs pucks of granulated Cash 4 carry uu8t present expires August residents anxieties mounting As doctors fee dispute continues Portage Hospital or stays closed by Paul Pleura for the free press Stan Killams anxiety level rises with every minute his Young son plays and every second that doctors in Portage la Prairie refuse to staff the hospitals emergency since Portage residents have been without emergency services at Portage la Prairie District general hos Pital As doctors and the province clash Over How much they should be paid for staffing the emergency the hospitals nine doctors withdrew their services after rejecting an offer from the provincial government that would see them each work 90 hours a f a sign posted on the emergency rooms door yesterday advised it would be closed until further feeling Strain Killam said his wife Michelle and Oney Earold son Alexander Are feeling the Strain of being caught in the Middle of the its definitely a major he they should have come up with a temporary Killam said while he dreads the thought of an ambulance ride to a Winnipeg he understands what the doctors Are trying to i do believe in what they Are he i just Hope nothing happens in the it was one of portages busiest week ends the annual Strawberry festival was on but there were no medical emergencies reported that the nursing staff at the Hospital handle the nurses Are handling things extremely said the hospitals executive Garry Mattin said he is confident Portage residents will not go without proper medical he fails to see the need for a 24hour emergency a 65yearold Elm Creek Man sitting with his wife on a Bench outside the Hospital didst blame the doctors for withdrawing their How Long can they stand that Pace the Man there running them selves into Portage mayor Glenn Carlson said the ers closure is making Many people in the area he Many also understand the doctors solution needed he also said its about time the Provin Cial government came up with a Solu Tion that will attract More doctors to Rural in not sure they the province fully understand its not about its More about its just too much to ask a professional in the Community to work 80 hours per doctors in Beausejour and Steinbach withdrew their services earlier this year to protest Long hours and poor fee for service in negotiations Are still under Way to staff two or three doctors full time in the hospitals Portage physician Robert Carter said theres More to the Issue than the provinces offer of a fee for service that 80 per cent of Manitoba Rural doctors have agreed i have a wife and and Ive been practising Medicine for 21 he i dont want to now be working 90 hours a not at this stage in my you Only have so Many years with your and its also about staying when youre working so Many hours you get less efficient and Start making health minister Darren Praznik said the province is working with the Region Al health authority to recruit new Doc tors in an Effort to solve the limited Supples butt one Coupon per cannot be combined with any Sargent at Berry Lagimodiere at Grassie 7866957 6543847 Maureen Dunn jewellers i 1 1 recounts designing inshore Goldsmiths repairs appraisals same Day service estate 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