Drunk Driver Kills Hospital Director
by Rod Hughes
The 44-year-old carpenter accused of drunk driving in the accident that killed long-time hospital director Mario Bonilla Wednesday was found to have been at the wheel with more than three times the blood alcohol permitted to drive, said traffic police. The man remains in intensive care but is out of danger. Ironically he had been rushed to the very Puntarenas medical institution, Monsenor Sabaria Hospital, in which Dr. Bonilla had been director for 15 years.
Traffic police said the alleged drunk driver tested out 1.62 milliliters of alcohol per liter of blood contrasted to the ,49 milliliters permitted by law. Police add that the driver’s Hyundai Starex minivan crossed over into Bonilla’s lane and the resulting violent crash nearly destroyed Bonilla’s Nissan Frontier pickup. Special tools had to be used to cut Bonilla’s body from the twisted wreckage.
Police said they found no signs of skid marks from the minivan. Bonilla did brake but could do little to avoid the crash. The doctor died instantly. Bonilla’s body was taken to the hospital where grieving hospital staff refused to believe their director was dead until they had reviewed the body, according to the newspaper Al Dia.
March 17th, 2008 at 8:28 am
Despite all the warnings, public awareness and educational programs, stiffer penalties for violations, and efforts by law enforcement agencies across the nation to be more visible and diligent in protecting the highways, people will still get behind the wheel of their vehicles while intoxicated.
Alcohol-related accidents are so prevalent, an estimated 40 percent of all persons in the United States will be involved in a traffic mishap blamed on alcohol at some point in their lives.
Why dont they understand ” LIFE IS PRECIOUS”
March 17th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Well said, DELLA. I wasn’t aware of the U.S. figure and the reason I was surprised at it underscores your point. I assumed that the MADD awareness campaign had its effect and that the incidence of such accidents had gone down in the 30+ years I’ve lived outside the States. I wonder what the figure would be here in Ticolandia…