Mesa Police bring DUI crash car to EVIT

Mesa Police officers visited EVIT on Wednesday to talk to students about the importance of not driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Officers met with students to talk about Arizona's various DUI laws and answer questions, and then students had an opportunity to view the police department's DUI van and a car that was involved in an actual DUI accident.

The van is often stationed at DUI checkpoints, and officers use it to handle blood and urine samples and check for driver impairment.


But the most impactful part of the presentation came at the end, when students got to see, up close, the possible consequences of drinking and driving. The officers brought along a vehicle that was hit by a drunk driver several years ago. Four teenagers were in the vehicle and were just about to turn into the driveway of one of their homes when they were hit by a drunk driver who had been out drinking all night and was speeding down the street.


All four teenagers in the car were killed; the drunk driver lived and is now serving a 42-year prison sentence. The families of the teenagers who were killed gave Mesa PD permission to display the car, hoping it will deter others from drinking and driving.


It was a sad presentation, but one that really illustrated the dangers of driving under the influence.